India suspends visas for all Canadians: Who’s affected, who’s not?

The India-Canada relationship seems to be going from bad to worst. The diplomatic row that erupted after Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau accused New Delhi of being involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen – Hardeep Singh Nijjar – further deteriorated on Thursday when it was announced that all visa services for Canadian citizens had been suspended. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a press conference on Thursday (21 September) said that India was temporarily suspending issuance of visas to Canadian citizens in view of “security threats” faced by its high commission and consulates in Canada. He explained that all categories of visas have been suspended and will include Canadian visa applicants in third countries. “You are aware of the security threats being faced by our high commission and consulates in Canada. It has disrupted their normal functioning. Accordingly, our high commission and consulates are temporarily unable to process visa applications,” he said.

The decision has made people jittery; travel plans are being upended, and Indians who have family members residing in Canada are a worried lot. Even parents of students studying there are concerned. What does all this mean for them? We break it down and explain it all. Will Canadians be able to travel to India now? Canadians, which mean those who possess a Canadian passport, won’t be able to travel to India. However, this is not applicable to those who already have their visa in hand. Simply put, if you have a valid Indian visa, you could travel to the country. However, those who are applying now to travel to India won’t be able to do so. And this applies to all categories of visas – tourism, work or otherwise. Applications through the online e-visa program are also suspended. BLS International, which is a private agency hired for initial scrutiny of visa applications of Canadian nationals, said on Thursday: “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 the BLS website for further updates.” The decision has led to panic and worry among many Canadians, including businessmen and tourists, who were to travel to India. Jothy Ilangovan, standing in line outside the BLS office in Toronto, who was there to help her brother secure a visa for a pilgrimage told Bloomberg: “This shouldn’t happen for the innocent people. We want to go to the temple and pray, that’s it.” Employees working at Canadian tourist companies also reported that they received a higher number of calls shortly after the announcement was made with many questioning if they could travel or what would happen to their bookings. Radhika Sharma, who works at Explore India, which organises tours to the country, was quoted by the BBC as saying, “Travellers with a visa in hand should be fine “but people who have not yet applied, we’re not sure if they are going to get it or not”. Interestingly, visa services to Canadians from a third country, which mean if they live in another country besides Canada, have also been suspended by India. Will Indians be able to travel to Canada? Yes. Canada hasn’t imposed any curbs on people travelling to the country. However, the MEA on Wednesday did issue a travel advisory, urging citizens to “exercise utmost caution.” “In view of growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in Canada, all Indian nationals there and those contemplating travel are urged to exercise utmost caution. “Recently, threats have particularly targeted Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the anti-India agenda… Indian nationals are therefore advised to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen such incidents,” it said. It further added, “Given the deteriorating security environment in Canada, Indian students in particular are advised to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant. [caption id=“attachment_13155782” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The High Commission of Canada in India, at Shantipath in New Delhi. India has suspended visa services for Canadian citizens amid an escalating row over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil. PTI[/caption] What about OCI-card holders? People in Canada who are in possession of Overseas Citizenship of India card, need not worry about the visa suspension. The MEA on Thursday clarified that this didn’t affect them and they were free to travel to India. What happens to those with permanent residency in Canada? For those who hold permanent residency in Canada, there are no changes to visa policies yet. For those who are confused, a permanent resident is someone who has been given permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada, but is not a Canadian citizen. The Globe and Mail reported that all permanent residents could still travel to India and back. On 20 September, however, India requested all Indian citizens living or studying in Canada register with the high commission or an Indian consulate to “better connect … in the event of any emergency or untoward incident.” [caption id=“attachment_13155852” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] India’s suspension of visa services to Canadians comes after ties between the two countries deteriorated. Ottawa has accused India of being responsible for the killing of a Canadian citizen, a claim New Delhi has called absurd. File image/PTI[/caption] What are the repercussions of such a move? India’s suspension of visa services to Canadians has evoked worry and concern for many. It will also affect India’s tourism numbers. Canada is among the top five source countries of foreign visitors to India according to tourism data, with more than 80,000 Canadians travelling there in 2021. Apart from the tourism, many Indian students and their families are concerned. This is because a large number of them travel to Canada each year to study. Some students voicing their worry wondered if the rift and suspensions of the visa could impact their ability to stay in Canada in the coming years. They are also concerned if the rift could bar families from visiting them in the future, or even vice versa. The visa suspension will also affect business. With India suspending visas, business travel will be severely affected. As Unnati Oza, a Toronto-based travel agent, told Bloomberg: “This is going to impact Canada, and its trade and economy, where India has played a big role. This is going to impact Canada, and its trade and economy, where India has played a big role.” How long will this situation last? There’s no certain answer for this question and how the situation progresses is completely dependent on the way political and diplomatic relations between the two countries evolve. The crisis all began on Tuesday morning (local time) after Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau alleged of “credible information” that “agents of the Government of India” had a role in the killing of Khalistani separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada in June. Canada then expelled a senior diplomat, owing to which India retaliated with expelling a Canadian diplomat. One thing is certain though: It will take a long time for ties between India and Canada to resume normalcy, if it does. For now, all we can do is wait and watch. With inputs from agencies