Online visas for tourists

Sri Lanka will soon introduce online visa applications for foreigners visiting the country.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration is already working out the modalities of the new online visa regime, which will replace the current system of visas on arrival in the country.

The early launch of the new system of online visas is being done on the instructions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a meeting yesterday with Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa - the Line Minister for Tourism, External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and key immigration and tourism officials.

The meeting at Temple Trees discussed the feasibility of introducing a system of obtaining visas online.

Visitors to Sri Lanka from Singapore and the Maldives, which grant Sri Lankan passport holders landing permits on arrival, would be reciprocally exempted from having to obtain a visa before reaching the island.

Sri Lanka has granted foreign tourists a 30-day visa on arrival since the 1970s as part of tourism promotion.

The tourism industry in Sri Lanka is showing rapid growth since the end of terrorism in May 2009 and the country has been ranked as one of the most popular destinations for tourists in 2010.

With more than 600,000 tourists arriving in the country so far this year, there has been a 50 per cent increase in foreign visitor arrivals since May last year.

Sri Lanka hopes to attract over 700,000 tourists in 2011 and tourism authorities have launched a campaign announcing ‘2011 – Visit Sri Lanka Year’.