Canada's charge d'affaires ad interim in Russia was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry and told that a number of questions in the new visa application form are unacceptable for Russians.
"The Russian Foreign Ministry hopes the Canadian side analyzes the situation once again and holds a constructive position on the issue during the forthcoming bilateral consular consultations," the ministry said.
"Otherwise, we will have to resort to reciprocal measures," it said.
Canada released a new non-immigration visa application form where Russian applicants are required to give details concerning their military service including police or civil defense units and to provide information on the unit where they served and its location.
Such information is considered a state secret in Russia and its disclosure may be seen as a criminal offense carrying a 4-year prison term.
The new form also requires information as to which political party the applicant belongs. Russia maintains that such questions are too intrusive and violate people's civil rights.
Russia and Canada have had several disputes over visa issues in the past.
In 2009, Canada refused to grant a visa to the head of the Russian upper house's international affairs committee, Mikhail Margelov, and instead issued him a temporary entry permit.
MOSCOW, November 3 (RIA Novosti)
