Quick answer: if you have become a Canadian citizen, the Consulate General in Toronto says you must surrender your Indian passport and you will receive a surrender certificate. You apply online, print and sign the form, then submit it with your original last held Indian passport, a copy of your Canadian citizenship certificate and your Canadian passport at a BLS centre. BLS lists a fee of C$59 plus a C$1.70 service charge, C$60.70 in total. The consulate does not accept applications directly. You need the certificate later for an OCI card or any Indian visa.
Details come from the Consulate General of India in Toronto, BLS International Canada and the High Commission in Ottawa, and they change. Check the current pages before you submit. This guide is independent and is not run by the government of India or BLS. Checked: 7 November 2026.
Who needs a surrender certificate
The Toronto consulate’s FAQ says any Indian citizen who has acquired Canadian citizenship must surrender the Indian passport, after which a surrender certificate is issued and the cancelled passport is returned (consulate FAQ). The same FAQ says anyone who previously held Indian citizenship needs the certificate when applying for any Indian visa or for OCI. The rule that a person who voluntarily takes another nationality ceases to be an Indian national is also stated by the Embassy of India in Washington (Embassy of India, Surrender of Indian Passport). If you are renewing instead of surrendering, see our Indian passport renewal from Canada guide.
Before 2010
The consulate says that people who took foreign citizenship before 31 May 2010 had their Indian passports cancelled and no surrender certificate was issued. The surrender certificate began on 1 June 2010. If you want an OCI card and you surrendered earlier, the OCI page says you can provide a copy of your last held Indian passport with a cancellation stamp instead of a certificate (OCI for adults who were previously Indian citizens). If you surrendered after 1 June 2010 and do not have the certificate, the consulate FAQ says to send a scanned copy of your surrendered passport for verification.
The steps
- Fill in the form online on the Passport Seva mission portal. The consulate says no handwritten changes are allowed after you submit it, and a mistake means filling a fresh form.
- Prepare the documents listed below. BLS also notes that a digital photograph and signature are needed for the online upload.
- Print and sign the application, and paste your photograph where the form asks.
- Submit it at a BLS centre in the Toronto jurisdiction with the documents and the fee. The consulate says applications are accepted only through BLS, not in person at the consulate (consulate, how to apply).
- Wait for the dispatch. The certificate is sent to the address on your form by BLS post or courier. You cannot collect it at the consulate.
Documents
| Document | What the consulate says |
|---|---|
| Last held Indian passport | The original and a photocopy. Include the photo page, the last page with parents’ names and address, and any endorsement pages. BLS says the certificate cannot be issued if the passport is not physically produced |
| Canadian citizenship certificate | A copy |
| Canadian passport | A self-attested copy. Walk-in applicants also bring the original so staff can check it, and it is returned. Postal applicants send only the self-attested copy |
| Photograph | One photo pasted on the application form |
| Fee | See the next section |
If you are a foreign national who is not a Canadian citizen, the consulate asks for proof of valid status in Canada, such as permanent residence with the landing paper, a work permit or a study permit. All photocopies must be self-attested, according to the consulate FAQ.
Fee
| Item | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Surrender certificate | 59.00 |
| BLS service fee | 1.70 |
| Total | 60.70 |
That is the BLS Toronto figure (BLS Toronto). The BLS Vancouver page shows the same amounts (BLS Vancouver), and the High Commission in Ottawa lists C$59 excluding the BLS service fee (High Commission of India, Ottawa). BLS says fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. In person, BLS accepts debit card or cash and asks for exact cash. Postal applications need a demand draft or money order payable to BLS International Services Canada Inc. that covers the fee, service charge and return courier. Personal cheques are not accepted.
How long it takes
The sources do not agree. The consulate FAQ gives 2 to 4 weeks. BLS gives a minimum of around 8 weeks for the Toronto jurisdiction, and says time depends on the application and on the consulate. Postal applications add 3 to 4 working days. Plan for the longer figure, especially if you need the certificate for an OCI application or a trip, and do not book travel to India until you have it.
If your Indian passport is lost
The consulate has a separate route for people who acquired Canadian citizenship and lost their last held passport. Email a copy of the first and last pages of the lost passport and your citizenship certificate to attest.toronto@mea.gov.in. Once the consulate approves, you can apply at the nearest BLS centre with a copy of the lost passport, and the consulate issues a Renunciation Certificate in place of a surrender certificate. You then use that certificate, with a copy of the first and last pages of the lost passport, for an OCI application. We did not find a fee for this route on the pages we read, so ask BLS before you pay.
What comes next
- Apply for OCI with the surrender certificate. See our OCI application from Canada guide for the Canada steps and fees.
- If you also need a clearance certificate for another country or purpose, see our police clearance certificate from Canada guide.
- Keep the certificate with your Canadian passport records. You need it for any Indian visa as well as OCI.
Living in the United States instead? See our guide for the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to surrender my Indian passport when I become a Canadian citizen?
Yes. The Toronto consulate says any Indian citizen who has acquired Canadian citizenship must surrender the Indian passport, and a surrender certificate is then issued.
How much does the surrender certificate cost in Canada?
BLS lists C$59 plus a C$1.70 service charge, C$60.70 in total, for Toronto. Vancouver shows the same amounts.
Can I apply at the consulate in person?
No. The consulate says applications are accepted only through BLS.
How long does it take?
The consulate FAQ says 2 to 4 weeks and BLS says a minimum of around 8 weeks for Toronto. Plan for the longer figure.
What if I lost my Indian passport?
Email the consulate at attest.toronto@mea.gov.in with copies of the first and last pages of the passport and your citizenship certificate. If approved, you apply at BLS and receive a Renunciation Certificate in place of a surrender certificate.
I surrendered before 2010. Do I need a certificate for OCI?
Passports surrendered before 31 May 2010 were cancelled without a certificate. For OCI the consulate says to provide the cancelled passport copy.
Do I need the certificate for OCI?
Yes, for OCI and any Indian visa, according to the Toronto consulate FAQ. Applicants who surrendered before 1 June 2010 can provide a copy of the cancelled last held passport.
Sources
| Point | Source |
|---|---|
| Who must surrender, documents, BLS only, processing, lost passport, pre-2010 | Consulate General of India, Toronto, surrender FAQ |
| Steps and document list | Consulate General of India, Toronto, how to apply |
| Fee, payment, processing note, original passport | BLS International Canada, Toronto |
| Same fee elsewhere in Canada | BLS Vancouver and High Commission of India, Ottawa |
| Rule on voluntarily acquiring another nationality | Embassy of India, Washington |
| OCI document rules | Consulate General of India, Toronto, OCI |
Checked 7 November 2026. This page will be updated if fees or procedures change.
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