A Canadian tourism company has been receiving a lot of calls from travelers who are concerned about their upcoming trips to India. This is because India has suspended visa services for Canadian citizens.
Travelers who already have a visa to India should not have any problems, but those who have not yet applied are not sure if they will be able to get one. India has suspended visa processing for Canadian citizens because of safety concerns for its staff. This move came after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of potentially being involved in the murder of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil. India has denied this accusation.
Canada is one of the top five countries in terms of foreign visitors to India. Over 80,000 Canadians traveled to India in 2021. The visa ban may have a lesser impact on Canada’s 1.86 million residents of Indian descent, but it has raised questions about their future in the country. Individuals with Indian citizenship, like Ms. Sharma, can still visit India freely. Likewise, Canadian citizens holding an Overseas Citizenship of India card, granting lifetime entry to India for Indian nationals residing abroad, face no travel restrictions.
“The issue is not about travel to India – those with valid visas and other types of documents like OCI can still travel to India – but the issue concerns the incitement of violence and the disruption of our high commission and consulates’ functioning,” explained Arindam Bagchi, a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs.