A group of 155 Indian nationals who had violated their visa conditions by overstaying in Sri Lanka have been arrested by officials from the Department of Immigration and Emigration, it is reported. 

Following their arrest, the Indian nationals were made to pay a sum of Rs. 33,615,000 as settlement of their individual visa fee of US$200 and a fine of US$500 to the Immigration Department.

According to the Immigration Department, this detection is the highest valued in the history of Sri Lanka, earning a revenue income of Rs. 33.5 million from a single detection. 

It is reported that the Indian nationals were found during a raid conducted on a building in Colombo, utilised by a local company to run a back office for an international IT firm involved in online marketing and betting activities.

The group apprehended during the raid, aged between 25-54 years, had arrived in Sri Lanka on resident visas and had overstayed by one month to one year, to continue working for the local company. 

The Indian nationals have been instructed to leave the country immediately after settling the necessary fines due to a lack of space at the Immigration Department’s detention centre in Welisara. (Newswire)

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A new Gazette notification has been issued revising the fines on visa overstay of foreigners in Sri Lanka.

The Gazette is issued by the Ministry of Public Security under Section 23 of the Immigrants and Emigrants Act, (Chapter 351) and approved by Parliament.

Accordingly, the fine for overstay of 07 to 14 days has been revised to US$ 250, while the fine for over 14 days has been revised to US$ 500, apart from visa fees.

“where the period of the overstay has exceeded seven days (07) and has continued up to fourteen (14) days calculated from the date of expiry of the period of validity of the original visa, two hundred and fifty (250) United State Dollars will be charged as a penalty in addition to the applicable visa fee.” 

“Where the period of the overstay has exceeded fourteen (14) days calculated from the date of expiry of the period of validity of the original visa, five hundred (500) United State Dollars will be charged as a penalty in addition to the applicable visa fee,” the Gazette states

As per the Gazette, “a person who departs from Sri Lanka within seven (07) days calculated from the date of expiry of the period of validity of the original visa, may depart from Sri Lanka by paying the applicable visa fee at the port of departure without paying any penalty.” (NewsWire)

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The Parliamentary Ministerial Consultative Committee has granted approval to amend the fine imposed on foreigners who have overstayed their period of valid visas.

According to a Parliament statement, the Committee has approved the orders made by the Minister of Public Security in this regard under the Immigrants and Emigrants Act.

Thereby, approval has been given to revise the fine of US$500 in addition to the visa fees to foreigners who have overstayed their period of valid visas.

The approval was given at the Ministerial Consultative Committee held last week (25) under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles.

Accordingly, it has been recommended that no penalty shall be levied for departure at an approved port of the Department of Immigration and Emigration within a period of 7 days or less than the overstaying period of a valid visa without getting extended the period of the visa.

It has been approved to levy a penalty of USD 250 for an overstaying period of more than 07 days and overstaying period of 14 days or less and to levy a penalty of USD 500 for an overstaying period of more than 14 days.

This step has been taken in accordance with the requests made by various parties regarding the promotion of tourism, attracting investors and the inconvenience caused to officials working in foreign missions operating in Sri Lanka due to having to pay the above penalty. Accordingly, these orders are to be approved by the Parliament on a future date.

Apart from this, Members of Parliament pointed out that there is a shortage of officers in police stations as police officers are deployed at various places for the protection of individuals. Minister Tiran Alles advised the IGP that these tasks have been in operation for a long time, and after conducting a proper security assessment, deploy officers only for essential needs and deploy other officers at police stations.

Meanwhile, the members drew the attention of the Committee to the need to take steps to appreciate officers involved in drug-related raids. Accordingly, the Minister gave instructions to take measures to appreciate the relevant officers by getting recommendations related to drug raids from every police zone.

State Minister Shantha Bandara, Members of Parliament Dayasiri Jayasekara, Akila Ellawala, Madhura Withanage, Chandima Weerakkody, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Asanka Navaratne, Thisakutti Arachchi, (Ms.) Rajika Wickramasinghe, Isuru Dodangoda, Kumarasiri Rathnayaka, Weerasumana Weerasinghe, M. W. D. Sahan Pradeep Withana, were present at the Committee meeting. (NewsWire)

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