Govt. launches Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme

Saturday, 1 October 2011 01:51 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Department of Immigration and Emigration yesterday launched the trial version of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme which will come into force from 1 January 2012.

The ETA will grant prior approval for visa via online for the foreign nationals who visit Sri Lanka and those who travel via Sri Lanka for short-term requirements.

The inauguration ceremony to introduce this new system by the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration Department Chulananda Perera was held yesterday with External Affairs Secretary K. Amunugama as the Chief Guest and participation from the diplomatic community and travel and tourism sector leaders.

In a bid to make this system more efficient and an effective set-up for the benefit of 78 countries to grant visas for short time requirements, the foreign nationals visiting the country on purposes of tourism affairs, medical treatments, sports, cultural shows, business conferences and discussions, training programmes and seminars can pay the relevant fee and apply for the Electronic Travel Authorisation via www.eta.gov.lk established in the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

Access to basic information in this regard in nine international languages would be a great convenience to the foreigners. However, the applications should be forwarded only in English language and six methodologies have been introduced to facilitate forwarding of the applications: applications can be forwarded by the applicant him/herself; by a third party on behalf of the applicant; through a registered agency; through Sri Lankan embassies; and through the head office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration; while a foreigner who is unable to obtain prior approval by the above methods can visit Sri Lanka after obtaining prior approval by forwarding the application and paying the relevant fee to the counter established in the Sri Lankan access point in which he/she lands.

The department said only an administration fee had been suggested for this ETA and according to the Memorandum of Understanding with Sri Lanka, the previous method of granting visas on arrival to the airport free of charge to the nationals from Maldives and Singapore is still effective.

According to this new visa granting system, since the air and ship crew are exempted from obtaining prior approval for the visa, the old system will be in effective as before. Foreigners who officially or diplomatically visit Sri Lanka should obtain prior approval for visas through a Government institute of Sri Lanka and such approvals will be granted free of charge.

The department is of the view that the introduction of this new system set up on agreement and collaboration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has laid a strong foundation in realising one of the main objectives of the ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ to make Sri Lanka the main centre of economic activities globally.