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forumSection: Immigration to Canada, subForumSection: Family Class Sponsorship
Hi folks,
My apologies if this is in the wrong section of the forums, but since it is post-sponsorship/landing maybe some veteran poster in a similar situation has gone through this...
My wife landed nearly couple years ago and we are at a stage where her Indian passport is expiring soon (originally issued in India). We are looking at getting it renewed and one of the requirements is that the Marriage Certificate issued in India needs to be attested by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi, India. I see that BLS International offers such a service where they take care that. Anyone have experience dealing with them or is it best to have a relative make the trip to MEA? I'm concerned about sending originals.
Another requirement is "Joint Notarized Affidavit from a lawyer in Canada with Joint Photograph and Signatures" Any recommendation for lawyers in GTA that does this at a reasonable cost? Feel free to PM.
Any other tips are welcome
Thanks!
Hi,
Did you hear anything in regards with this?
I just got married on April 22, 2015 and have the marriage registration from India but no attestation by a lawyer from here. So wondering if I need to get this done or not.
Thanks,
Nikhil
Appostile/Attestation from external affairs is required if you want to add your spouse name in your name if it is not already added. If you have already added your spouse name in the passport and renewing it then it is not required. If you can not provide the attestation from external affairs, they will still renew your passport without spouse name added to it.
My wife is a Canadian PR and Indian Citizen living in Canada and I am an Indian Citizen living in India, waiting for Spousal Sponsorship Permanent Resident visa.
She wanted to replace her last name by my first name and add my name in spouse name space and reflect these changes in new Indian Passport.
Will explain what we have done and how she got a new Indian Passport from Indian Consulate, Toronto.
Get your original marriage certificate notarized by an Indian Notary.
Get it attested by the concerned state department official (In our case it was a Secretary Rank Official in Home Department, Gov. Of Kerala. More info at http://www.mea.gov.in/apostille.htm
Submit this marriage certificate at one of the VFS Office in Bangalore or Chennai for Ministry Of External Affairs, New Delhi Apostille by paying their fees (Rs.550, i think). They will get back it attested by Ministry Of External Affairs, New Delhi in one week.
We prepared a Joint Notary affidavit in India in the format (Annexure "D") given in http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/annexureAffidavit
Indian Consulate, Toronto wants above Affidavit as a joint affidavit prepared in Canada, but we couldn't do as I am living in India. Hence we made in India.
Wife prepared a Notarized affidavit in Canada stating that "She is married to Citizen and Resident of India, Want to obtain a new Indian passport by changing her name, wants to add husband's name in spouse name space, a joint Indian notary affidavit is attached as Canadian joint notary affidavit cannot be made.....etc"
Filled the online application form at https://passport.gov.in/nri and took a print out. (More info at http://www.cgitoronto.ca/content/passport-general-information)
Submit all these at BLS International in your area in Canada by paying the fees and other required documents (She was asked to submit her original Indian passport, Original PR Card, Canada and Indian Notary affidavits, Original marriage certificate attested by Ministry of External affairs.......All these will be returned to you along with New Indian Passport)
She got her New Indian passport with New Name and Old Indian Passport (with Cancelled and Returned stamp) in two weeks.
Done a Legal name change procedure in Manitoba....waiting for this Certificate and will do name change in PR card too soon .
Hope this helps...........
Blr said:
My wife is a Canadian PR and Indian Citizen living in Canada and I am an Indian Citizen living in India, waiting for Spousal Sponsorship Permanent Resident visa.
She wanted to replace her last name by my first name and add my name in spouse name space and reflect these changes in new Indian Passport.
Will explain what we have done and how she got a new Indian Passport from Indian Consulate, Toronto.
Get your original marriage certificate notarized by an Indian Notary.
Get it attested by the concerned state department official (In our case it was a Secretary Rank Official in Home Department, Gov. Of Kerala. More info at
Submit this marriage certificate at one of the VFS Office in Bangalore or Chennai for Ministry Of External Affairs, New Delhi Apostille by paying their fees (Rs.550, i think). They will get back it attested by Ministry Of External Affairs, New Delhi in one week.
We prepared a Joint Notary affidavit in India in the format (Annexure "D") given in
Indian Consulate, Toronto wants above Affidavit as a joint affidavit prepared in Canada, but we couldn't do as I am living in India. Hence we made in India.
Wife prepared a Notarized affidavit in Canada stating that "She is married to Citizen and Resident of India, Want to obtain a new Indian passport by changing her name, wants to add husband's name in spouse name space, a joint Indian notary affidavit is attached as Canadian joint notary affidavit cannot be made.....etc"
Filled the online application form at and took a print out.
Submit all these at BLS International in your area in Canada by paying the fees and other required documents (She was asked to submit her original Indian passport, Original PR Card, Canada and Indian Notary affidavits, Original marriage certificate attested by Ministry of External affairs.......All these will be returned to you along with New Indian Passport)
She got her New Indian passport with New Name and Old Indian Passport (with Cancelled and Returned stamp) in two weeks.
Done a Legal name change procedure in Manitoba....waiting for this Certificate and will do name change in PR card too soon .
Hope this helps...........
hello
i am new to this forum
i am an indian who recently acquired US citizenship , my wife lives in saskatoon canada ( she is a student , has a student permit )
we got married in india last month
my question is she wants to change her name in her passport in canada through BLS
i got some information from the BLS website and from your post
can you confirm the following
1) application form
2) original marriage certificate ( which we got attested from the state and then from MEA in delhi )
3) original indian passport
4) photocopies of the first 2 pages, last 2 pages and all the observation pages of the indian passport
5) original study permit with a photocopy
6) fee ( $85.40 ) + return fee ( $10 ) = total $ 95.40
7) joint affidavit for name change ( my wife is coming to USA for xmas and we will be making a notarized joint affidavit for name change )
8)4 passport size photographs ( 3.5cm x 3.5 cm ) + 1 to be attached on the application form
**** the passport photo size they are asking is different from the normal passport size which is 2 in x 2 in ??
is there anything else that is required ?
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