Immigration and Emigration Department Controller General I.S.H.J. Ilukpitiya 

• Highlights challenge stems from termination of ETA which was replaced with e-visa system through gazette passed by Parliament
• Expresses hope on a resolution before the end of this week

By Charumini de Silva

The Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) Controller General Harsha Ilukpitiya yesterday said it is awaiting instructions from the Attorney General (AG) to resolve the ongoing visa issuance debacle following a Supreme Court ruling earlier this month. 

“This is now a legal matter and we have sought the AG’s advice to resolve the visa issuing process,” he told the Daily FT. 

He highlighted that the challenge stems from the termination of the previous Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, which was replaced by the new e-visa system which was introduced through a gazette passed by Parliament.

However, he expressed hope that a resolution could be reached by the end of the week. “We are hopeful that we will receive a favourable response from the AG by Friday (23),” Ilukpitiya added.

The Supreme Court, on 2 August, ordered a return to the previous ETA visa processing arrangement and the suspension of service and convenience fees imposed under the new e-visa system. The Court’s decision followed multiple challenges from stakeholders who argued that the new visa process violated the law, was non-transparent, and lacked competitive bidding.

The implementation of the new visa system, managed by global companies GBS Technology Services, IVS Global – FZCO, and VFS Global, was heavily criticised by many stakeholders including the Parliament. The Government had justified the move, stating that the new system offered 17 different types of visas and was thoroughly assessed before being approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on 11 September 2023. 

However, the change resulted in higher visa fees, inconvenience, and widespread frustration within travellers and the tourism industry.

“It is not an easy task to resolve the problem overnight,” Ilukpitiya said, acknowledging the difficulty in reverting to the previous system which was terminated to bring in a new one.

The e-visa system was introduced amidst SLT-Mobitel, which has been the solutions provider for the DIE with ETA since 2012, being ready to roll out improvements following a Cabinet decision made in July 2021.

The ETA was widely praised by tourists for its simplicity and ease of use, contributing to Sri Lanka’s reputation as a traveller-friendly destination.

The controversy over the new visa system has created confusion and disruption in tourism – an industry crucial to Sri Lanka’s economy, particularly as the country strives to recover after several years of multiple challenges and an economic crisis, citing it was essential that the next high season is not impaired by the delay in activating the ETA system by the DIE. 

The tourism sector, already facing a decrease in arrivals, has been further strained by the visa processing issues.

Against this backdrop, the Tourism Advisory Committee, as well as leading tourism associations, including the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) and the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), have taken a strong stance against the DIE and urgently called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe to intervene and ensure the swift reinstatement of the ETA system. 

They warned that failure to address the situation could lead to devastating consequences for both the tourism industry and the country’s economy.

Sri Lanka exceeds 1.3 m tourist arrivals despite visa processing woes