FTZMA demands urgent BOI intervention to resolve business visa delays

• Asserts it regretfully perceives that cooperation and support expected from BOI are not forthcoming to resolve this staggering issue

The Free Trade Zone Manufacturers’ Association (FTZMA), in a strongly worded letter to the Board of Investment (BOI), called for immediate intervention to resolve the issues in obtaining business visa to Sri Lanka for foreign nationals. 
With the Supreme Court having issued an order in suspending the processing of visas led by VFS Global, the foreign nationals, who visit the country for business purposes, are now forced to obtain tourist visas from a facility available at the immigration counters 
in the arrivals hall, at the airport. 

The authority extended to issue business visas by the respective embassies in the origin country, as done in the past, is also suspended. 
With the suspension of the VFS service provider, the government had earlier decided to ensure the international visitors do not face any inconvenience when obtaining the relevant business visas through the Sri Lanka missions overseas, in the absence of an e-Visa platform. 

“This method has been working perfectly for all BOI enterprises so far. However, we note with disappointment, as to why this facility has been suspended by the government when the tourism industry stakeholders have made their communique to the overseas travel agents and other stakeholders that the international visitors can obtain both types of visas i.e. business and tourist, before travelling to the country,” FTZMA Chairman Dhammika Fernando said in a letter to the BOI. 
According to Fernando, the association has been approached by many of its member organisations, who have complained about their displeasure with this change, thus resulting in a deadlock to those who are genuinely visiting the country for business purposes, particularly the shareholders, directors, buyers, vendors and trainers, who are coming on a business visa to their member companies. 
“If they arrive for business on a tourist visa, that is a violation of the immigration regulations in the country, thus creating a dreadful situation for our investors.

Therefore, we strongly believe that the BOI, being the facilitator, needs to create a conducive environment for the investors to do their business with ease, must intervene in this matter immediately by liaising with the relevant authorities to resume business visa issuance by the Sri Lanka missions overseas, as they have done before.”
Failing to do so, the FTZMA said it predicts two repercussions. 
The first is that the foreign nationals, who legitimately want to enter the country purely for business purposes, will not visit the country on a “tourist visa”. 
The second is that the BOI companies will be unable to get their investors, partners and stakeholders from overseas, thus result in jeopardizing their operation. 
“Regretfully, we perceive that the cooperation and support we expect from the BOI are not forthcoming to resolve this staggering issue, therefore we profoundly expect the BOI to liaise with the Foreign Affairs Ministry and other relevant authorities to empower the relevant foreign missions to issue business visas, as done before, in facilitating the troubled BOI investors,” Fernando said.