India resumes e-visa services for Canadians: All you need to know

Visa services for Canadian citizens were halted by India on September 21 due to the ongoing diplomatic dispute

India has restarted e-visa services for Canadians following a nearly two-month hiatus. This resumption includes visas across various categories, such as tourist, business, conference, medical, medical attendant, and emergency, among others, for Canadian passport holders.

 

India halted visa services for Canadian citizens on September 21 due to the ongoing diplomatic dispute. This was after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused "agents of the Indian government" of involvement in the June 2023 killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen.

 

While certain categories like business and medical visas were resumed on October 25, others, including tourist, employment, student, film, missionary, and journalist visas, were excluded. 

 

The strained relationship between the two nations also involved tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats and the issuance of travel advisories. Despite Canada expressing a desire to engage constructively, New Delhi has consistently requested evidence to substantiate the allegations of Nijjar’s killing.

 

A chronology of the India-Canda diplomatic tension and its impact on visa services

1. June 18, 2023: Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and Khalistani separatist, is shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside a Sikh gurdwara in a Vancouver suburb. India had designated him as a "terrorist" three years earlier.
2. September 18: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau informs the Canadian Parliament that Canada is actively pursuing credible allegations linking Indian government agents to Nijjar's killing. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed strong concerns to Trudeau during the G20 summit. 
3. September 19: India dismisses Trudeau's assertion as "absurd." Diplomatic tensions escalated as both countries expelled each other's diplomats, with Canada ejecting India's top intelligence officer and India expelling his Canadian counterpart.
4. September 20: Amid concerns over Nijjar's killing, India urges its citizens in Canada to exercise caution. The United States, Australia, and Britain also express their apprehensions.
5. September 22: India suspends the issuance of new visas for Canadian nationals and calls on Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in India.
6. October 3: India issues an ultimatum to Canada, demanding the repatriation of 41 diplomats by October 10, further escalating the diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
7. October 25: The High Commission of India in Ottawa, Canada and its Consulates General in Toronto and Vancouver decide to resume visa services for the Entry, Business, Medical and Conference visa categories with effect from October 26, 2023. 
8. November 22: India resumes e-visa services for Canadian citizens.

 

Following the suspension of new visas for Canadian nationals, there were concerns among the persons of Indian origin (PIO) community, particularly those from Punjab, which constitutes around 70 per cent of the total Indian-origin population in Canada. The suspension affected many Canadian citizens of Indian origin, who often visit India to meet family, for business work, or for educational reasons, despite not possessing the Overseas Indian Citizen (OCI) card. 

 

No changes to the Canadian visa process 

 

“Since Canada depends heavily on student intakes from India, it can't take any step that has possible repercussions on that front. Despite diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, as hinted by the Canadian Prime Minister, the country seems to have no intentions to take it to another level, as it needs a huge workforce to thrive," Manoj Sharma, co-founder, eSharp Language Academy, Sirhind (Punjab). 

 

However, according to Amit Singh, CEO and Founder, of UniScholars, recent developments, such as a reduction in the team size of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), may have heightened difficulties in responding to inquiries and obtaining visas or passports for Indian students.

 

Additionally, he noted that there is growing concern about the extended processing duration for new visas. 

 

Processing duration for new study visas may be extended

 

“Amid recent diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, notable shifts have occurred in the Canadian visa process for students. The processing duration for new study visas has been extended to a 60-day timeframe. With service withdrawals in specific Indian cities, the possibility of further delays looms,” said Amit Singh, CEO and Founder, UniScholars. 

 

According to Singh, the downsising of diplomatic staff may result in additional delays in processing time and responses to inquiries from Indian citizens. 

 

“The reported faster processing times of non-SDS/University visa categories compared to SDS categories add concerns about study plans and the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PSW). Coupled with the ongoing uncertainty these factors have raised concerns among students and parents,” said Singh. 

 

The Student Direct Stream (SDS), formerly known as the Students Partner Program (SPP), is an accelerated visa application process for students wishing to study in Canada. It mandates online submission and compliance with specific requirements set by Immigration Refugees Citizenship Canada. On the other hand, the Non-SDS category is a general visa application for those unable to meet SDS criteria. 

 

However, according to Patriek Karayil, President of American Colleges, a not-for-profit enterprise that guides US-Canadina study aspirants, despite the geopolitical nuances, the SDS program continues to be a highly effective visa stream for Indian students seeking to study in Canada.

 

“Recent data demonstrates that the approval rate for Indian students under SDS is notably higher than for non-SDS applicants. In 2022, the approval rate for Indian SDS applicants stood at 62%, compared to just 19% for non-SDS applicants. This trend not only continued but amplified into 2023,” said Karayil. 

 

Karayil further noted that, as of now, there have been no major fluctuations observed in the demand for Canadian student visas. 

 

“We anticipate a clearer picture to emerge after the end of the year when we can examine any government-published data. But as of the current moment, the situation appears stable with no significant changes in visa demand,” said Karayil.