Global Visa Suspension for Canadians by Indian Missions

The suspension of Indian visa for Canadian citizens, which the Government of India is implementing this week, prevents even physical applications from Canadian citizens to Indian missions in foreign countries from being completed. According to a source, the decision to suspend Canadians’ access to Indian visas has global implications because Indian embassies outside of Canada would no longer accept walk-in paper visa applications from citizens of that country.

According to the individual with knowledge of the Indian visa application procedure. This is primarily because like other visa applications. Canadians must pay a visa fee to Indian missions abroad. “If we do not intend to complete the visa applications. We would like not to receive the visa payments. Which are non-refundable anyhow.”

The usual operation of the Indian High Commission in Ottawa and other Indian missions has been hampered due to “security threats” that Indian diplomats are dealing with, according to a statement released on Thursday by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). As a result, they are “temporarily unable” to grant visas. Apart from that, the MEA representative said that the ban also applied to Canadians’ e-visas.

Politics Underlying for Canadian Visa Ban

The recent clarification, however, has widened the reach of the prohibition since no Canadian would be granted an Indian visa by any of the Indian embassies throughout the globe. The fact that the suspension is being put into effect despite what appear to be “security threats.” The country further suggests that bureaucratic and political undercurrents are driving it to be applied globally by Indian diplomatic posts. A temporary halt in the flow of Canadian passport holders to India will result from the visa restriction. Since India has one of the largest diplomatic networks in the world, spanning the majority of the globe. However, this ban does not apply to Canadians with valid Indian visas and OCI cards.

The visa dilemma is a result of the uproar started by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Monday remarks in the House of Commons. In which he claimed that Indian agents were responsible for the death of Khalistan Tiger Force leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June in Surrey, British Columbia. Canadian embassies in India subsequently “decided to temporarily adjust staff presence in India.” Which meant they were reducing the number of diplomatic and non-diplomatic staff members working there. Arindam Bagchi, a spokeswoman for the MEA, also stated that India would like “parity.” In the posting of diplomats in each other’s missions. Implying a reduction in the number of diplomats Canada will station in India.