NEW DELHI – India will start awarding some types of visas again in Canada starting from Thursday, its High Commission confirmed.
The move is aimed at reducing the tension between the two countries that erupted after Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said there might be a connection between Indian agents and the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader; India says it had nothing to do with the shooting.
Last month, India stopped giving new visas to Canadians and asked Canada to have fewer diplomats in India. Canada then took back 41 of its diplomats.
On Wednesday, the Indian High Commission confirmed that it would resume the issuance of standard entry visas as well as business, medical, and conference visas.
“The High Commission of India in Ottawa and its Consulates General in Toronto and Vancouver were constrained to suspend visa services temporarily because of safety and security considerations. 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…” Indian authorities stated in a press release.
Earlier last week, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mélanie Joly, said that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will significantly reduce its staff in India, from 27 to 5, reassuring that all applications will be processed, though the reduced staff will lead to delays in processing, longer response times, and extended visa issuance periods.
Moreover, Canada’s Immigration Minister also reassured clients in India and Canadians with family and friends in India that Canada will continue to accept and process all temporary and permanent resident applications.
