Cabinet nod for free on arrival tourist visa

The Cabinet of Ministers yesterday approved a proposal to re-implement the proposed free on arrival visa programme for tourists that was suspended due to Easter Sunday attacks.
Accordingly, free on arrival visa will be issued to visitors from 46 countries, up from the initially proposed 39 countries.

Among the new additions to the list are India, China and Russia.

The programme is most likely to be implemented on trial basis for a period of six months from August 1, Mirror Business learns. Other countries that will be included in the free visa on arrival programme are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand and Switzerland. 

Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga presented the proposal for the Cabinet approval.

Amaratunga had earlier said a monitoring system would be in place to prevent ‘undesirable people’ entering the country. The programme is to be officially announced by the Department of Immigration and Emigration on July 31.