No visa-on-arrival in Lanka - Hindustan Times

No visa-on-arrival in Lanka - Hindustan Times

There could be a serious impact on the Tourism industry for Sri Lanka if this new
law is implemented. Further more the Sri Lankan embassies could be inundated
with visa applications.

Although half a million tourist visited Sri Lanka, one fifth of that number is from India.
It is estimated that as high as 40% could be the Tamil, Sinhala, Burgher and Muslim
diaspora who now have foreign passports. They also make multiple visits. Journalist,
NGO's and businessman also visit regularly and obtain a tourist visa on arrival.
Now the process gets complicated if they have to obtain visas from the SL Embassies.
Sources say this new law is the government's paranoia about the human rights violations
and war crimes investigations, where many interested parties are visiting Sri Lanka as
tourist. So are the members of the Tamil diaspora, and the GOSL is simply paranoid.
Among the highest number of visitors to the island in recent months have been tourists
from India who get visa on arrival.

Sri Lanka is becoming like secluded regimes like Myanmar and North Korea.
Tamil Latest News:
Sri Lanka to withdraw visa on arrival: public notice
Aug 27, 2010 (LBO) - The Sri Lankan government has decided to withdraw the on-arrival visa facility to tourists from September 30, 2010, a public notice said.
The Department of Immigration & Emigration website said on-arrival visas will be given only to visitors from countries that reciprocate.No reason was given for the change and immigration department officials were not immediately available for comment.
Tourists from all countries except Singapore and Maldives will be required to obtain prior entry visa before their arrival in Sri Lanka either from the Department of Immigration & Emigration in Colombo or from the Sri Lanka missions abroad.
Tourism industry officials said the move could hit tourist arrivals which have been increasing rapidly since the island's 30-year ethnic war ended in May 2009.