ICICI Bank Canada Student GIC Program Guide Complete Steps This program guide outlines the details of the ICICI Bank Canada Student GIC Program, effective October, 2015. Unless otherwise stated, all fees and charges are listed in Canadian dollars (CAD). 1. REGISTRATION Register for the ICICI Bank Canada Secure Email Service to initiate the application process https://secureemail.icicibank.ca/sgp_secure_email/ 3. APPLICATION Online Mode Complete the application form online and submit it, along with a scanned copy of the required documents. The account number will be provided instantly on screen. Offline Mode - Download, complete and submit the application form though our Secure Email Service or by visiting a designated ICICI Bank branch in India. 5. FUNDS TRANSFER Remit $10,150 CAD to your ICICI Bank Canada Account from India (this needs to come from your bank account) and communicated via the Secure Email Service 7. VISA/STUDY PERMIT APPLICATION Submit a copy of the Investment Balance Confirmation to the Canadian visa office in India along with your study permit application 8. ARRIVAL IN CANADA Upon arrival in Canada, visit a branch of ICICI Bank Canada to open a personal account and for issuance of the GIC 2. COMMUNICATION We will send you a secure email, which will contain your application form and an outline of the process 4. INVESTMENT ACCOUNT We will process your application within 5 business days. When it is approved, we will provide the account number of your Investment Account as well as detailed instructions on how to transfer the required funds via the Secure Email Service. 6. CERTIFICATE ISSUANCE An Investment Balance Confirmation will be issued once the funds are received 9. PERSONAL ACCOUNT & GIC a. We will deposit $2,000 in your Personal Account b. We will deposit $8,000 in your GIC Account, which will be paid to you over 12 months in equal installments Please note that a request for refund can be made under the program. For details please refer to page 5 of the program guide. 1
How does the ICICI Bank Canada Student GIC Program work? 1. REGISTER FOR ICICI BANK CANADA SECURE EMAIL SERVICE You will need to be registered with the ICICI Bank Canada Secure Email Service, a secure communication channel between ICICI Bank Canada and you, to complete the application process. You can also submit your application to the ICICI Bank Canada Student GIC Program online using this service. Click on http://icicibank.ca/personal/newcomers/sgp-apply.page to register if you have not registered yet. Once you have registered your personal email ID, you will receive an email from spp.ca@icicibank.com. with a link to the Secure Email Service and a temporary password which would allow you to complete the registration process. Note: This notification email will be sent from an automated email id, hence please do not reply to this mail. 2. SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION Option 1: Online Mode Complete the application form online and submit it, along with a scanned copy of your passport (photo page and last page) and proof of enrollment (if available). An account number for your Investment Account will be generated and provided to you instantly on screen, as well as through a confirmation email. You will then be able to transfer funds to ICICI Bank Canada from your bank account in India. Option 2: Offline Mode Download, complete (must be typed), sign and date the application form. The completed application can be submitted in two ways: By email through our Secure Email Service: o Log in and click on My application. o Fill in the subject line as follows: ICICI SGP your full name (given/first name and surname/last name) your passport number Application Request. o Scan and attach the completed application form along with all required documents including: Copy of passport pages (photo page and the last page), and Copy of acceptance/enrollment letter from a Canadian educational institution (if available). The application will be processed in approximately 5 business days. We will notify you upon approval of your application status and provide you with your Investment Account Number. Please keep this information handy as you will need it when you transfer funds to ICICI Bank Canada from your bank in India. In-person: o Submit your completed application to a designated ICICI Bank Limited branch in India, along with a copy of your passport (photo page and last page) and proof of enrollment (if available). 2
3. AFTER YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION If the application is submitted online, your Investment Account Number will be generated and provided to you instantly on screen, as well as through a confirmation email. You should then proceed to transfer the required funds to ICICI Bank Canada from your bank account in India. If the application is submitted via email or in-branch, we will review your application and notify you with your application status via our Secure Email Service. If the application is approved, we will provide you with your Investment Account number and wire transfer instructions via the same secure channel. Note: It may take up to 5 business days from the date we receive your completed application package, to confirm your application status. Please account for the time difference between Canada and India, as well as weekends and holidays in both countries. 4. TRANSFERRING FUNDS FROM INDIA The Canadian High Commission in India requires you to wire $10,000 to your investment account with ICICI Bank Canada. Our non-refundable program fee is $150; please ensure you transfer a total of $10,150. These funds must be wire transferred from a bank account in India that is exclusively in your name or, is a joint account with your parent(s). If this condition is not met, your money will be returned. Funds will only be accepted if the name of the sender and beneficiary (recipient) matches. Please send us a confirmation mail regarding the transfer via the Secure Email Service once you have transferred the funds. ICICI SGP Student s full name (given/first name and surname/last name) Passport Number Investment Confirmation Request. International wire transfers take about 5 business days. Please consult with your local bank in India for a specific timeframe. Note: Funds sent through other service providers such as money exchange houses, money transfer services, and third party services or, payments received from a third party (e.g. parents, relatives, friend, etc.) are not acceptable. Intermediary banks usually charge a fee for wire transfers. Please inform your bank in India that ICICI Bank Canada must receive $10,150 in full and any additional charges/fees will be paid by you locally. 5. BALANCE CONFIRMATION It may take approximately 5 business days to receive and transfer your funds into your ICICI Bank Canada Investment Account, following which we will send you an Investment Balance Confirmation both via regular mail at your communication address and on your Secure Email ID. Note: This confirmation will outline the details of your investment account including the balance amount. You are responsible for printing and keeping a copy of the Investment Balance Confirmation. Please note that a handwritten signature on this certificate is not included, nor required. If the customer misplaces the original copy then a duplicate copy will be issued bearing the word Duplicate on it. 6. APPLYING FOR A VISA/STUDY PERMIT You will need to submit a copy of your Investment Balance Confirmation along with your study permit application to the Canadian visa office in India. Please refer to the VFS and/or Canadian visa office, India websites for study permit application deadlines. We accept applications for the Student GIC Program all year round and will issue a confirmation when funds are received. However, you must allow for sufficient processing time to ensure that you meet study permit application deadlines. 3
7. ARRIVING IN CANADA Upon arrival, click on http://icicibank.ca/abouticicibank/contactus.page to visit an ICICI Bank Canada branch to open a personal account and complete the set-up of your Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC). You will need to present the following documents: Valid Indian passport Visa/Study permit (e.g. IMM 1442) Investment Balance Confirmation Letter of enrolment from a Canadian educational institution (or a student ID card) 8. REPAYMENT OF YOUR INVESTMENT Once we review your documentation in-branch and confirm all required information, we will open a personal chequing or savings account in your name and make an initial deposit of $2,000 plus any accrued interest from your investment account with us. The remaining $8,000 will be kept in a non-redeemable GIC (one year term), and fixed equal monthly payments will be deposited to your personal account. Note: It is your responsibility to ensure that you have adequate funds to cover your living expenses. The initial disbursement of funds is scheduled so that you will receive $2,000 in your personal banking account at your first in-branch visit. Please note that living costs can vary significantly depending on your place of residence in Canada. 4
Applying for a refund? FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE STEPS Apply for your Study permit After completing the process of application, funding & Investment Balance Confirmation, you submit an application for Visa/Study Permit to the Canadian visa office, India or You withdraw from the program You decide not to move to Canada or decide not to pursue the course and have returned to India. Visa/Study Permit Declined You receive a letter from the Canadian visa office stating that your Visa/Study permit application has been declined Visa/Study Permit Cancelled You seek a confirmation letter from the Canadian visa office stating that your Visa/Study permit is cancelled Application for a Refund You download, complete and submit the Student GIC Program Refund Application via Secure Email Service Note: It may take up to 6 weeks to process your refund request. Application Processing We will review your application and confirm your status with the Canadian visa office, or India Funds Transfer Once approved, we wire the funds back to your Indian bank account from where the funds originated Note: International wire transfers may take up to 5 business days. Confirmation We will send you a confirmation mail via Secure Email Service about the transfer of funds and closure of your account 5
Request a Refund 1. APPLY FOR A REFUND Redemption of the outstanding principal in your Investment Account or GIC can only occur in the following circumstances: When in India Your study permit was declined. In this case, please provide us with a copy of the refusal letter that was issued by a Canadian visa office. Your application for admission to a Canadian educational institution was declined. In this case, please provide us with a copy of the refusal letter that was issued by the educational institution. You have withdrawn enrolment from the Canadian educational institution before your arrival in Canada. In this case, please provide us with a copy of the cancelled visa and study permit issued by the Canadian visa office in India. You voluntarily decided not to apply for a Canadian Visa/Study permit. We may contact the Canadian visa office to confirm that no application was filed. When in Canada You have withdrawn enrolment from the Canadian educational institution after your arrival in Canada. In this case, please provide us with a copy of the cancelled visa/study permit issued by the Canadian visa office in India. Provide proof that you have returned to India. (Entry stamp in passport) HOW TO APPLY FOR A REFUND a. Download Click on http://icicibank.ca/managed-assets/docs/spp-refund-application.pdf to download the ICICI Bank Canada Student GIC Program refund application. b. Complete The refund application is a fillable PDF that must be typed to be accepted. Once complete, please validate, print, sign and keep a copy for your records. c. Submit You must submit the refund application through the ICICI Bank Canada Secure Email Service I. Any one from the list below: i. Refusal letter (all pages) provided by the Canadian visa office in India. ii. Passport page showing the cancelled visa/study permit issued by the Canadian visa office in India. iii. A self-attested letter confirming that you have not applied for a study permit. We may contact the Canadian visa office to confirm that no application was filed. 6
II. The wire transfer instructions form provided by your bank in India for the purpose of wiring/transferring funds to your investment account in Canada; and III. The application package you submitted to sign up for the Student GIC Program. NOTE: Your refund application should include all required documents scanned in order to be processed. This application should be sent through our Secure Email Service, by responding to the most recent notification you received from us. The subject line of your response must specify: ICICI SGP Student s full name (given/first name and last/surname) Passport Number Refund Request. 2. BANK CONFIRMATION Once your refund request is approved, we will verify that your study permit was declined or cancelled with the Canadian visa office in India. If your application is incomplete or incorrect, it will be returned to you with an explanation. You will need to revise and resubmit a corrected application. Please note that there may be some processing delays in such cases. 3. REFUND When your refund request is approved, we will redeem the outstanding principal plus accumulated interest from your account and wire your funds back to the bank account in India where your funds originated. We will send you a notification of the fund transfer through the ICICI Bank Canada Secure Email Service. Please be advised that: The refund may take up to 6 weeks to process, from the date when the correctly completed refund application is received by ICICI Bank Canada. If there are any corrections required, the refund may be delayed. The program fee is not refundable. Applicable transfer fees may be charged by ICICI Bank Canada. Additional fees may be charged by intermediary banks during the refund wire transfer. It is the student s responsibility to pay all additional fees incurred due to the refund. NOTE: Funds are returned to the bank account from which they were initially transferred to ICICI Bank Canada. International wire transfers may take up to 5 business days to reach your account. If you do not receive the funds within this timeframe, please contact us through the Secure Email Service. 7
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) GENERAL PROGRAM INQUIRIES Q. What is ICICI Bank Canada Student GIC Program? A. ICICI Bank Canada is a Canadian bank that is participating in the Student Partners Program (SPP) in India. With the ICICI Bank Canada Student GIC Program, a student can open an investment account in Canada from India, and invest in a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) in Canada. A GIC is a Canadian investment instrument (like a Fixed Deposit in India) that offers a guaranteed interest rate over a fixed period of time. It is similar to a fixed deposit account in India. Q. Why should I apply for the ICICI Bank Canada Student GIC Program? A. If you are applying to educational institutions in Canada under the SPP you must purchase a GIC to fulfil the proof of funds requirement for your Canadian visa/study permit application. Currently, there are 42 Canadian colleges participating in the SPP. For list of participating colleges click on http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/imm5961e.pdf If you are enrolled in a college or university that does not participate in SPP, you may still apply for the Student GIC Program to meet the Canadian visa office in India s proof of funds requirement. Another advantage of the program is that you will have a Canadian bank account once an investment account is set up in your name with ICICI Bank Canada. Q. What is a GIC? A. Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC)s are secure investments that guarantee your principal. Your investment earns interest at a fixed rate for the duration you have kept your funds for (It is similar to a Fixed Deposit in India). Benefits: Security and safety both your original investment and interest payments are guaranteed by CDIC Competitive interest rates guaranteed for the full term of the investment Flexible investment terms ranging from one year to five years Choice of interest payment frequencies e.g. monthly, annually Q. What is a Personal Account? A. Personal account is a bank account which is opened for day to day banking purposes. The chequing account, as is commonly called offers different facilities like a free debit card, free ATM usage, cheque book, and other services which are required for day to day banking. Q. Do I need to have confirmed admission to a Canadian educational institution to apply? A. Yes, you will need to have an acceptance letter from the educational institution to apply for the ICICI Bank Canada Student GIC Program. Q. Is my investment secure? A. ICICI Bank Canada is a member of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC). Only deposits held in Canadian currency, with a term of five years or less and payable in Canada, are insurable under the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act. Click here for further information on CDIC. Q. Will ICICI Bank Canada pay any interest under the program? A. For the latest interest rates for Student Investment Account and GIC under the Student GIC Program - Click on http://icicibank.ca/personalbanking/popup_newcomer.page 8
APPLICANT INQUIRIES Q. How do I begin the application process? A. You must register for the ICICI Bank Canada Secure Email Service, a secure communication channel with ICICI Bank Canada. Q. When can I deposit funds into my investment account? A. You can apply for the ICICI Bank Canada Student GIC Program at any time during the year and deposit funds into your Investment Account. However, it is your responsibility to ensure that you apply for the program well in advance, so funds are deposited in your investment account before you apply for a study permit. Q. What documents are required to apply to the program? A. To apply, you will need to provide the following documents: i. Complete and signed copy of the ICICI Bank Canada Student GIC Program application, ii. Copy of passport pages (photograph page and the last page), and iii. Copy of acceptance/offer letter from a Canadian educational institution. Q. Where can I submit an application? A. An application can either be submitted online through the ICICI Bank Canada Secure Email Service or in-person at a designated ICICI Bank Limited branch in India. Q. Can I apply if the school I intend to attend is not listed as a participating college under the Student Partners Program? A. Yes, you can still apply even if your educational institution of choice does not participate in the Student Partners Program. Q. Can I open a joint investment account with ICICI Bank Canada? A. No. Under the ICICI Bank Canada Student GIC Program, the investment account can only be opened in the name of the student who is applying for a study permit under the Student GIC Program. Q. How do I follow up about my application status? A. You must communicate with us via the ICICI Bank Canada Secure Email Service for all questions related to your application. To contact us in India by phone, please call 1-800-200-3340 (India toll free). To help retrieve information efficiently, you must have a copy of your submitted application and the date of submission handy for the call. Q. What amount do I need to wire to ICICI Bank Canada? A. You must wire a total of $10,150, which includes $10,000 for your investment and $150 for the program fee. It is your responsibility to ensure that ICICI Bank Canada receives $10,150 CAD in full without any deductions. Any additional fees charged by your bank in India (e.g. wire transfer fees, intermediary bank charges etc.) need to be paid separately/directly by you. 9
Q. Will ICICI Bank Canada refund my investment in case of any issues? A. Yes, ICICI Bank Canada will refund your money under the following circumstances: (i) Your visa/study permit application was declined. (ii) Your application for admission to a Canadian educational institution was declined. (iii) You have withdrawn enrolment from the Canadian educational institution before your arrival in Canada. Note: Students can withdraw from the Student GIC Program even after arriving in Canada. However, they would need to provide evidence that they have withdrawn enrolment from their Canadian educational institution and returned back to India. The investment will only be refunded after verification of visa/study permit cancellation with the Canadian visa office Q. Can I transfer funds to my investment account through services other than a bank, such as a money exchange house (money transfer services)/third party services? A. No. Funds must be wire transferred from a bank in India where you hold an account exclusively in your name or is a joint account with your parent(s), or the money will be returned. You will be responsible for covering all administrative/intermediary bank fees incurred as a result of the return of funds. Q. Can a third-party deposit money into my ICICI Bank Canada Investment Account? A. No, only you can deposit funds into your investment account, from your bank account in India. The Indian bank account should be exclusively in your name or be a joint account with your parent(s) in India. In the event of a refund, the money will be returned to this bank account where the original remittance was made from. Q. How do I communicate with ICICI Bank Canada? A. All communications with ICICI Bank Canada must be via the ICICI Bank Canada Secure Email Service. However, if you need to contact us before registering, please email us at customercare.ca@icicibank.com. You may also call us at 1-800-200-3340 (India toll free) for any further queries. Q. Can a third-party follow up with ICICI Bank Canada in regard to the status of my application? A. For privacy reasons, ICICI Bank Canada will not be able to disclose any information to anyone other than you. Q. How can I reset my Secure Email Service password? A. To reset your password, please refer to the Important Information section on the login page of the ICICI Bank Canada Secure Email Service for step-by-step instructions. Q. I have funded my investment account, but never completed my study permit application. Can I use my existing investment balance confirmation to re-apply for a study permit? A. Yes, you can use an existing Investment Balance Confirmation Certificate when re-applying for a study permit. The Canadian visa office in India will validate the investment balance confirmation with ICICI Bank Canada directly. 10
Q. Can I still use the same ICICI Bank Canada Investment Account if I defer enrolment or change my educational institution? A. Yes, you may still use the same ICICI Bank Canada Investment Account number. You must use the secure mail service to inform ICICI Bank Canada about the change and send us your new offer/acceptance letter from the educational institution. You must also highlight your new arrival date in Canada. Submit your update by responding to the most recent notification you received on the secure mail service. The subject line of your update must state: ICICI SGP Student s full name (given/first name and last/surname) Passport Number School Change or Defer Enrollment. Q. How can I update my personal or contact information (telephone number or home address or passport number)? A. If you need to update your personal information, you must notify us through ICICI Bank Canada Secure Online Mail Service with supporting documentation (if applicable) by replying to the last message received from us. The subject line of your update must state: ICICI SGP Student s full name (given/first and last/surname) Passport Number - Change Request Your request will be processed within 5 business days. You will then receive an automated confirmation stating that the request has been submitted and a second automated confirmation once the changes are applied. Note: If your passport number has changed, a copy of the first and last page of your new passport must be sent along with your update. Q. When submitting a request, what should I specify in the subject line of my e-response? A. When submitting a request, you must highlight the following within the subject line depending on the type of request The subject line must be formatted as follows: ICICI SGP Student s full name (given/first name and last/surname) Passport Number Please select suitable options from the list below Application Request Investment Confirmation Request Passport Number Change Address Change School Change Telephone Number Change Refund Request Q. Can I apply or am I eligible for Student Loan? A. International students from India that have study permits and are coming to Canada for their Master s degree program are eligible. Students enrolled in undergraduate programs (Bachelor s degree) are not eligible. Contact us: customercare.ca@icicibank.com 1-800-200-3340 (India toll free) w icicibank.ca Ver. 1-0915 11