Categories: Business

Visa regulations to be relaxed to boost tourism: Dept

The existing regulations on extending Sri Lankan online visa facility would be relaxed to encourage tourists, an official of the Immigration and Emigration Department said yesterday.

The Visa and Border Controller of the Immigration and Emigration Department Chaminda Hettiarachchi said the Department was planning to relax the online visa regulations.

“Already online applications are available. But conditions like sponsorship will be relaxed,” he said.

The Department is issuing visas for 30 days from the date of arrival although it may be extended up to six months, the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) said.

The ETA is the visa issuing authority attached to the Immigration and Emigration Department.

“Discussions are underway to provide facilities to extend the online visa facility without any hurdles,” Hettiarachchi said.

Meanwhile, the Government’s attention had been drawn to relax the visa regulations for countries such as China, India, France, German, the United Kingdom and the Middle Eastern countries to promote tourism.

Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga earlier said the visa issuing regulations would be relaxed to meet the tourist arrival targets in the country.

AddThis Website Tools
Lankanewspapers

Recent Posts

LNP – Invitation only for Shah Rukh Khan event

LNP – Invitation only for Shah Rukh Khan event

City of Dreams Sri Lanka, South Asia’s first integrated resort, announced that its grand opening…

1 hour ago
LNP – Bypass patient compelled to bring drugs worth over Rs. 100,000 from outside

LNP – Bypass patient compelled to bring drugs worth over Rs. 100,000 from outside

Patients seeking life-saving procedures such as bypass surgeries at the Colombo National Hospital are compelled…

6 hours ago
LNP – Trump eyes simple tariff rates over complex talks, says letters going out Friday

LNP – Trump eyes simple tariff rates over complex talks, says letters going out Friday

President Donald Trump said Washington will start sending letters to countries on Friday specifying what…

6 hours ago

LNP – IMF says Sri Lanka’s GDP could fall by 1.5% from US tariffs

Sri Lanka’s GDP could decline by up to 1.5 percent if the United States reinstates…

6 hours ago

LNP – Former Minister S.M. Chandrasena arrested

Former Minister S.M. Chandrasena was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or…

6 hours ago

LNP – AliExpress halts low-cost shipping to Sri Lanka amid tax reforms

AliExpress has officially suspended several of its budget shipping options to Sri Lanka and Pakistan…

1 day ago