SRI LANKA has reinstated its online visa application platform to boost tourism, following the suspension of a multimilliondollar deal by its top court.
This deal had outsourced visa processing to a foreign consortium. The decision was made under the new administration of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, aiming to bolster the key tourism sector as the nation recovers from the 2022 crisis.
Tourists can now apply for visas online without the $25 (£18.6) fee previously charged by Indiabased VFS Global, which won the outsourcing contract in April from the former government.
Rights activists had challenged the transparency of the contract in court, claiming the consortium could earn up to $2.75 billion (£2.05bn) over 16 years.
In August, the Supreme Court directed immigration authorities to revert to the previous online platform, discontinuing the use of VFS. “The visa facility provided by VFS Global has caused significant difficulties for many,” stated Dissanayake’s office last Thursday (26). Foreigners had encountered challenges in obtaining visas, prompting the change.
Immigration chief Harsha Ilukpitiya was arrested last Wednesday (25) for failing to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Ilukpitiya had awarded the multimillion-dollar contract to India’s GBS Technology Services and IVS Global FZCO, with VFS Global as a partner, to handle visa applications starting in April.
An immediate forensic audit has been initiated to investigate the irregularities linked to VFS Global, the president’s office said. “Any discrepancies found will be subject to legal action.”
The scrapped outsourcing arrangement had mandated a $25 visa processing fee for all foreigners, including citizens from countries previously enjoying visa-free travel to Sri Lanka.
FILE PHOTO: Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. REUTERS/Francis MascarenhasREUTERS
