Tourism stakeholders urge swift return of ETA system

• Commend suspension of e-Visa portal run by VFS Global
• Acknowledge tourists could face issues during transition period
• Share with overseas tour operator partners and potential visitors steps to follow in the absence of a functioning online visa platform
• ETA system expected to be back in operation this week

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry commended the decision to suspend the e-Visa portal run by VFS Global, but urged the reinstatement of the old online system at the earliest to minimise inconvenience for tourists.

“We are pleased about the re-establishment of the “simple and user-friendly” Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA),” they said, while stressing the need for authorities to treat the system transition as top priority. 

Responding to Mirror Business, industry stakeholders acknowledged that tourists may face some issues in getting their visas sorted during this period. However, they assure that all possible measures are being rolled out to make the visa process as easy as possible.

The Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) and The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) said that they have told overseas tour operator partners and potential visitors that, in the absence of a functioning online visa platform, visas on arrival are available at the airport.

“If you have not obtained an online visa for your travel in the next few days, you can still travel and avail yourself of a ‘Visa on Arrival’ at the same eVisa fee of US$ 50 at the Immigration counters in the arrivals hall,” the associations told tour operators in a joint communique.

Several Fundamental Rights Petitions, including those filed by tourism industry associations, were submitted to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka regarding the new eVisa system implemented on April 17, 2024, without prior warning.

On August 2, 2024, the Supreme Court issued an interim order suspending the Sri Lanka eVisa portal run by IVS-GBS and VFS Global with immediate effect.

The eVisa portal https://www.srilankgevisa.lk was suspended on Friday at 17:00 Sri Lanka time. All eVisa applications made after this time will receive a refund, and applicants need to share their application number and details to [email protected].

Currently, there is no platform for issuing eVisas online for tourists coming to Sri Lanka. All tourists without a visa will need to apply for a visa on arrival until the former ETA system is reestablished. 

There is no specific date for the ETA system’s return, but it is expected to be operational within the week.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) was not available for comment on this matter.