ETA approval must for short-term visitors

1 January 2012 12:05 pm - 18 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Short-term visitors to Sri Lanka and transit passengers should obtain travel authorization prior to their arrival in the country from today, officials said.

Accordingly, the system called Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) which scraps the previously implemented visa on arrival at the ports of entry will not be not applicable to visitors from Singapore and Maldives, the two countries that reciprocate the facility with Sri Lanka.

“The issuing authority of the ETA is the Department of Immigration and Emigration, Colombo, Sri Lanka,” the official ETA website said.

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Comments - 18

sultane Monday, 02 January 2012 04:21 AM

exactly. We need to prevent these Canadian terrorists from coming to SL. We need people from other countries. Non-brown Canadians are welcome.

christo Tuesday, 03 January 2012 05:58 AM

I do not know about others but if you are Sri Lankan, you need to obtain a transit visa to UK even if you are on your way to US.

Fair N Square Monday, 02 January 2012 12:00 PM

most if not all of EU countries need transit visas for Sri-Lankans... some countries need a transit visa if u r stay is more than 24 hours... The reason they say is IF there is a situation where aplane has technical difficulties, the passengers need to be allowed inside the country....

Sugath Monday, 02 January 2012 08:15 AM

Faqi- some of the Western countries( ie. Swiss) ask for transits visa from Sri Lankans - even if you are changing planes.
Even Malaysian High Commission in Colombo advice Sri Lankans to get Transist visa though their website & the Notice at their Visa office says 48 hours is allowed.

gamunu Monday, 02 January 2012 08:17 AM

Yes you do need transit visas to other countries. Get your facts right.

gamunu Monday, 02 January 2012 08:13 AM

This is not a policy issue. This is a revenue collection.

faqi Monday, 02 January 2012 07:55 AM

Why should transit passengers obtain a visa when they do not leave the airport? No country asks transit passenger to obtain a visa unless they want to enter the country for a short stay.

vasana peiris Monday, 02 January 2012 06:26 AM

This wll give great oppatunity to come and work in sri lanka without getting notised using visit visas

Don Monday, 02 January 2012 04:48 AM

Go to dept of Immig VISA section, then you will know. its a bloody mess and people are sent from pillar to post..

Lenka Sunday, 01 January 2012 01:06 PM

It is a very good move by the Sri Lankan government. We need to reform our immigration policies like any other countries.

Riyazi-Dorking Monday, 02 January 2012 04:00 AM

There is a Basque terrorist group named ETA is Spain !

kanan Monday, 02 January 2012 03:19 AM

Very good, the first day income within 7 hrs was over 2million. 600 came with ETA and 400 without ETA and they facilitated getting approval. Now Immigration activity increased and officers works tirelessness, their service be improved

Anil Monday, 02 January 2012 02:34 AM

tangalle the place to be!

PAP Sunday, 01 January 2012 10:09 PM

Good to have a system, but should be with less hassle or we will discourage tourism.

Lanka Sunday, 01 January 2012 08:43 PM

You just can't compare policies with other countries !

sujeewa devarani Sunday, 01 January 2012 08:10 PM

Beggars trying to be choosers. Watch the tourist arrivals drop and then eat your pride and go to them with your begging bowl.

be true Sunday, 01 January 2012 06:05 PM

extremely good move. Lets those who threw away the precious sri lankan citizenship to different colored passports to learn a lesson. if u are born in sri lanka, but got a citizenship of another country when our friends and families died coz of atrocities by terrorists, definitely, we consider you betrayed mother lanka!

Fair N Square Sunday, 01 January 2012 05:14 PM

Now that the war is over, I think its a wise idea to let em come see what a country had to go through to eradicate terrorism WITHOUT the help of the WEST....

They actually tried at he last minute to choke the government of eradicating terrorism... SL is the ONLY country to have done so... NOT even USA UK or all em combined could do so in Afghanistan, Iraq and now in Pakistan...

IF we have to pay and be on line to obtain a visa to any country, it is ONLY fair for them to be treated the same.... All are world citizens and NONE could be above any laws....NO matter white black brown or yellow...

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ETA approval must for short-term visitors

Comments - 18

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