Canadian visa offices in BD closed

DHAKA: The authorities of visa processing of Canada have closed all three visa offices in Bangladesh with effect from April 30.

The Canadian visa for Bangladeshi people will be issued from Canadian High Commission in Singapore from now on.

In order to get visa, Bangladeshi people have to apply through private organization ‘VFS’ in Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong.

A high official of Canadian high commission in Dhaka confirmed the matter to banglanews on Wednesday evening.

Mentioning that the Canadian government office on immigration affairs, Citizen and Immigration Canada took the decision, he said, “The Canadian government basically took the decision in order to cut cost.”

Apart from Bangladesh, the visa offices in Berlin, Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo have already been shut down, said the official.

He said, “However, the people who have applied for the visa before April 30, could collect it from Bangladesh.”

The official added: “From now on, Bangladeshi passport holders will be issued visa from Canadian High Commission in Singapore.”

He said, “The Bangladeshi visa applicants have to apply for visa through VFS. They will not face any problem in getting visa through the new process.”

The official also informed that the VFS agents will send all related documents to visa office in Singapore after initial verification.  

If the high commission feels the need of interviewing any applicant, they will complete the full proceedings through VFS and the applicant can pay the visa fees through the same process, the official added.

BDST: 2206 HRS, MAY 02, 2012
Edited by:
Maria Salam, Asst Output Editor
M. Mahbub Alam, Asst Output Editor