India/Canada: Indian Visa Services Temporarily Suspended in Canada
November 22, 2023
At a Glance
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UPDATE NOVEMBER 22, 2023: Indian consular posts have resumed issuing electronic business visas for Canadian nationals.
- Indian consular posts in Canada have temporarily suspended the acceptance, processing and issuance of Indian visas (including e-visas) until further notice, effective immediately. It is unclear when the temporary suspension will be lifted.
- All Canadian and foreign nationals intending to travel to India from Canada will not be able to apply for Indian visas until further notice.
- Canadian citizens and foreign nationals intending to travel to India from Canada, who have valid Indian visas, may continue to travel to India.
- Affected individuals should contact their immigration provider and Nomadic for case-by-case information.
The situation
UPDATE NOVEMBER 22, 2023: Indian consular posts have resumed issuing electronic business visas for Canadian nationals.
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Indian consular posts in Canada have temporarily suspended the acceptance, processing and issuance of Indian visas (including e-visas) until further notice, effective immediately. It is unclear when the temporary suspension will be lifted.
A closer look
The Indian government and its visa outsourcing agency have stated that the suspension is a temporary measure and that it will be reviewed in the coming weeks. However, it is unclear when the suspension will be lifted.
Impact
- All Canadian and foreign nationals intending to travel to India from Canada will not be able to apply for Indian visas until further notice.
- Affected individuals should contact their immigration provider and Nomadic for case-by-case information.
UPDATE OCTOBER 26, 2023: Effective October 26, 2023, the following visa services have resumed at Indian consulates in Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver: entry visa, business visa, medical visa and conference visa. Individuals seeking to enter India based on an emergency situation can apply for entry rights to the High Commission of India or at an Indian consulate.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 27, 2023:
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- Canadian nationals cannot apply for Indian visas in third countries as their applications will not be processed.
- Indian nationals in Canada are still able to obtain consular services such as passport applications, passport renewals and attestations.
- Canadian nationals with a valid visa or Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card can enter India.
- The visa outsourcing agency in Canada is accepting new OCI card applications.
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Canadian nationals in India can extend their Indian visas, though there may be processing delays.
Background
The Indian government has not released a published notification of this change – the change has only been published on the visa outsourcing center website. A formal notification from the Indian government is expected in the near future.
Looking ahead
The situation is fluid - Fragomen India is tracking related developments closely and will report further updates once available.
Fragomen in India is Fragomen Immigration Services India (Pvt) Ltd., operating exclusively as an immigration consultancy and not as a law firm in India. This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
