Chandigarh
17 October 2023
DIVYA AZAD
Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from Punjab have requested External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar to resume VISA services for Canadian Citizens of Indian Origin who are not having Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cards.
Sh. Sahney said that he has been receiving numerous request every day from Indian Diaspora specially Punjabis regarding their inability to get Indian Visa even for serious illness of their parents, attending family marriages and other family exigencies. Every second home in Punjab has one or other family member in Canada.
Sh. Sahney spoke to Sh. Sanjay Kumar Verma the Indian High commissioner in Canada who said that they can consider emergency visas only for death cases. For all other cases of any other emergencies, he awaits policy guidelines from Ministry of External Affairs.
Sh. Sahney appealed to the Foreign Minister that no issuance of Visa to the people of Indian origin in Canada will cause lot of hardship to them and there is a fear of alienating them.
Sh. Sahney hope that good sense will prevail and MEA will issue instructions to their high commission and consulate in Canada to issue visas. He suggested that in case of staff shortage in Indian Missions, granting of E-visas can be considered, but we can’t penalise our own brothers and sisters for no fault of theirs.
