What Kind of Services Does the Indian Consulate in Toronto Provide?

Posted on Mar 30th, 2022 by Heena Ganotra, Last updated on Aug 24th, 2022

If you’re an Indian traveller or resident in Canada, you need to be familiar with the Consulate General Of India in Canada. A consulate is a representative of a country in another country, established to protect the rights of its citizens and to offer them all the assistance they need. 

Citizens travelling or residing abroad may need the support of the consulate for a wide range of concerns ranging from visa or passport renewal or legal matters like deportation or imprisonment. 

In this post, we explore what you need to know about the different services provided by the Indian consulate.

Services Provided by Consulate General of India in Toronto

The consulate general provides a wide range of services to the needful. Here’s a brief look at the assistance provided:

1. SAMPARK 

The SAMPARK portal is for emergency appointments. If you need some sort of urgent assistance on passport, visa, and related matters, you should use this portal to reach the consulate. It helps you get the appointments, check the appointment status, register an inquiry, and more. 

2. Passport Services

You can apply for passport renewal, replacement, information upgrade, and report loss or damage to the Consulate. All applications must be submitted through the BLS portal. You should review the information provided on the FAQ page before applying. We have a post on how to renew your passport in Canada that can help you understand the process. 

3. Visa

The Indian Visa consulate in Toronto handles everything from Visa application, renewal, and emergency Visa applications. You can get general information about the application process, generate an e-Visa, and get information about Visa fees. The different types of visas include-

• Business Visa for people who wish to visit for work or business matters. 
• Conference Visa for travellers attending a conference in India. 
• Employment Visa for people employed in the country. 
• Film Visa for production companies wishing to shoot a movie or television program in the country. 
• Entry Visa for people who wish to enter the country. 

A short tourist Visa with a one-month validity is scheduled to be discontinued from April 1^st, 2022. 

4. Overseas Citizenship of India 

The CGI Toronto office will also handle matters related to OCI. Whether you want to submit a new application, renew your OCI, get a Nativity Certificate, or update information on your OCI, the consulate will handle it. 

5. Police Certificate 

You can apply for an emergency and non-emergency Police Clearance Certificate. These applications must be submitted through the BLS center and will be processed by the consulate. If you want to get the certificate processed faster, consider walking to your closest BLS center. Walk-ins are handled quickly and often reach the consulate on the next working day. 

6. Surrender Certificate

The Indian regulations don’t allow people to carry dual citizenship. If you wish to become a citizen of Canada and want to renounce your citizenship of India, you need to get a surrender certificate from the Indian High Commission in Toronto. You need to surrender your Indian passport as soon as you get Canadian citizenship. 

7. Emergency Certificate

The emergency certificate is issued to Indian nationals under urgent circumstances. It is a one-way travel document that allows nationals to travel back to India in specific circumstances like:

• A new passport is pending and isn’t issued by the time the national must return to India. 
• Indian nationals haven’t been granted a passport or have been refused one. 
• Indian nationals who have arrived and are living in Canada illegally. 
• In cases of revoked or impounded passports. 
• In cases where the passport has not been renewed for a long time. 
• If the Indian national is being deported and the application comes in through Canadian authorities. 

EC is only granted under special circumstances so it is a good idea to check the consulate’s FAQ page to ensure you fit the requirements. 

8. Registration

When you enter or reside in Canada as an Indian national, it is a good idea to register with the Consulate General of India in Toronto. Registration services are available to Indian nationals, Indian students, and Indian associations. 

9. Miscellaneous Consular Services

Other services include:

• Attestation for official and important documents
• Casting votes in Indian elections
• Certificate of Birth 
• Affidavits for passports of Minors
• Support for women in distress
• Global Entry program
• Gaining Indian citizenship by descent 
• Life certificate
• Indian driving license application
• Registration of death
• Transporting ashes or human remains to India 
• NRI certificate
• Satellite phones

The Indian consulate also provides travel guidelines and issues notices to inform all Indian nationals of news that would concern them. For example, the consulate will be responsible for dispersing news about any travel restrictions the Indian government has implemented due to the pandemic.  

How to Contact the Indian Consulate General in Toronto?

The CGI office of Toronto is located at 365 Bloor St E #700, Toronto, ON M4W 3L4, Canada. You can only visit the office by appointment through the BLS or SAMPARK portal. If you have any visa or passport-related concerns, you need to go through the BLS portal and should only contact the consulate directly if those options don’t work out. 

Note: Enquires through email are not encouraged. The consulate advises everyone to read their FAQ and look for answers on their website before booking an appointment through the SAMPARK portal. 

Enquires regarding Passport, Visa, Police Clearance Certificate, OCI, or Surrender Certificate should be directed towards the BLS helpline +1 416 307 2237. 

You can call or message this number +1 647 6684108 for emergencies like serious illness or death of a family member and need assistance with Visa or Passport services. 

Visit their website for more information about the contact details and the latest updates. The organization provides support to people from their consulate jurisdiction, which include:

• Ontario, except for the applicants residing in areas with postal codes starting with the letter K. 
• Quebec, except for people from the postal codes starting with letters J, H, and K. 
• Manitoba
• Nova Scotia
• New Brunswick 
• Prince Edwards Island 
• Newfoundland

If you’re a resident of these areas or are travelling to these places, the Consulat in Toronto will have jurisdiction over your concerns. Residents and travellers are also encouraged to make note of the nearest BLS center as all passport applications and most appointments are handled by the center. 

Consulate General Of India Toronto Timings

The Consulate General office in Toronto is open Monday to Friday between 9 AM to 5.30 PM. It is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and consulate holidays. The open and close timings may be impacted by the global pandemic situation, so it is a good idea to check the website before you attempt to visit.

These are the basic facts about the Consulate General of India in Canada. You can find more details regarding their various services and processes on their website. If an Indian national requires any sort of support or assistance regarding the passport, visa, citizenship, and travel, they may approach the consulate for assistance. 

FAQs

Q. Are walk-ins allowed in the CGI Toronto office? 

Ans. No, walk-ins aren’t allowed in the office. You may visit your local BLS center or book an appointment through the SAMPARK portal. 

Q. How to book an appointment with the Indian Consulate in Toronto?

Ans. People who wish to book an appointment with the consulate may fill out a form on the SAMPARK portal and wait for the email with their appointment details. You must check the consulate website and FAQ first to see if the concerns are addressed there before you book an appointment. 

Q. Can I contact the Indian Consulate in Toronto Directly?

Ans. The consulate has provided an emergency line that people can use if necessary. Outside of true emergencies like death or serious illness, all passport or visa-related queries should be handled through the BLS portal. Direct email, phone calls, or walk-ins are discouraged. 

Q. Will the consulate call me for more information?

Ans. No. The consulate will never call you to get additional information and will never contact you directly. You will only receive email communications from the official domain name. 

Now that you’re armed with this information, you can visit and reside in Canada knowing that the Indian government has a robust system to support you. 

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