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Last Updated : 2024-05-21 23:24:00
1 May 2024 02:01 am - 24 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Tourism Minister Harin Fernando has pledged to address technical issues of the new visa system by May 7. This comes amid concerns of potential losses of 230,000 tourist arrivals and US$ 425 million in tourism earnings for the year.
Sri Lanka shifted to a platform operated by IVS-GBS and VFS Global mid this month from the electronic travel authorisation system operated by Department of Immigration & Emigration. Under the new platform, a multiple entry visa was introduced at a cost of US$ 75, with each stay limited to maximum of 60-days. However, single entry visa which was earlier offered by ETA was not among the options.
An additional US$ 18.5 fee also charged as a service fee to the operator.
“We do have a slight problem since we changed the visa system. We are clearly feeling the heat. On a personal level, I am very disappointed that this happened, but I have a collective responsibility as a cabinet minister,” he said.
However, Fernando noted that his Ministry was not consulted on the decision to abandon the single entry visa option for tourists.
“We were not consulted. Generally, cabinet papers come to the Ministry, requesting observations,” he added.
He shared these remarks speaking at a press briefing held in Colombo to announce the ‘Southern MICE Expo 2024’, yesterday.
While long term tourist visa was introduced based on industry request, he stressed that there was no proposal to abandon the 30-day single entry visa.
“For someone who wants to visit for 2-3 days, the 30-day single entry visa should have been there,” he added.
According to SLTDA Chairman Priantha Fernando, Sri Lanka is estimated to see a 25,000 drop in tourist arrivals in April from the initial target partly due to the visa issue.
“During the first 15 days of this month, we were averaging about 5500 tourists per day, but 16th onwards up to 28th, it has come down to 3200 from the average, so we are ending this month minus 25,000 from what we expected ,” he said.
As Sri Lanka is preparing to launch the global promotion campaign on the third week of May, the Minister stressed that the government would rectify the technical issues by the end of the first week of May by making necessary changes to the gazette notification in parliament.
However, he noted that the US$ 18.5 service fee would be there to stay, as it’s a fee charged by the operator.
“There are countries where the fee is more than US$18.5. They charging only a minimum for Sri Lanka,” he added.
Steve Wednesday, 01 May 2024 07:27 AM
This Minister is fire fighting all the time.
Whose stupid idea was it to aim at extra $75? Wednesday, 01 May 2024 08:16 AM
Tourists visit Lanka during their annual vacation, so a single entry visa will serve the purpose. With the high price of air tickets, who wants to fly several times? But those who fly on business or smugglers may need multiple entry visas. Even those who overstay for different purpose are happy with single entry visas. Minister laments on his helpless position is surprising.
Mokan Wednesday, 01 May 2024 08:22 AM
This is all crap. Who charges US$ 19 as service fee. Someone must be getting a cut here
Pullma Dingalinga Wednesday, 01 May 2024 01:17 PM
Remember when relatives of Gota set up a visa renewal office in Kollupitya to save tourists the inconvenience of having to spend the day in the Immigration office to renew their visas for the “measley” sum of USD 80 ?
Onlooker Wednesday, 01 May 2024 09:04 AM
Someone is leaking the money. A service Fee of $18.5 for a $75 transaction is 25% so the service operators are milking the country. Service Fees are normally less than 10%
jude Wednesday, 01 May 2024 09:12 AM
$18.5 fee for the website operator is daylight robbery. Why cant government run the website and recoup this cost or pass the savings to the tourists? Does it really cost them $18.5 to process e-visa?
Gona Wednesday, 01 May 2024 09:57 AM
What was wrong with the previous system? Everything went well. But with external parties handling the same matter with additional charges means, the cut to the interested parties including Harin. Yes make as much as you can, only a few months left for you rogues.
Gabriella Wednesday, 01 May 2024 10:19 AM
The visa fee is $75 $18.50 which equates to $93.50. It does not matter who gets the $18.50; the cost to the tourist is $93.50. Why have a “middleman” when Sri Lanka already had an online visa system that could have been updated ? Sri Lanka is being priced out of the range of the average tourist. The wealthy tourists are not attracted by poor quality air and food. Harin always appears to be like a man in a sarong trying to walk through a muddy paddy field in all his ministerial portfolios.
UK Tourist Thursday, 02 May 2024 11:01 AM
The new fee is actually $100 as a convenience fee is also added to this. Having travelled several times to Sri Lanka, the old system worked perfectly well for us. Why reinvent the wheel??
UK Tourist Wednesday, 01 May 2024 11:24 AM
Perhaps the Government should also reconsider the free visa for minors. Under the new system all tourists have to purchase a Visitor Visa at full cost, irrelevant of age. This could proof a very costly mistake as many families travel to Sri Lanka and this may determine whether they indeed do. A family of 5 would now have to pay over $500 under the new system.
Tourist Wednesday, 01 May 2024 11:51 AM
no good decision. 75% of all tourists having once a year the long holiday. During this time they come average 14 days. They are not interested in Multiple Entry visa for a higher rate. Imagine a family with 2 kids, 4x75 USD plus 4x18.5 USD, which results in 374 USD only for the Visa's. That is too much. As a result families will look somewhere else for their holiday. Instead they should consider a family friendly "Family Visa" for max. 120 USD. This will attract them.
mahesh Wednesday, 01 May 2024 12:04 PM
if you want to attract tourist , remove VISA restrictions , There are many good countries offer VISA free entries to tourist .
Andrew Wednesday, 01 May 2024 12:33 PM
Sri Lanka has lost us as tourists. We normally spend 6 weeks over winter spending around £1000 per week. Grubby grafting little country. We just received our usual email from the small hotel we stay in asking when we are coming. The answer was Vietnam this year.
Tourist Wednesday, 01 May 2024 12:33 PM
These FOOLS as politicians never learn. They will kill the goose that lays the golden egg with their stupid tinkering work. If they take a look at SE Asia except perhaps Singapore where the hotel charges are high the rest have a cheaper hotel accommodation (than Sri Lanka) with great facilities and the same goes to food. When we have a situation like this, the last 'Nail on the Coffin' is to increase VISA cost. FOOLS never learn!
Lionel Wednesday, 01 May 2024 12:39 PM
These guys can't operate a chook raffle. No one in SL High Commissions, which are supposed to be the contact points of SL abroad, either has any idea on the range of fees charged and stay periods. Very poor showing indeed. Fees are astronomically high. Why would a family pay $US500 to visit such a stupid country managed by lunatics. Has anyone of these people visited Thailand, Malaysia and Singapre? Frustrated travellers: do not worry about telling this to SL authorities, they have no idea.
Andrea Meister Wednesday, 01 May 2024 12:46 PM
Very tourist friendly milking the tourist with exorbitant visa fees! See what other countries do and think long term !!
lyon Wednesday, 01 May 2024 01:23 PM
India charges only 1,200yen (roughly US$8) including all charges for tourist and business visa for Japanese to visit India. They issue a 1year multiple visa. Does the minister think Sri lanka is a paradise in heaven. Stupid fools running the country.
Glen Porritt Wednesday, 01 May 2024 02:22 PM
I'm a tourist in Sri Lanka. I got an ETA Visa. The main problem for tourists with the eVisa system is all the new a stupid questions you get asked. For example now you have to provide a photo of your passport and your teeth. Plus you have to give a full itinerary. And worst of all even for tourist visas you have to provide a letter of sponsorship. Western's don't care about $18.75 USD but they won't come if the BS questions continue.
Glen Porritt Wednesday, 01 May 2024 02:25 PM
I'm a tourist in Sri Lanka. I got an ETA Visa. The main problem for tourists with the eVisa system is all the new a stupid questions you get asked. For example now you have to provide a photo of your passport and your teeth. Plus you have to give a full itinerary. And worst of all even for tourist visas you have to provide a letter of sponsorship. Western's don't care about $18.75 USD but they won't come if the BS questions continue.
KD Wednesday, 01 May 2024 04:49 PM
who needs a 30 day visa? just give everyone 5 year visa like the US. People need to quickly wake up from old thinking if we are to develop as a country
NJ Thursday, 02 May 2024 12:02 AM
I’m Sri Lankan, kids and family are Indian. The new visa process sucks and VFS are usually leaches. There’s some middle men ripping the country off here. Why bring an external provider. The ETAs worked perfectly for us, maybe add a little flexibility on top and options. Someone pls get this new thing killed asap. Only in SL do we mess up something that worked well with a more pricey and shitty system affecting travelers adversely.
Tyrone Thursday, 02 May 2024 06:02 AM
This is a joke! Who signed off on this. The people responsible must be held accountable.
Tourist Thursday, 02 May 2024 09:06 AM
Thailand 30 USD, Vietnam 25 USD, Maldives free, Malaysia 3799 Rs. These are the countries which are catering for the tourists which came to Sri Lanka earlier but are unhappy with all increases in sightseeing and visa fees.
Sinna Friday, 03 May 2024 04:31 PM
@UK tourist, it’s very simple, in this country which is corrupt to core, for every transaction minister demands percentage, that along with profit of this corrupt company,who is ready to grab the opportunity unscrupulously, it has gone up to $100,SL politicians prefer foreign companies especially Chinese or Indian as they maintaining secrecy
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