GOOD NEWS! INDIA RELAXES TOURIST VISA RULES

The Government of India has further relaxed visa and travel restrictions to India keeping in view the improvement in the COVID situation in India.

All Regular (Paper) valid tourist visas issued before March 2020, except 10-year tourist visa, have been restored with immediate effect. Canadian nationals will be eligible for fresh regular tourist visa, except 10-year tourist visa.

However, electronic travel authorization or e-visa, issued to Canadian nationals before March 2020 will continue to remain under suspension. Canadian nationals are not eligible for issuance of fresh e-Visa.

The Consulate General of India in Toronto advised that foreign nationals on tourist visa would be permitted to enter India only through designated sea immigration check posts or airports by flights including those under the Vande Bharat Mission or ‘air bubble’ scheme or by any flights as allowed by DGCA or the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation. In no case will foreign nationals be allowed to enter through land border or riverine routes on tourist visa.

Visa application can be filled online and duly filled forms are to be submitted along with required documents and fee at the nearest BLS centre, as follows:

Toronto: 1448 Lawrence Avenue East, unit 6A, Toronto, ON M4A 2V6, Canada.

Brampton: 40 Gillingham Drive, unit 403, Brampton, ON, L6X 4X7, Canada.

Winnipeg: 1770 King Edward St, Winnipeg, MB R2R 0M5.

All visa related information can be accessed at the BLS website: https://www.blsindia-canada.com.

Entry Visas for persons of Indian origin remain available but due to added documentation and scrutiny/verification requirements, processing time for such visas will be more than 45 days.

Regular tourist visas will be processed in 30 days.