New visa rules

Friday, 27 August 2010 16:26

By Jamila Najmuddin

Sri Lanka has decided to suspend the on arrival visa facility for all countries except Singapore and Maldives with effect from 30th of September 2010, the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration W. A. C. Perera told Daily Mirror online.

Mr. Perera said that under the move tourists arriving to Sri Lanka from nearly 70 countries will be required to obtain visas from the department of immigration and emigration in Colombo or from the Sri Lankan missions abroad before their arrival in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka however is willing to offer visas on arrival to citizens of any country if those countries also reciprocate in the same manner, Mr. Perera explained. So far only Singapore and the Maldives offers visas on arrival for Sri Lankan citizens.

Tourism industry officials meanwhile said that the move could affect the tourism industry in Sri Lanka as there maybe a drop in tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka. (Daily Mirror online)

List of countries which were earlier given on arrival visa

Comments

-94+84 # Joseph 2010-08-27 16:31

Bad move- when the counrty is about to take off - develpoment -

-3+5 # Joseph 2010-08-28 16:03

Why make hasty decsion and then revese it within hours-

Irresposibale Officers like this guy shold be sacked- Having said that I think he is acting on Mosda FM's instuctions

-59+115 # RAZEEN 2010-08-27 16:36

Its a very good move by the Sri Lankan Government. The countries other than Maldives and Singapore are earning a lot of money from Visa centres and Embassies are earning a lot of money .Our countrymen are wasting lots of time going around calling centre and embassies to obtain Visa .Well Done

-44+97 # Dhammika 2010-08-27 16:40

At last.............
I don't know why we continued to allow visa for those from countries who have been giving so much trouble to Sri Lankans when issuing visas. Follow the Indians....

-43+85 # Fair Call 2010-08-27 16:40

This is an excellent and a much awaited move. You scratch mine ill scratch yours.

-10+65 # SEN 2010-08-27 16:41

BARBADOS doesn't require visa for Sri Lankans... Controller General of Immigration and Emigration W. A. C. Perera better know what countries require visa for Sri Lankans..

-12+36 # Smart Aleck 2010-08-27 17:55

Let the facility be reciprocal.

-58+37 # Dinesh 2010-08-27 16:41

Where are we heading to???

-69+34 # Cynic 2010-08-27 16:44

Who cares about tourism. Api lokko.

-41+63 # doggerel 2010-08-27 16:45

A very good move indeed, well done SRi Lanka and GL

-21+56 # True man 2010-08-27 16:45

It is good and bad. But what is the advantage for SL in doing so?

-37+67 # Noah 2010-08-27 16:46

Looks like 'Eye to Eye'. Seems like Sri Lanka has a back bone now

-22+22 # flema 2010-08-27 19:22

EXCELLENT!!!!!!

-18+58 # danny 2010-08-27 16:47

I am sure there will be a drop in the Indian tourists because the Indian government will not give reciprocal visa facilities for Lankans.

-18+63 # TP 2010-08-27 16:47

This is a good move, but will it have an adverse effect on tourism as we know our people are well known to be the laziest in the world. The Tourist will get fed up when applying for Visas from our embassies

-22+45 # chandana SG 2010-08-27 16:53

This has both pros and cons.
It is good to equally treat countries like Singapore who have never asked Visa from Sri Lankan citizens entering into Singapore.
But this move will slow down tourists arriving especially from India.
Anyway Good Move. Rata Perata!!!!

-26+28 # rajive samarasinghe 2010-08-27 17:51

excellent, well done Mr. President. this is the way forward.
but i think still we got people in this country want to be slaves for EU.

-18+29 # James Campbell Jayaw 2010-08-27 17:53

This is a very good move.There are lot of elements entering the country using the visa on arrival. This will enable the government to monitor such unwanted entries and ensure SECURITY of the country.

-13+14 # kanna 2010-08-27 17:55

@joseph at what circumstances is sl trying to take off....

-27+30 # Lanke Banda 2010-08-27 17:56

Proud to be a Lankan Now.

-17+32 # Chathu 2010-08-27 18:05

A very good move !!!
But hope our foreign missions will work efficient in issuing Visas to whom it need.

-17+28 # ganepola 2010-08-27 18:08

Very good move.
Some countries not only make it difficult to Visa, but also cost too much money. Why should SL give free vias over counter to those countries. Ask them to pay for it.
Why should SL let foreigners enter SL with free Tourist Visa, then go on to do the things that are harmfull to SL.

-13+24 # Jamie 2010-08-27 18:15

Good move. but too early to start. We have to achieve our
development plans first. after implementation and economy is consistant we can show our pride

-21+43 # True Love Sri Lankan 2010-08-27 18:20

I think that this is very bad decision taken by the Government.This is the time investors around the World talking about Sri Lanka , we should not limit their access to our country in this time.

What we should do is charging a visa fee at Immigration on arrival rather than Tourist/investors to wait and queue in Sri Lankan Missions abroad.

Iam sure that our Missions abroad are not capable to treat the in good freindly manner.

-3+4 # gama rala 2010-08-28 13:35

Err... The Missions abroad are staffed by chimps with a red scarf. Just like the Big Chimp MR. How do you expect them to think???

-1+2 # Norwayl 2010-08-28 13:55

I am agree with u their are so many country issu visa at the air port with charge this should do

-11+42 # Ravin 2010-08-27 18:23

Our Foreign missions and embassies are not efficient and courtesy enough, I've just been to UK - SL Embassy and office and building looks very poor and hardly anyone could speak proper english!

-23+12 # Ahamed Ehzan 2010-08-27 19:21

Excellent decision.

-9+29 # Lal 2010-08-27 19:27

This is all big talk. Sri Lanka cannot afford to do this at the expence of tourism. Will not happen in the near future.

-14+14 # Public 2010-08-27 19:27

Finally, may I suggest Visa fees also to match those respective country fees

-26+14 # achu 2010-08-27 19:35

Very proud to be Sri Lankan. Excellent move!

-16+8 # Sisira 2010-08-27 21:38

Exactly.. we are proud... if we don't have any thing to eat. and no worries rich perople has enough to eat and wae

-18+41 # Jay 2010-08-27 19:53

Do you think tourist have no other place in the world to go to? Our president pride has gotten too big for his head.

-3+11 # Saheed 2010-08-28 11:00

Ravin - How can the present generation speak good English when the late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike after making Sinhala the official language discontnued all English medium schools.

-7+2 # Manoj 2010-08-28 13:21

WOW .... excellent move..... keep it up.....

-7+6 # German 2010-08-28 13:36

White skin must pay in Sri Lanka prices superelevated everywhere and now still to visa specially, there travels we better to other countries.

-2+7 # david 2010-08-28 14:14

we should offer a tax free heaven for foreigners to invest money instead of disadvantaging them.

-2+8 # wansa 2010-08-28 14:20

Our Foreign missions and embassies are not efficient.If you want to introduce a fee you can do it at arrival. Why do you want this unnecessary things.

-6+3 # udeni Perera 2010-08-28 16:13

Excellent move.How much we go thorugh to visit the other countries,The embassy treets like we'r not worth the visa.

So very good move.

-0+6 # UJ 2010-08-28 16:23

I went to Seychelles couple of moths a ago and I got the visa on arrival. Why not we give them the same!

-0+2 # Senaka 2010-08-29 01:58

all the Tom and Jerry should get visa. If they ask us why not we? Good move

-2+1 # Rimzan 2010-08-29 10:42

Good decision by Government i support for this

-4+1 # Rimzan 2010-08-29 10:44

Good Decision by government ,,, Proud to be a Sri Lankan .

-1+1 # Augustine Rodriguez 2010-08-29 10:51

Through goodwill we must make other countries to issue visas on arrival for Sri Lankans. Instead of that we must not do foolish things

-4+2 # sunil wijewardena 2010-08-29 10:52

well don Mr Rjapaksh you are big man with proud head well done proud srilanka

-2+1 # Raj 2010-08-29 12:24

Good Move., Well done.

-0+1 # charmaine 2010-09-10 11:54

It may be a good idea to charge for visas issued on arrival rather than having to apply for visas at foreign missions which could take time.

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