India on October 25 resumed visa services in certain categories for Canadian citizens, nearly a month after they were suspended in the aftermath of Canada’s allegations of Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and a week after 41 Canadian diplomats left India, in accordance with New Delhi’s demand. While tourist visas and e-visas are still held in abeyance, the Indian High Commission in Canada announced that it would begin accepting applications for visas for entry, business, medical, and conference purposes from Thursday. Officials said that applications from Canadians in these categories would be accepted at Indian missions in other countries as well, which had also been suspended in the decision of September 21.
“After a considered review of the security situation that takes into account some recent Canadian measures in this regard, it has been decided to resume visa services for [certain] categories,” a press release issued by the Indian High Commission in Ottawa said.
The release added that emergency situations would continue to be addressed by the mission and any further decisions would be intimated “based on continuing evaluation of the situation”, indicating that a call on resuming tourist visas and e-visas, the most common way for visitors to apply, had not yet been taken.
