Sri Lanka to retain existing visa fee

6 May 2024 09:02 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 34 Bookmark

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Colombo, May 06 (Daily Mirror) - The Cabinet decided to uphold the existing visa fee of USD 50 for a 30-day visa for foreign visitors to Sri Lanka, the President’s Media Division announced today.

The Cabinet also reaffirmed the provision of free visa services to citizens of seven countries, including India, China and Japan, among others.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration will continue to oversee the issuing of relevant visas upon entry into the country for foreigners.

The decision comes in response to calls from various stakeholders within the tourism industry, who advocated for maintaining the current visa fee to sustain the sector's growth momentum.

Comments - 34

joshua Monday, 06 May 2024 09:32 PM

Theses fools have to be told everything. No common sense. Greediness everywhere

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Amaree Tuesday, 07 May 2024 01:00 AM

As long as CORRUPT politicos in the cabinet, these poor quality decisions are taken from time to time. It is ridiculous to say " NO need to call for tenders". A tender would always reveals the transaction payments for service provider. WHY DID PUBLIC SECURITY MINISTER BY PASS ALL THESE PROTOCOL?

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Mahila Tuesday, 07 May 2024 05:06 AM

Please don't LUMP and PUT ALL in the "FOOL"S Basket"!!?? Doesn't serve anyone ANY GOOD!!!??? There are MERITS and DEMERITS in the VFS GLOBAL system - NOT WITING IN QUEUE - for STARTERS!!??

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ama Tuesday, 07 May 2024 05:14 AM

corrupt mind set still prevail in all action. Hope people will vote for SJB in the upcoming election. SJB is the only solution.

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ANNECUNT Monday, 06 May 2024 09:44 PM

To whose pockets the visa money is going somebody has to look into this. REMEMBER WHAT MR DID

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Romesh Monday, 06 May 2024 10:15 PM

Why is it that they dont want to take Mobitel who was providing all at an expense of just less than 1 USD. Today the Min says the reason for not calling for tender was no one is their to quote. You have one in your own home and you go out for the service.

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Yohan Monday, 06 May 2024 11:44 PM

See he did not want to give it to mobitel at first place as he may wanted to get a cut. Offering it to pvt sector without a tender is illegal. He should be sacked. TA is Keheliya two.

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Mahila Tuesday, 07 May 2024 05:26 AM

VFS Global has international acceptance; NOT Mobitel in developed countries!!! Dislike because it is INDIAN!!?? If it happened to be CHINESE, its "La Carte Menu MAXIMUS"!!?? Mental Preference of individuals plays up, because some adorably call it 'TOILET NADU', but Happy and Enjoy eating 'FREE RICE', when they have no USD and nothing else except "KOS ATTA" to Eat – TASTES FANTASTIC!? Americans, Canadians, Europeans don’t follow such Instincts!? ‘Congenital’ MENTAL DEFECT perhaps!?

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Raven Tuesday, 07 May 2024 09:04 AM

Because they tried and failed for the past two years.

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SSZ KHAN Monday, 06 May 2024 10:57 PM

Give Tourist arrival visa without any fee and allow dual citizens to stay in the country without visa...that way we can increase more tourists to the country

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Concerned Citizen Monday, 06 May 2024 11:30 PM

Well done to the young man who made a fuss and revealed this to the entire country at the Airport. He is indeed a HERO and part of the continuation of the “Aragalaya” against corrupt politicians... Please investigate Tiran for corruption immediately !

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Christo255 Monday, 06 May 2024 11:38 PM

That bull in the China shop must have lost RW a massive voter base. Thank God common sense at least prevailed at Presidential Secretariat

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Yohan Monday, 06 May 2024 11:42 PM

Legal action need to be taken against TA. How can he offer it to a pvt firm without a tender. It is a serious allegation. TA has a very corrupt past record. So definitely he may be trying to earn some free money as commission from that pvt firm. Opposition parties seems to be sleeping when such a serious corruption done by a minister.

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Chan Tuesday, 07 May 2024 02:22 AM

Is that means tax payers are going to pay the visa processing fee to VFS global?

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Zak Tuesday, 07 May 2024 02:31 AM

I applied for a tourist visa yesterday and the fee was USD100.31. The break was something like USD75 visa fee, USD18 service fee and another USD7 for something else the total came to USD100.31. Imagine for a family of 4 this is USD400 which is like 10% of the airline ticket prince. Ridiculous !

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Jude Tuesday, 07 May 2024 02:33 AM

The BRIBES already paid therefore fee is here to stay

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Lionel Tuesday, 07 May 2024 02:58 AM

Stupidity gone mad. Can't they reduce this fee at least to $20-$25? Then at least a family of 4 can come with less than $100. What about beyond 30 days? Greediness and lack of common sense. Want to be a developed country? Need developed people.

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Tourist Tuesday, 07 May 2024 03:02 AM

Sri Lanka's tourist industry is well and truly in a quagmire of mess- thanks to the inept, impotent politicians from all sides. There is a fiasco in the fees and issue of visa. Then there is a bigger one in the form of Hotel Fee Charges according to their star rating. All in all, this is a great recipe to kill the GOOSE THAT LAYS THE GOLDEN EGG. We will have to tell our friends to keep away from this place and go to some other SE Asian country where they can have a better holiday for a fraction of this cost and hassle.

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sach Tuesday, 07 May 2024 03:25 AM

Still it is VFS

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Kick the scum out Tuesday, 07 May 2024 03:39 AM

We need to get rid of these corrupt selfserving politicians or else our country will be ruined.

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Ram Tuesday, 07 May 2024 04:01 AM

Cabinet will be sleeping if not for the whistle blower. Sadly he is to be arrested and charged for his services to all expats who would have paid an additional $25

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kumara Tuesday, 07 May 2024 04:24 AM

How mush is multiple entry 3 months entry visa for western tourists? Can this be obtained via online?

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Disgusted citizen Tuesday, 07 May 2024 04:37 AM

If we want to see our country move forward and build a future for our children we need to get rid of these incompetent corruption tyrants.

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Dan Tuesday, 07 May 2024 05:16 AM

Does the $50 existing visa fee include all service charges. What matters to the visitor is the final amount. Also what was the reason to outsource this facility?

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ignatius Tuesday, 07 May 2024 05:35 AM

Seems like Sri Lanka is run my a bunch of fools. Dont they sit and discuss any decision before implementing it. They make decisions, later regret and then change. Too many Cooks. All are crooks

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Roger Halliday Tuesday, 07 May 2024 05:38 AM

These politicians are only concerned about what they can get off any deal. Who handled it before and why the change to outsource it? Will India give any private entity to handle visas, as it is we are a wonder of Asia.. We do things that no other does. Will this comment be published? Very doubtful.

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Shera Tuesday, 07 May 2024 05:52 AM

What a lot of drama and only to reverse the decision. Next time think far and wide before making costly mistakes.

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Abd Tuesday, 07 May 2024 06:45 AM

Ultimately that young man is anyway correct,due to greediness of minister to collect $25 for each visa for himself he manipulated this with foreigners, after all shameful thing is, his warning to leash police, which is under him behind the young boy who earned a lot of love of the country

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A Friend of Tyranny Allus Tuesday, 07 May 2024 07:43 AM

Cabinet what did you do? Don't you want your cabinet colleague to earn a few billion? Don't you want tourists to spend more time in the airport?

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TerrenceK Tuesday, 07 May 2024 08:24 AM

Always this government has been on the reverse mode. Nothing is mentioned about VFS doing the front line operations only the back end approvals of the visa by the Immigration is stated. In the previous annoucements the government spokesman mentioned that VFS was given the contract for 12 years for the front line operations. By the recent cabinet decision the visa fees has been reduced to 50 dollars for 30 days and during this period who will absorb the costs of VFS services etc. Clarity is very important to give the correct position to the public!!!!!!

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Jagath Tuesday, 07 May 2024 08:45 AM

Our gobba politicians are chasing their own tails. People, let’s chase these scoundrels away for a better future for our children.

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Jerome wijeratne Tuesday, 07 May 2024 09:09 AM

What a shame that when Europe tourist are just starting to plan and book their winter 24/25 holidays all these changes and complications. Hopefully all this will be sorted out soon.

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Charge Britshers more Tuesday, 07 May 2024 10:51 AM

People who are of British ancestry should get charged double, same with Netherlands. Those nations pillaged our countries wealth, and giving them same rates as to people in France and US makes the French and US people seem as low as those from nations which have in the past been wicked towards our ancestors.

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Sokrates Tuesday, 07 May 2024 11:39 AM

If one assumes that the corrupt Tiran Alles receives US$ 5 per visa from VFS, this could be US$ 100 million within 12 years if tourism continues to develop well. Since Alles will no longer be in parliament after the next election, this is a nice long-term source of income that he has quickly secured and will defend with all means. Hopefully the next government will put a stop to this and put the crook behind bars.

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