Penalty announced on foreign visa overstayers

22 June 2023 12:19 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 8 Bookmark

CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Follow

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The Public Security Minister has issued a Gazette Extraordinary announcing the penalties to be charged for foreigners who overstay in the country beyond the prescribed visa period.

The Gazette notification was issued according to the Immigrants and Emigrants Regulations.

Accordingly, if the period of the overstay has exceeded seven days and has continued up to fourteen days, United States Dollars 250 will be charged as the penalty.

If the period of overstay has exceeded fourteen days, USD 500 will be charged as the penalty.

All penalties will be calculated from the date of expiration of the period of validity of the original visa.

Moreover, the penalty will be charged in addition to the applicable visa fee. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)

Comments - 8

saman Thursday, 22 June 2023 12:57 PM

I hope this will be a great incentive for tourists to visit Sri Lanka.

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Sivalingam Thursday, 22 June 2023 02:03 PM

Over 14 days, there should be a daily fine. Otherwise they can pay 500 even after many months.

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Bunny Preena Thursday, 22 June 2023 03:02 PM

Overstay beyond the prescribed visa period means more income to the country at a time like this where we are in difficulties in earning foreign currencies. And it is not a very serious criminal act. Practice humanity towards a tourist who has visited to see our beautiful country. So it is better with a vey small fine for the overstay to extend the visa period if the tourist wishes to stay for some more days in the country. So you get some income and it is good for the tourist industry. Introduce some ranking systems with a handsome package to the foreign tourists according to their financial

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Richard Craniums Thursday, 22 June 2023 04:21 PM

Yes, make sure your online renewal process works reliably. Replace all the laggards in the Immigration dept with capable people prepared to provide a service. Why beg Western tourist’s to come here and then fine them for overstaying ? Especially when everyone in this hell hole is trying to flee; one way or the other.

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Kumar Soysa Thursday, 22 June 2023 04:40 PM

Are you aware that there are “tourists “ from Russia, and other countries who have set up business ventures such as restaurants, rental operations etc

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Dee Thursday, 22 June 2023 07:27 PM

To all those who try to defend those overstaying! Why not you go and try doing same in some other country? Decent revenue contributing tourists don’t overstay, it’s the garbage who overstay- they don’t give us any revenue other than scraping away whatever that’s left of us!

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S Siva Friday, 23 June 2023 08:15 AM

If you find ex Sri Lankans overstaying ,They have a reason to stay make them stay as long as they wish and restore their Sri Lankan citizenship. If you are an American or Canadian as far as I know your citizenship never expires unless you initiate action yourself. Most developed countries follow this rule. Only old colonies have had to make the citizenship rules to ensure the colonisers never returned. Those rules when implemented against proper Sri Lankans who left for monetary or security reasons turns out to be not helpful to a country which needs all the help

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VJ Friday, 23 June 2023 05:33 PM

Why is the fine in US dollars?

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