Tourists have expressed disappointment as Sri Lanka has not yet implemented the promised abolition of visa fees.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Sri Lanka had previously approved a draft resolution from the Ministry of Tourism to waive visa fees for citizens of five countries: Russia, China, Indonesia, India, and Thailand.
The Ministry of Tourism had emphasized that the exemption from fees would act as a catalyst for increasing the influx of foreign tourists into the country, with the goal of attracting up to 5 million visitors annually. It is worth noting that Sri Lankan officials had previously taken a stringent stance on visas, with entry documents for foreigners nearly doubling in price the previous year. Despite the government's promise, visa fees for tourists have not been abolished.
The head of the country's Foreign Ministry announced the approval of free visas for Russian citizens until March 31 of the following year, but the specific procedure for implementing this decision remains unclear. Despite this, tourists are still required to pay $60 upon arrival, and obtaining the online electronic ETA for $50 is not always feasible due to sanctions affecting the Russian banking system.
The delay in implementing the new visa-free system for citizens has led to long queues at the Visa on arrival counter, with only two border service officers and two cashiers serving tourists at Colombo airport.
The reasons for the delay in introducing the visa-free system remain unknown, and it is hoped that this issue will be resolved promptly.