Validity period of Visas issued to foreigners extended

In line with the measures taken to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the country, the Government has decided to extend the validity period of all types of Visas issued to all foreigners who are currently residing in Sri Lanka.

The Government Information Department said the validity period of all types of Visas would be extended for a period of 30 days with effect from March 14 to April 20.

Therefore, the Department informed to visit the visa Divisions of the Department of Immigration and Emigration on either April 8 and 9 to pay the relevant fee and to get the visa endorsed in the passport.

If any tourist person needed to leave the country during the aforementioned period, his/her journey would be facilitated by paying the relevant visa at the airport without any penalty.

The Department said the validity period of the acknowledgement issued for the applications already submitted to the Department of Immigration and Emigration to obtain visas, would also be extended for a period of 30 days with effect from March 14 to April 12.

If a person intends to leave the country during this time, a request to obtain that person’s passport from the Department should be sent to the following email addresses along with a copy of the flight ticket.

Necessary advises in this regard would be communicated accordingly via the same channel.

The email addresses are piyumee@gmail.com, sanjaya7777@gmail.com, bgayanmilinda@yahoo.com, hamarathunge@gmail.com and jithanieathukorala@gmail.com. 

For further inquiry, the foreigners can contact 077 158 8724. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)