India’s High Commission in Canada has announced that it will resume certain visa services starting from October 26th. This decision comes after a temporary suspension of visa services, which was initiated due to safety concerns for Indian diplomats in Canada. The resumed services will include entry visas, business visas, medical visas, and conference visas.
The High Commission of India in Ottawa released a statement confirming the resumption of visa services in Canada. The consulates General in Toronto and Vancouver will be reinstating these services effective October 26, 2023. The specific categories of visas that will be available again include entry visas, business visas, medical visas, and conference visas.
Earlier, the issuance of visas in Canada was temporarily halted because of safety concerns for Indian diplomats working in this capacity. The safety and security of these diplomats were paramount, which led to the temporary suspension.
EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar emphasized that the safety of Indian diplomats was the primary reason behind the suspension of visa services. This decision was made when it was no longer safe for Indian diplomats to carry out their duties related to visa issuance.
This move follows recent tensions in India’s relations with Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had alleged the involvement of “agents of the Indian government” in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the leader of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). India strongly rejected these allegations, deeming them “absurd” and “motivated.”
In response to the strained relations, India temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens and urged Canada to take stronger measures against terrorists and anti-India elements operating from its soil. This led to the suspension of visa services for Canadians.
Furthermore, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reduced its workforce in India from 27 employees to just 5. These 5 Canada-based IRCC staff members will focus on tasks that require a physical presence in India, including urgent processing, visa printing, risk assessment, and oversight of key partners. However, this staffing reduction is expected to affect processing times, potentially causing delays in processing, responses to inquiries, and the issuance of visas and passports for Indian citizens.
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