No Indian firm involved in visa issuance at BIA - Spokesperson

2 May 2024 05:21 pm - 39 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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In response to media queries regarding Indian companies taking over visa issuance at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Colombo, a spokesman for the Indian High Commission said any reference to India is unwarranted as companies referred to do not belong to India.

“We have seen reports and comments including in social media regarding Indian companies taking over visa issuance at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Colombo.

The companies referred to in these reports are not India based or Indian and are headquartered elsewhere,” the spokesman said .

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Comments - 39

Kgnplaza Thursday, 02 May 2024 05:33 PM

Vfs global company Owner is indain Then it is indian company

Hadam Thursday, 02 May 2024 07:21 PM

But the company is registered in South Africa. With all hired from India technically its an Indian company.

Vithana Thursday, 02 May 2024 09:11 PM

No correct. Although founded by an Indian it is now owned by a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It is like claiming that Virtusa which is now owned by a Singaporean parent, is a Sri Lankan company,

Amaran Friday, 03 May 2024 03:18 AM

Ownership and Stock Exchange listing are two different thing

Syed Friday, 03 May 2024 08:33 AM

VFS started in Indian, now they have head office in Dubai. Indian own company. They are the cancerous cell in visa industry. Note the below self experience, My brother in law married to an Sri Lankan. He tried to make visa online before fly. And tried to make visa by online by 25/04 For this VFS charged 21 USD. Even though Government approved to issue visa until 30/04 at free of charge. The funny is until now, he didn't receive any visa.(03/05) Laster on 26th he came to BIA and taken on arrival visa at free of cost. VFS is robbers, we have to raise our voice to raid them away. We can't allow them to spoil our nations reputation . Hon president

Jayantha Thursday, 02 May 2024 05:47 PM

Lol. Pls look after your own countries matter without poking your nose in to security related matters here. Go home RW.

Jayampathi Thursday, 02 May 2024 05:52 PM

They may not be Indian but Indian origin. Indian or Indian origin businessmen are well known for creating opportunities by inducing bribes. History shows that. Look how VFS exploited the visa issuance of various western countries and grabbed that business. There is no big service they do but send text messages at every stage which is mostly a nuisance to visa applicants. Why can't they give the increase in visa fees to the Sri Lankan Visa Officers as a incentive than fill the pockets of Indians and our politicians. Remember we will send all 225 home this time because you are not working in the nations and peoples interest.

wsw Thursday, 02 May 2024 06:07 PM

Minister in charge, yes we are all waiting for your response, to this shameful debacle, remember, this matter will not die a natural death as you may wish.

I Love Sri Lanka Thursday, 02 May 2024 06:14 PM

This is a crazy ridiculous situation. We aim to be an IT hub. We have ICTA, Nuclear Agency, Nano Tech Agency and all sorts of high tech agencies and departments that run on tax payer money. Why do we need to give this job to an Indian company? Why cannot ICTA take care of this? Worst case, is it absoutely impossible to find a Sri Lankan company owned and run by sri lankans to develop and run these systems? Are we so stupid and behind in IT there is no single company qualified to do this project? What is wrong with letting a local company profit from this and employee locals to do this job? It is total madness to just give these contracts away to foreign companies because all the officials and the ministers want the bribe payments. This needs to change and we should vote for anyone who will not do this kind of BS.

Well wisher Friday, 03 May 2024 03:26 AM

I feel sorry for you and your fellow country men. Just look around, it's all the Chinese who are involved in construction works in Colombo. Everyone is bickering about India and China, but it was your team who sent your citizen with a begging bowl just a couple of years ago. What happened to all the educated men? I must agree... Corruption and laziness is well interlaced in the core of all men, women leave the country and go and work as maids too sorry local family!

saman Thursday, 02 May 2024 06:29 PM

Pin Janadhipathi, are you laying the foundation to make Sri Lanka a colony of India? Please try that and see what will happen.

sach Friday, 03 May 2024 04:00 AM

He already has. Once the bridge is completed, SL will no longer remain as a one sovereign state.

Alam Thursday, 02 May 2024 06:33 PM

Say usd 2 for visa commissions like basils Rs 5 for petrol commissions.

Gihan Thursday, 02 May 2024 06:34 PM

The guy making the big noise at one stage said "My friend you are from Galle, I know you". Was this a set up? What was the reason why his visa was not granted? There seems to be more to this saga than meets the eye.

Athk69 Thursday, 02 May 2024 06:56 PM

Answer to I love Sri Lanka. This is because local IT company's have lost most of its talent to foreign countries, due to the draconian tax imposition without the quality of life that other countries give for high tax paid.

ravin Thursday, 02 May 2024 07:19 PM

The biggest question is who is talking nonsense? According to news publish in this newspaper Immigration and emigration controller a responsible officer of government of Sri Lanka it was handed over to Indian company? And this so called spoke person of Indian ???? ......?? Who is the idiotic commis getter? Name the person please

Harry Thursday, 02 May 2024 07:26 PM

This is total fraud. Other countries use VFS to manage the visa processes in 3rd party countries where they don't have a large embassy staff presence. Never seen any of these countries allow VFS to handle visas in their own airports. Look at all EU countries such as France that uses VFS in South Asia to process Visas.

Citizen Silva Thursday, 02 May 2024 07:30 PM

Why can't the President RW sack the Minister in charge for this corruption deal. Waiting for a response Mr President

sach Friday, 03 May 2024 04:01 AM

President RW is the guilty party

Jayantha Thursday, 02 May 2024 07:35 PM

Also look at both sjb and npp. Non of them have send a single word about this exploitation by Indian Rogue Companies. Opposition is a failure. If slpp was in opposition at this time, they would have nicely use this opportunity politically. At least opposition parties should find the minister involved in this scam and try to force him tp be sent home. It will atleast help opposition parties to score few more points.

Hadam Thursday, 02 May 2024 07:43 PM

It's so lame for Indian HC to wash their hands like this, though the company is registered in South Africa all the employees are Indian migrants and the main operation is in India, so it's technically an Indian company.

Grace Thursday, 02 May 2024 08:11 PM

They are Indians. The government was testing the reaction of the people. 226 men and women are skilful in covering up matters.

JOHN FRAZER Thursday, 02 May 2024 08:23 PM

FOR NOTHING WE ARE PAYING vfs JUST OVER $18.00 PER APPLICANT

Perera Thursday, 02 May 2024 08:36 PM

This was obviously a staged incident. If the company were British the man yelling would have asked the visa officer if he had been to sigiriya and tried our world famous hoppers.

Christo255 Thursday, 02 May 2024 09:05 PM

RW just lost at least another 100000 votes due to the stupidity of hos arrogant police munister. Way to go RW

Tissa Fernando Thursday, 02 May 2024 09:11 PM

VFS Global was originated in India and headquartered in Dubai. Its major shareholder now is Blackstone Group an American investor. The operations here are run by Indians. But these guys are not stationed at Air Ports but they provide visa documentation processing services to people prior to the travel. On arrival visa processing does not require any document other than the passport. It is not a rocket science to identify the country of passport issuance and if that country is in the list of approved countries and the individual is not in a banned list , visa is issued. Giving them the work at the Airport is what people are against.

Gayan Thursday, 02 May 2024 09:12 PM

Owner is Indian. Employees are indians. Software is Indian. Hardware from India. But not indian company?

Tissa Fernando Friday, 03 May 2024 12:29 AM

It was formed by Indians, but they sold the majority shares to Blackstone a US company. But its manned by Indians. The issue here is that on arrival visa processing does not require services of any company, it is a very straightforward process. We have a idiotic, corrupt ministers who have approved these deals.

Jeewaka. Law Thursday, 02 May 2024 09:17 PM

Paga sleepy siripala should be getting more wealthy by these.. Rogues.. Ranils time is clicking.. Tk tok..

PEOPLES POWER WILL ONLY GATHER SPEED AND BE OUT WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS JOINING THEM. Friday, 03 May 2024 12:11 AM

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE HOUNDED OUT BEFORE THE ELECTIONS, WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE FOOLING TALKING IN PARABLES. IF NOT AN INDIAN COMPANY, THEN WHY NOT TELL US WHICH COUNTRY THIS COMPANY THAT HAS THAT MANY BRANCHES AROUND THE WORLD?.

K. Andersson Friday, 03 May 2024 02:07 AM

What an idiotic decision to let outsiders handle the visa issuance at the airport. Crooked. Sri Lankan officers execute this work very smoothly and courteously.

FredSnR Friday, 03 May 2024 03:59 AM

Principle is wrong.Such sensitive areas as issuing visas should be handled by govt. or are we run by illiterate people

Patriotic citizen Friday, 03 May 2024 10:59 AM

Yes, we are and we have been ruled by illiterate people for 76 years. Intellectuals and smart people left the country ages ago after obtaining free education. Now dumps rule the country. More to come

Jude Adrian Friday, 03 May 2024 09:39 AM

RW's way creating job opportunities and economic prosperity for India.

DJ Friday, 03 May 2024 10:40 AM

What a Joke. Let's see what the corrupt ministers excuse is.

Observer Friday, 03 May 2024 10:52 AM

In Sri Lanka, Tamils are ignored and not given jobs. Look at the civil service, armed forces, Health department, diplomatic services, I can go on. Foreigners are brought in for building constructions, damn constructions, airport terminal building construction , foreign pilots to fly the planes and carpet bombing of innocent people in the North,etc. So why protest when contract given to a foreign company? Grow up.

Lazy Bones Friday, 03 May 2024 01:34 PM

Frankly speaking I might be opposed to the idea of Sri Lanka being a part of India. On second thoughts it might be a very good idea.We Sri Lankans will automatically be a part of the booming Indian economy and an emerging super power. We have been doing all the talking since Independece 75 years ago but don't seem to have the resources know-how or the expertise expecting foreign countries to come to our aid everytime materially and financially till the end of time.

Ex Harin's Car Driver Friday, 03 May 2024 08:18 PM

Harin Fernando the number one womenizer is happy with this USD cash flow. Now he will travel Australia with manusha nanayakkara's wife.

Rathnavali Friday, 03 May 2024 08:57 PM

It is clear the incident at the airport was staged to rouse the people's anger! That man could have complained to the Authorities in writing as we do when we come across anything unjustifiable. He was put up to create a scene and for someone to share this online! There will be more of such things in the future as we get close to elections. When RW is trying to put things right saddled with incompetent Ministers, the opposition is trying to make hay while the sun shines!

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No Indian firm involved in visa issuance at BIA - Spokesperson

Comments - 39

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