An update to Ottawa’s travel advisory warns that the issuance of visas in nine categories for Canadians to visit India is currently suspended.
On October 25, India began providing visa services for Canadian citizens under some categories, following a suspension that had been in place since September 21 due to increased diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
The services for entrance, medical and Conference visas will be resumed, according to the Indian High Commission in Ottawa. The visa categories for visitors, employment, students, filmmakers, missionaries, and journalists have been omitted.
The decision was made following a “considered review of the security situation that takes into account some recent Canadian measures in this regard”, according to the release that was sent out on Wednesday.
The information on this page was provided to us by the Indian government. On Saturday, the Canadian government announced that it might change at any time.
“Only four categories have been resumed, as mentioned in the Press Release”, stated Sanjay Kumar Verma, India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa, in confirmation of this.
In response to safety and security concerns, the Consulates General in Toronto and Vancouver, along with the High Commissioner of India stated, “were constrained to suspend visa services temporarily.”
(Image Source : Mint)
It further stated that the decision to restart visa services in four categories was made following “a considered review of the security situation that takes account of some recent Canadian measures in this regard.”
“Further decisions, as appropriate, would be intimated based on continuing evaluation of the situation,” the notification stated.
Although 165 countries can still obtain e-visas, Canada is not one of them. Only in December of last year was the e-visa program reinstated for Canadians, having been put on hold because of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Canada expels diplomats
On Wednesday, Canada relaxed its visa prohibition, days after declaring that it was sending 41 of its 62 diplomats stationed in India back. Following New Delhi’s threat to revoke Canada’s diplomatic immunity, which Canadian authorities described as a breach of the Geneva Convention, the decision was made.
But this week, the Indian Government denied any claim by asking Canada to remove its diplomats, that it was breaking international law and ensuring that both countries had about the identical number of diplomats posted in each country.
For what reason did the visa services end?
Relations between the two countries soured after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s public accusation that the Indian Intelligence system was involved in the death of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, to which India dismissed as “absurd”.
He was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurudwara in Surrey, British Columbia.
Nijjar was wanted by Indian Police on allegations of terrorism and murderous plot. Nijjar supported the establishment of a distinct Sikh state separated from India, according to the Indian authorities.
An Indian diplomat has been expelled from Canada, which also demanded that India cooperate in the investigation into his murder.
Outraged, New Delhi retaliated by cutting off services for Canadian visas, among other things. The Indian Government has cautioned its residents not to travel to specific parts of Canada, citing “the increase in anti-Indian activities.”
Although Nijjar was accused of being a terrorist by India, these charges were never put to the test in a Canadian court, Canada has not yet offered any proof that New Delhi was involved in the murder.
