Important Instructions:

1.    Visa  applications     are accepted at   the   counter from 9 am to    12. noon  Monday to Friday, except holidays. (Please see holiday list at S. No 17 below)

2.    One Visa application  should be submitted  with:  (i) two recent    passport size   photographs pasted/stapled on the application form and  (ii) Valid passport.  APPLICANTS OF INDIAN ORIGIN, WHO HAVE ACQUIRED CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP AND HOLD VALID INDIAN PASSPORTS ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THEIR INDIAN PASSPORTS ALONGWITH THE VISA APPLICATION.

3.   THE VALIDITY OF VISAS STARTS FROM THE DATE OF ISSUE. Visas are processed    on receipt of the application irrespective of     travel. Applicants seeking short    term visas up to six months are    therefore, advised to apply for the same nearer the time of their travel so as to be able to complete their trip during the validity of visas.

4.    Special Visa applications are needed for nationals of PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTHAN, it may take up longer time to grant visa to an applicant who is a visitor to Canada or has any passport  other than a Canadian one.

5.    Acceptance of  Visa  application and giving of a collection  date on the  receipt do  not  necessarily mean grant of   visa. THE  CONSULATE   GENERAL   RESERVES    THE RIGHT  TO   DELAY/REFUSE   VISA   WITHOUT  ASSIGNING  ANY REASONS. VISAS ARE ISSUED SUBJECT TO ALL CHECKS AND CLEARANCES.

6.    Applicant may be required to appear for an interview at his/her own expense. In such cases , the date of pick-up shown on the White Receipt will not be applicable.

7.    All TELEPHONE INQUIRIES should be directed to : (604) 662 8811.

8.    The Consulate General Shall not be held liable to any claim arising out of delay/refusal of visa or loss of passport in transit or otherwise.

9.     Passports submitted at counter for visa will normally be ready  for collection the next working day. However, this does   not apply to applications for RESTRICTED/PROTECTED AREAS and certain other categories  (such  as  Studies,  Missionary Work, etc)  requiring references, where the   processing period   may take 10 – 12 weeks. At the time of the collection   of the passport (with Visa), the WHITE RECEIPT for fee will have to be produced. Mail cases   will take a longer period ( about a week if all papers are complete).

10.    Persons coming from or through Yellow Fever–infected areas are required to be in possession of a Valid Certificate of Vaccinations against yellow fever. No other Vaccinations are necessary.

11    Visa Fees, once charged, shall not be refunded, even if visa is refused or application is withdrawn.

12.    Applicant has to sent only Self-addressed pre-paid envelope or has to arrange courier service.

13.    EXACT VISA FEE,  should be paid by postal money order/bank draft in favor of Consulate General  Of India,  Vancouver. 

14.    All   outstation   applicants requiring urgent   visas should ensure   that a prepaid priority post    envelope   or a stamped, self-addressed   envelope   for registration is enclosed  along with the application   to enable The Consulate General to return passports. No passports will be sent by the Consulate General by COLLECT COURIER.

16. LONG TERM VISA holders  are also     required  to comply with the regulations   regarding registration at Foreigners Regional   Registration     offices   in   Bombay,   Calcutta, New Delhi,  Chief Immigration Officer, Madras    and   District Superintendents of Police in all other districts.

17. The Consulate General may be   closed  on important Indian/Canadian holidays. In addition to these, the Consulate will be closed on the following holidays, some   of    which do not fall on fixed  dates: Republic Day (26^th Jan),   Independence Day(15^th Aug),  Mahatma   Gandhi’s Birthday(2^nd Oct),   Christmas  Day (25^th Dec), Buddha   Purnima, Dussehra, Diwali, Good Friday,   Guru Nanak’s Birthday, Idu’l Fitr, Idu’l Zuha, Mahavir  Jayanthi, Muharram, etc. Please check our website for exact list of holidays.

18.  An applicant who desires to visit any RESTRICTED/PROTECTED areas in India is required to   submit an application on the prescribed form for   the issue    of a Special Permit, in addition to    the visa application.  It   takes about 10 – 12 weeks for processing of such an application. These forms are supplied upon request.

RESTRICTED AREAS currently include the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, certain     bordering areas in the States  of Jammu  and   Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh,  the whole of   Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim   and   areas   lying on the western side of National Highway # 15 from Gandhinagar to Sanchore in Rajasthan.

19.  The   Consulate    General of India, Vancouver    has    the    following     jurisdiction:    British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Northwest and Nunavut Territories.

20.   Our other offices in Canada and their jurisdiction are as follows:

        A)          High Commission of India, 10 Springfield Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1M 1C9
                     Tel: (613) 744 3751– 53  Fax: (613) 744 0913,

                      E-mail: consular@hciottawa.ca   Website: www.hciottawa.ca

(Jurisdiction: Ottawa, Hull, National Capital region comprising Kingston, Cornwall, Hawksbury, Smith Falls, Carleton Place and Montreal.)

        B)         Consulate General Of India, Suite #400, 1835 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario M4S 1X8
                    Tel: ( 416) 960 0751-52   Fax : (416) 960 9812,

                     E-mail: consusec@cgitoronto.ca Website: www.cgitoronto.ca

(Jurisdiction:     Ontario and Quebec, except places falling   under the jurisdiction     of HCI, Ottawa, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.).

21.      VISA APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FREE OF COST.  Forms can also be downloaded from the website.