Online visa scheme nets over Rs.1.2 b

The online visa approval system introduced at the beginning of this year has brought in record revenue to the government to the tune of billions of rupees, the government has said.

In the first seven months of the year the government has earned over Rs. 1.2 billion through the on line visa approval system, the Controller General of the Immigration and Emigration Chulananda Perera has said.

Sri Lanka introduced the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system on January 01 to grant prior approval for visa via online for foreign nationals from 78 countries except for visitors from Singapore and Maldives, the two countries that reciprocate the on-arrival visa system with Sri Lanka.

According to Perera the ETA has become very popular with visitors to the country.

“We have received very positive responses from a large number of foreigners about the system. The quick approval process, technology, easy to use and the long list of convenient features have earned the praise of visitors,” Perera has told the state-run newspaper Daily News.

According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), in the first six months of this year, 452,867 tourists have arrived in the country.

The country expects to reach a target of one million tourist arrivals this year and revenues of US$ 1 billion.