On-arrival visa fiasco drains VFS Global’s confidence in Sri Lanka

• In December, the Public Security Ministry led by Tiran Alles signed the agreement with GBS - IVS and VFS Global to handle the on arrival visa counter at the BIA

By JAMILA HUSAIN  

VFS Global which has been caught in the centre of controversy in the on-arrival visa issuance at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) has raised serious concerns with the Public Security Ministry led by Tiran Alles stating that while they were a reputed global company, they were shocked to be left victimized as the on arrival visa saga took a turn for the worse.  
The Daily Mirror learns that the government had handed over the contract of the on-arrival visa issuance to GBS - IVS, which is a Singaporean-based company and VFS Global, which is a multi-national American company, was handling the technical part of the process.   
The Daily Mirror learns that last Wednesday night, there was a severe backlog at the on-arrival visa counter at the BIA as the internet failed raising the foreign staff to question if there was an act of sabotage to purposely disrupt the service.  
A highly placed source said that the foreign companies involved had raised these concerns with the Public Security Ministry and the government will soon commence a probe. Before GBS - IVS took over the on-arrival visa issuance at the BIA, the counter was handled by the Department of Immigration and Emigration.   
As GBS - IVS and VFS Global were delayed in getting the platform back up, the on-arrival visa counter was handed back to the Department of Immigration and Emigration which then continued a smooth operation once again.   
“Surprisingly when GBS - IVS and VFS Global were handed over the counter, the internet at the BIA failed and for several hours staff attempted to get the system back online. VFS and GBS has raised these concerns of sabotage with the Public Security Ministry,” a senior source familiar with the incident said.  
In December, the Public Security Ministry led by Tiran Alles signed the agreement with GBS - IVS and VFS Global to handle the on-arrival visa counter at the BIA. VFS Global came in to only handle the technical part of the process. The government approved the foreign company to charge an additional 25 dollars for the service in addition to the 75 dollars which was already being charged bringing the total to 100 dollars to be charged per passport.  
VFS Global which is already handling similar on-arrival visas in 67 countries were approached by the government to which a contract was then signed. In each country they operate, VFS Global ensures data privacy, creates local employment, and also promotes the destinations among their audience of travellers.   
According to the breakdown given by the Sri Lankan officials, the 25 dollars being charged included VFS Global paying the staff salaries, the rent as well as money allocated for data protection and to carry out a tourism promotion campaign for Sri Lanka Tourism in the countries VFS Global operates.   
That was surprisingly not conveyed to the public by the Sri Lankan government.  
Now that the companies have been caught in the midst of controversy, the Daily Mirror learns that VFS Global and GBS - IVS have informed Minister Tiran Alles of why they have been left victimized and why the government has maintained a silence and not doing much to clear the company’s image.  
Minister Tiran Alles himself was away in Singapore for a private visit these past few days and returned to the country. He is expected to meet the press today afternoon to give his version of the story.  
Tourism Minister Harin Fernando already played it safe last week when he met the media and said he was not to blame over the whole fiasco. He will raise the matter in Parliament this week.  
The Daily Mirror learns that VFS Global has also very strongly conveyed to the government that their reputation was being damaged in the ongoing political cross-fire and they were left disappointed. With its experience in 67 countries, the company is hoping the dust would settle soon, a senior source from the Sri Lankan side said.  
Foreign companies who are invited into the country are often left disappointed due to the government’s lack or ignorance of updating the Sri Lankan citizens and when controversy breaks out, foreign companies are often left carrying out its own damage control due to the inability of the government ministers to clean the image and clear the air.