Outrage erupts as Govt. brings in foreign company to issue on arrival visas at BIA

• Video clip doing the round on social media shows a Sri Lankan accusing the government of selling it allegedly to an Indian company

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama  

The decision to outsource the on-arrival visa issuance process in Sri Lanka to a consortium led by VFS Global has sparked controversy and chaos at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). Critics are questioning why the Sri Lankan authorities relinquished control of a process they had managed smoothly for over a decade.  
The issue came out in the open after chaos broke out at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Wednesday night following some foreign nationals allegedly seen handling the on-arrival visa issuance process.  

 This foreign company has been charging an extra $25, whereas the Immigration and Emigration Department had been managing the process smoothly for 12 years without any problem, a source from Sri Lanka Immigration said.  
The source said, in the countries where the visa issuance is outsourced, only documentation is done by the relevant company and the VFS does not decide on whether a visa should be issued or not.  
“Visa is stamped on passports by the country concerned. Here, the whole process has been outsourced, triggering concerns whether there is any foulplay. This is a job done without any hassle by Sri Lanka Immigration for 12 years. We do not know who is benefiting,” the source said.  
The Daily Mirror learns that members from the VFS Global assumed control of the on-arrival visa issuance process leading to serious questions as to why the Sri Lankan authorities allowed it.  
The foreign company, levied an extra $25 alongside the standard $75 fee for double entry visas valid for six months, sources said.  
Controller General Harsha Illukpitiya of the Immigration and Emigration Department said that the visa issuance procedure was returned to their jurisdiction because the foreign company was unable to ensure a smooth operation.  
A controversial video circulating on social media filmed by a Sri Lankan passenger, showed long queues at the on arrival counter at the airport on Wednesday night. A Sri Lankan individual was seen blaming the visa issuing officers, who he alleged were Indians, that his wife’s on-arrival visa was cancelled.  
He shouted, questioning how an Indian person could decide his or his wife’s visa status and asserted his rights as a Sri Lankan citizen. He claimed he had the right to decide his own visa and emphasized his status as a taxpayer, stating he paid approximately Rs. 4 million rupees each year. He insisted on his right to raise his voice in this matter and showed disgust as to why the Sri Lankan Government had to sell the visa issuing system to a foreign company when there were several Sri Lankan companies who could handle it.  
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan individual questioned the foreign visa officer’s authority to speak to him in such a manner.  
He blamed the Sri Lankan Government for permitting Indian companies to operate in Sri Lanka, ignoring the local workforce.  
Some foreigners also claimed they had to wait for more than two or three hours to obtain their visas.  
Since 2012, the government has been running an online visa issuing service, which is managed by the Immigration and Emigration Department.  
Under this system, a fee of USD 20 was levied for issuing a 30-day visa to tourists from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries, while tourists from other countries were charged USD 50. The revenue generated from this visa service was collected by the government. Subsequently, an on-arrival visa facility was introduced for foreign tourists.  
Later, the government made the decision to transfer this visa issuing service to a third-party entity.  
During a media briefing on April 18, Harsha Illukpitiya, the Controller General of the Immigration and Emigration Department, announced that agreements had been finalized with VFS Global to manage the visa facilities.  
However, he said only the maintenance of the website, call centre operations, and information centre were handed over to VFS Global.