Travelers visiting Sri Lanka can usually apply for a visa online, thus avoiding the long queues at the airport upon arrival.
However, this option is currently no longer available after the country’s e-visa website was suspended on August 2 by order of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.
Here’s why the e-Visa website is closed and what it means for travelers.
Why has Sri Lanka suspended the issuance of e-visas?
Sri Lanka, a South Asian island nation just off the coast of India, only introduced its e-visa scheme in April last year. The process has been marred by allegations of procedural violations, a lack of transparency and corruption, according to German industry outlet fvw.de.
A panel of experts was appointed to assess the plan. It has been temporarily suspended by the court and will not be reinstated until transparency can be guaranteed.
This means that it is currently not possible to apply for an e-visa when travelling to Sri Lanka. Instead, you can apply for a visa on arrival.
What happens if I applied for an e-visa on August 2?
Travelers who applied for an e-visa after 5pm Sri Lanka Standard Time on August 2 will receive a refund, a notification on the website.
Applicants are requested to send their application reference number to travel.partner@srilankaevisa.lk.
What happens now?
From October 1, free tourist visas will be available to travelers from 35 countries. They are valid for 30 days.
The scheme will initially apply for six months, but it is still unclear whether it can be introduced in time, according to fvw.de.
