Research Visa

Research Visa (RV) is granted to those desiring to go to Indiafor undertaking some Research work. Usually the Research Scholars applying for Research Visa have their case sponsored by the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute which is a body jointly set up by India and Canada to promote research. If your research work is sponsored by some other institute or university or yourself, then also the procedure remains the same.

When the Research visa is approved, the dependent family members of the research scholar are granted Entry Visa for a similar duration.

Processing Time

The entire process of granting RV can take up to one month to complete. So please apply in advance.

How to apply and the fee charged

You need to fill the Visa Application form by clicking at http://indianvisaonline.gov.
in/visa/.In addition, please download the Research Visa Information Form by clicking here Fill up both the Forms and send a copy by e-mail to cons1.ottawa@mea.gov.in for approval of the research subject. Please mark the Subject of the e-mail as "Approval for Research Visa". You may like to include other documents in support of your visa application such as approval from the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute or other Indian/Canadian institute or university, as the case may be. You should not send any visa fee at this stage.

While filling up the on-line Visa Application Form at http://indianvisaonline.gov.
in/visa/, fill "Canada - Ottawa" under the Indian Mission heading (it is the first column on the first page). This will ensure that when you will print the Visa Application From, the number generated under the bar code will start with CANO.....which shows that the Form was correctly filled up for Ottawa office. The letters CAN indicate Canada and letter O stands for Ottawa. Please remember that Ottawa office can process only those Visa Application Forms which have CANO... under the bar code.

If the subject matter of your research is not sensitive, as determined by us and hence not requiring approval of authorities in India, you will get your approval in 5 business days. Once you get the approval, submit your RV application along with a print out of the approval received from the High Commission of India to the BLS International centre in Ottawa, regardless of your place of stay in Canada. All RV applications are processed at Ottawa.

Office address, timings, phone numbers and e-mail address of our outsourcing agents, BLS International can be found by clicking here The fee is C$100 + C$ 4/- for 6 months, C$ 149 + C$ 4/- for one year. In addition, you will also be required to pay processing fee charged by the BLS International. Please consult them about the total cost and the exact procedure for remitting the fee. At this stage, you may also like to send the applications of your dependent family members to BLS International and remit a consolidated amount of fee for all the applications.

Please note that you have to apply for RV even if you hold a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card or Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card issued by the Government of India.