An Australian tourist has raised concerns on social media, claiming he was charged twice for a single-entry visitor visa to Sri Lanka. He asserts that after paying the US $60 fee and submitting his application online, he was detained upon arrival due to an alleged error in his name on the application. Despite insisting that he entered his details correctly and attributing the mistake to the immigration authorities, he was compelled to pay an additional US $60 to enter the country. Identifying himself as a media professional, he has threatened to publicize the incident unless addressed by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Tourism or Department of Foreign Affairs.
The complainants post found on social media below:
“Hello there, I am an Australian National. I would like to inform the department of Foreign Affairs of a scam that is happening at immigration in Colombo. I travelled to Colombo from Bangalore on the 18th of March on flight UL174. I had an EVisa which I pre applied for before my trip. On arrival into Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo I headed to immigration confident I all the right documents in hand. At immigration, I showed them my passport and Evisa, but was directed to the Chief Immigration officers cabin. He checked my visa and said that there was a mistake. The department had made a mistake with my nationality and was told that I had to apply for a new visa at the cost of USD 60. I refused, telling the CIO that it was a mistake made by the department concerned issuing the EVisa, but he would not budge. I had to get a new visa at USD 60. I was not the only traveller that faced this same predicament. There was a line of foreign tourists that were asked to do the same. This was my first visit to the beautiful country of Sri Lanka as told by all my Sri Lankan friends in Australia. I was appalled to have had such a bad experience on entry. The rest of my trip was amazing and I loved the food, beaches and the lovely hospitality of the people. I would like someone from the Department of foreign affairs and tourism to look into this matter or else your tourism sector will suffer if this continues. I work with the media in Australia and can go public, but I will wait for someone from the concerned department to reply to this message and that some action will be taken against those involved.”
