Courtesy The Daily Mirror

In an effort to ensure international visitors do not face inconvenience in obtaining the relevant permits to enter Sri Lanka, in the absence of an eVisa platform, arrangements have been made to resume the issuance of tourist and business visas through the Sri Lanka missions overseas. 

The tourism industry stakeholders, in a joint communique to the overseas travel agents and other stakeholders, said that if the international visitors prefer to have a travel authorisation/visa prior to travelling to Sri Lanka, they may contact the Sri Lankan mission in their respective country and obtain same. 

The ‘Visa on Arrival’ facility remains available at the immigration counters in the Arrivals Hall at the airport. 

The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) platform that was in operation prior to mid-April 2024, will be restored in due course, the tourism industry associations said.

On August 2, 2024, the Supreme Court issued an interim order suspending the Sri Lanka eVisa portal run by IVS-GBS and VFS Global, with immediate effect.

The eVisa portal https://www.srilankgevisa.lk was suspended on Friday, at 17:00 Sri Lanka time. All eVisa applications made after this time will receive a refund and the applicants need to share their application number and details to travel.partner@srilankanevisa.lk.