Ottawa: India on Thursday suspended issue of visas to Canadian citizens "till further notice". BLS International - a private agency hired for initial scrutiny of visa applications - in a notice said "Due to operational reasons... Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice".
"Important notice from Indian Mission: Due to operational reasons, with effect from 21 September 2023, Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice. Please keep checking BLS website for further updates," the BLS website says.
BLS International Services Limited is an Indian outsourcing service provider for government and diplomatic missions worldwide. The company manages visa, passport, consular, attestation and citizen services.
On Wednesday, Indians, students in Canada and those wanting to travel to the country were advised to exercise caution.
According to a release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Indian nationals and Indian students in Canada were advised to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen growing anti-India activities.
This advisory for students came amidst a tension in India-Canada relations after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday alleged that the Indian government was behind the fatal shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
However, the Canadian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister allegations have been rejected by the Ministry of External Affairs in India which dubbed the statements as absurd.
Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in a parking area in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18. (with ANI inputs)
