Tourists Waiting To Travel To Sri Lanka Will Get A One‑Month Visa Extension

COLOMBO (News 1st); The government has decided to extend tourist visas by one month for visitors who have already obtained visas to travel to Sri Lanka but have been unable to arrive within the expected time frame, Tourism Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe announced.

The Minister said that a number of tourists have already secured visas and are awaiting the opportunity to arrive in Sri Lanka on their scheduled flights. However, due to prevailing circumstances, several days have elapsed since their visas were issued, creating difficulties for these travellers.

“As a government, we have taken a decision to extend their visa validity by one month,” the Minister said. “From the date their visa is due to expire, it will be extended by a further one month. This facility has been provided to enable them to come to Sri Lanka without difficulty.”

Meanwhile, the Tourism Minister also revealed that a request has been made to the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy to grant increased fuel quotas for those engaged in the tourism sector.

He said the request seeks to provide double the standard petrol or diesel quota to tourism-related businesses and individuals who are able to present valid registration certificates issued by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority or other acceptable forms of identification.

The measures are aimed at supporting the tourism industry during the current period by easing travel-related concerns for visitors and addressing fuel requirements for tourism operators to ensure the continued functioning of the sector.