The Department of Immigration and Emigration says a new methodology was introduced to its online Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) programme due to the existing system not being updated timely and failing to meet the Department’s technical requirements.
Issuing a statement, the department clarified that the programme to grant approval for foreigners to visit Sri Lanka (ETA), which commenced in 2012, obtained only text information from the travellers.
Therefore, due to it failing to meet the department’s technical requirements, 15 new visa schemes were introduced under the Gazette dated 27.11.2023 and two more short-term visa schemes were introduced with the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers, thereafter.
The Immigration Department further said with the introduction of the new visa schemes, it was essential to obtain a large number of documents online and verify their accuracy for the responsibility of the department for national security.
As such, fulfilling this requirement without being a burden to the government and obtaining a proven technology at the international level became the department’s priority.
On the selection of VFS Global, as the service provider, the Immigration Department said the company was selected based on several criteria, especially its long-term experience of using online methodology to send relevant documents for visa approval.
Quality checking of information submitted by the applicant, the company’s services in 5 languages, experience of service operations in 151 countries, levying a low fee from Sri Lanka in comparison to 66 other countries, and its investment of USD 200 million for the implementation of this visa programme were among other reasons, to select VFS Global as the service provider.
The Immigration Department further clarified that the department carries out approving, issuing and rejecting visas as per the powers vested under the Immigrants and Emigrants Act No. 20 of 1948.
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