The Centre on Friday said it is aware of “specific instances” where Canada has delayed processing visa applications of retired Government of India (GoI) officials, including former Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) personnel who had previously served in the country, and said the matter has been raised with Ottawa.
Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said the government was aware of delays affecting retired central government officials, particularly former MEA officers who had been posted in Canada.
“Government is aware of specific instances of delays in the processing of visa applications by the government of Canada, including those of retired Government of India officials and retired officials of the Ministry of External Affairs who had previously served in Canada. India and Canada remain engaged on this matter,” Singh said in a written reply.
The minister was responding to a query on whether Canada had been holding back visa applications of retired Indian government employees, especially former diplomats and MEA officials who had served in the country, and whether the issue had been taken up with the Canadian government.
GOVT BOOSTS PASSPORT SERVICES
In a separate reply, Singh outlined the Centre’s efforts to expand passport services across the country. He said 93 Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) and 456 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) are currently operational under 37 Regional Passport Offices (RPOs).
The government has also taken steps to improve access to passport services by opening Passport Seva Kendras in Head Post Offices and other post offices in Lok Sabha constituencies that do not have a PSK or POPSK. It has also rolled out the ‘Apply Anywhere in India’ scheme, allowing applicants to submit passport applications at any PSK or POPSK regardless of their place of residence.
Additionally, Passport Mobile Vans have been deployed to provide on-site passport processing in remote, rural, hilly and underserved regions, Singh said.
– Ends
With PTI inputs
Published By:
Priyanka Kumari
Published On:
Aug 7, 2026 21:31 IST
