Hiru News

In a special press conference convened by the Ministry of Public Security, Minister Tiran Alles addressed the controversy surrounding the visa issuance process at Katunayake International Airport involving VFS.

Minister Alles emphasized that VFS is not an Indian institution but rather an international company predominantly owned by the Black Stone Group, with Cooney Company of Germany as another shareholder.

Highlighting VFS’s statement regarding the situation, Minister Alles reiterated that the company’s operations are not limited to India. Contrary to claims made in a contentious video, Minister Alles revealed that 13 Sri Lankans were employed at the visa counters during the incident in question, emphasizing the diverse workforce of VFS.

Minister Alles clarified that VFS does not have the authority to approve or reject visa applications, highlighting that such decisions are solely within the jurisdiction of Sri Lanka’s Immigration Department. Despite protests that arose around May 1 last year, Minister Alles clarified that VFS commenced operations at the airport premises on April 17.

He highlighted VFS’s global reputation and emphasized that their role is limited to document verification, with the Department of Immigration and Emigration retaining authority over visa issuance and rejection.

Furthermore, Minister Alles disclosed that the proposal for establishing such an institution at Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport was presented to the Cabinet of Ministers four years ago. The Minister’s remarks aimed to provide clarity and dispel misconceptions surrounding the involvement of VFS in visa issuance at the airport.

Providing context to the controversial issue concerning On-Arrival Visas at the BIA, Minister Alles explained that the proposal for a new visa system was unanimously passed in Parliament on November 23, 2023. This proposal included adjustments to visa fees, which were initially intended to be implemented through the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system. However, due to technical constraints, the changes were delayed until April 17, when they were implemented through the VFS system.