Indian Embassy Issues Advisory For Students Traveling To Canada

The Indian High Commission in Ottawa, Canada on Tuesday issued an advisory for Indian Students traveling to Canada through third country locations.

The Government of Canada has imposed a unilateral ban on direct commercial passenger flights from India to Canada. This ban has been repeatedly extended and presently remains in effect till September 21, 2021.

The government of Canada also put in a requirement for travelers from India to obtain a negative COVID-19 molecular test from a third country, i.e., other than India, before the traveler is allowed to enter Canada.

This has caused great inconvenience to travelers from India to Canada, especially Indian students.

Some Indian students have used an indirect route, through a third country, by obtaining a negative COVID-19 molecular test in a place outside India to travel to Canada. However, there have been several reports about Indian students traveling through such routes facing difficulties and being stranded in various locations.

Advisory For Indian Students Travelling To Canada

In view of the above, Indian students traveling to Canada via third-country destinations are advised to;

• Obtain and familiarize themselves with the latest travel requirements, including all health security requirements, enforced by the Canadian authorities by visiting official Government of Canada websites.

• Familiarize themselves with the requirements of all airlines involved.

• Ensure that they have all the required travel documents and travel approvals from Canadian government authorities before embarking on the journey. Travelers must ensure that their visa approvals, travel approvals and medical clearances are up to date and uploaded on the Canadian government portal before embarking on such journeys.

• Not undertake the journey d they do not have confirmed flight tickets for onward travel to Canada from the third-country destination.

• Be prepared for quarantine regimes in third countries. Travelers who test positive for COVID-19 at third-country destinations may not be able to travel further and may be subject to local health protocols.

All travelers are advised to exercise prudence, ensure that all their documents are complete in all respect, including on the Canadian government portal, and have confirmed tickets for the entire journey.

“The High Commission of India in Ottawa continues to liaise with Canadian authorities to ensure transparent travel requirements for Indians traveling to Canada,” said the embassy in its advisory.

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