ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka is restoring the easy online visa system for tourists from midnight and the distress suffered by foreign visitors as a result of giving ETA process to VFS Global has ended, Foreign Minister Viitha Herath said.
Herath was appointed to the post on Wednesday. Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ordered that the old easy visa system be restored several weeks ago, but the Department of Immigration under then Minister Tiran Alles ignored the order.
“By giving the visa facility to VFS company, distress was caused to the people (pee-dar-wer-ter path-wuna), especially foreigners coming to Sri Lanka had difficulties in getting a visa easily,” Minister Herath said.
“Our Ministry intervened. In the past 24 hours were able to set up old visa issuing system. From midnight tonight, the system of getting visas easily will be available again.
“Now foreigners can get visas easily. This is a great victory. We have acted quickly on the court order.”
Business and other visitors would also be able to get visas online, he said.
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The new government had also initiated a forensic audit on the VFS Global deal and legal action will be taken on the findings, he said.