TBM Staff - Mumbai Less than 45 days since India normalized visa issuance in Canada, BLS International Services Canada Inc, the firm entrusted with several visa services, has increased its footprint in the country. The company, which initially operated nine centres, has now expanded to a dozen, introducing facilities in Regina, Halifax, and Mississauga, Greater Toronto Area. These newly operational centres commenced services on January 1.
The newly established centres are designed to accept applications for passports, visas, Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cards, and attestations through both appointments and walk-ins. This expansion reflects India’s commitment to providing accessible and streamlined visa services to Canadians across diverse regions.
India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, stated that the new visa and consular service outsourcing contract includes provisions for evaluating the demand for such services. He mentioned, “The outsourcing contract also provides for taking a decision on a later date to have a new centre at any other city in Canada, depending on stable demands for visa and consular services.” The addition of premium services, including seasonal visits to Canadian cities, further enhances the offerings under this contract.
The surge in demand for these services is attributed to the increasing population of Indo-Canadians, which has grown from approximately 1.8 million five years ago to about 2.4 million today. High Commissioner Verma acknowledged the rising demand, stating, “With a considerable increase in immigrants from India into Canada, the demand for consular services is on the rise. Similarly, demand for Indian visas is also displaying a healthy trend.”
Highlighting the timeline, it’s noted that visa services were only normalized on November 22, when India restored e-visas for Canadian citizens across all categories. This move played a crucial role in facilitating the recent expansion of visa services in the country.
This strategic expansion not only addresses the increasing demand for consular services but also underscores India’s commitment to providing efficient and accessible visa services to the growing Indo-Canadian population.
