Thursday, May 26, 2011

Sri Lanka to issue visas for visitors online

Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration is making arrangements to issue visas over the internet for the visitors to the country.

Sri Lanka Cabinet of ministers yesterday approved a proposal submitted by the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to set up an electronic system at the Department to issue visas online.

Accordingly the foreigners visiting or travelling through the country will be able to obtain visas through Immigration and Emigration Department website after paying the required fees online.

Intended visitors with no private internet facilities can apply for visa through private agencies to be established for the purpose and also through Sri Lankan Foreign Missions and from the Head Office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration, the government said.

The online visa system will replace the current system of visas on arrival in the country.

The new measure being introduced aims at providing conveniences to the tourists and promoting tourism in the country. Since the end of the war in May 2009, the number of tourists arriving in the country has doubled and surpassed 600,000 visitors last year.

University of Moratuwa is to provide the technical support to implement the online visa system.

Source:http://www.colombopage.com/archive_11A/May26_1306432683CH.php

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