Sri Lanka extends resident and tourists visas for 60 days amid anti-Coronavirus controls

Visas of tourists and foreigners resident in Sri Lanka will be extended for 60 days without penalty, the immigration office, which is cutting down services as part of efforts to contain Coronavirus surge said.

The validity of all categories of visas issued to foreigners are automatically extended from May 11 to July 09, the Controller General of Sri Lanka’s Department of Immigration and Emigration said.

Holders of tourist visa can go to the link https://eservices.immigration.gov.lk/vs and pay the relevant ree before July 09, 2021, without a penalty.

Those leave the country within during the period can pay the visa fee at the airport.

They can also visit the immigration office in Bataramulla before 09 July and get the endorsement and pay the vista.

Resident visas area also extended till July 09.

During the period they could contact 0707101050 from 0830 to 1500hours to get an appointment to visit the head office and get the visa endorsed.

Passports will be issued to Sri Lankans in case of an emergency from Battaramulla head office and regional offices in Kandy, Vavuniya, Matara and Kurunegala.

Contact numbers

Travel Division – Battaramulla Head Office — 0707101060, 0707101070

Citizenship Division – Battaramulla — 07071001030

Visa Division – Battaramulla – 0707101050

Ports Branch – Battaramulla – 0777782505

Matara Regional Office – 041-5412212, 041-5104444

Vavuniya Regional Office — 02505676344, 025-567-6345

Kurunegala Regional Office — 037-555-0562, 037-555-0563

Kandy Regional Office – 081-562-4509, 081-562-447-

General information: www.immigration.gov.lk

Shops will be closed from 11pm tonight until Monday

With the travel restrictions in effect from today, it is strictly prohibited to open shops from 11 pm today (May 13) until 4 am Monday (May 17), Police Media Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said.

He said that during that time people should stay in their homes and no one is allowed to travel.

Transportation is permitted only for essential services and patients can travel to hospitals or to the nearest pharmacy to buy medicines, he said.

The pharmacy will be allowed to run delivery services and the public will not be allowed to leave the house for any other purpose during these three days except for an emergency, the spokesman said.

The method of going out in the order of the numbers of the National Identity Card is not applicable for these three days and it will be effective from next Monday, the media spokesman said.

Posted in Uncategorized

Passengers from Sri Lanka not permitted to leave for these countries until May 31

Airline passengers or transit passengers from Sri Lanka will not be permitted to leave for Dubai, Kuwait, Italy, Maldives and Singapore until May 31, according to Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited.

This was announced today by its Vice Chairman, Mr Rajeewasiri Sooriyaarachchi.

The UAE has announced a suspension of entry for travellers from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka with effect from Wednesday in a bid to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

After the UAE, Kuwait has also announced the suspension of flights to and from the four south Asian countries.

The Maldives has also barred travellers from a number of South Asian countries including Sri Lanka in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

Islandwide travel restriction, similar to curfew, from tomorrow to Monday

An islandwide travel restriction will be imposed from 11 pm tomorrow to 4 am till Monday in order to prevent a further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Army Chief Shavendra Silva told Daily Mirror.

The travel restriction similar to a curfew will prevent people from leaving their homes while only essential services will be allowed to travel on the roads.

After Monday, the travel restriction will come into effect from 11 pm to 4 am daily till May 31, the Army Commander said.

Meanwhile the vaccination program will continue islandwide and those who wish to be vaccinated have been told to go to their nearest center.

Posted in Uncategorized

Basil Rajapaksa leaves for the USA to receive treatment

Head of the Presidential Task Force, Basil Rajapaksa on Wednesday morning (May 12) left for the United States of America for medical treatment.

Basil Rajapaksa left for the USA to receive treatment, Sagara Kariyawasam, the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) told News 1st.

According to our airport correspondent, Basil Rajapaksa has departed Sri Lanka aboard flight EK649 at around 3:15 am, en route to Dubai.

Posted in Uncategorized

COVID-19 death toll climbs to 850 with 23 more deaths

As many as 23 COVID-related deaths were confirmed in Sri Lanka today (May 11), says Director-General of Health Services.

The new development has moved the total number of COVID victims in the country to 850, according to official data.

As per the media release issued by the Department of Government Information, the victims have succumbed to the virus infection between the period of May 05 – May 11.

The deaths were reported from Ratmalana, Polonnaruwa, Pilimathalawa, Pathana, Thalawakele, Hangranoya, Matale, Elkaduwa, Madulkele, Menikhinna, Matara, Thalgaswala, Moronthuduwa, Maharagama, Halthota, Waskaduwa, Kelaniya, Moratuwa and Panadura areas.

COVID pneumonia was identified as a cause of death of majority of the victims.

Posted in Uncategorized

Sri Lanka to introduce vaccination Digital ID

A Digital Identity Card using the latest technology will be issued to the general public in the near future to made the COVID-19 vaccination drive move efficient said Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa on Tuesday (11).

He said the new Digital ID is the result of discussions with the Ministry of Health and the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA).

The new digital identity card which will be provided to every person will include information on vaccinations ( the vaccination date, place, time, and type of vaccine issued by the government, as well as relevant information for the second dose)

This program is expected to avoid the issues associated with vaccination.

Posted in Uncategorized

Kuwait, UAE suspends travel from Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries

The gulf countries United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have barred travelers from Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries as the COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly spreading in the region.

Kuwait has suspended flights, and barred entry to travelers, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka until further notice to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus, state news agency KUNA said on Monday,.

The decision by the Gulf state’s cabinet did not include cargo flights.

To enter Kuwait from the four countries, people must have been in another country for at least 14 days beforehand, the statement said.

The United Arab Emirates will from Wednesday suspend the entry of all travelers, including transit passengers, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

The UAE has already suspended flights from India, as coronavirus cases in the country spiked to global records.

Flights from and through the UAE and heading to the four countries will be exempt, the General Civil Aviation Authority said, the state news agency WAM reported.

The GCAA said that those coming from the four nations through other countries must stay in those third countries for at least 14 days.

UAE nationals and passengers in private jets are exempt provided they quarantine for 10 days and undergo PCR tests upon arrival and on the fourth and eighth days after entering the country.

Cargo flights will continue to operate between the UAE and the four countries.

Sri Lanka to borrow US$200m from ADB to upgrade rural roads

Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers has cleared a proposal to borrow 200 million US dollars from the Asian Development Bank as part of a project to upgrade rural roads in Eastern, Northern, Uva and Western provinces.

It is the tranche of a 900 million US dollar project to upgrade 3,400 kilometres of rural roads and 340 kilometres of national roads connected to economic centres in the provinces.

The 900 million US dollar ‘Second Integrated Road Investment Program’ is expected to be completed by March 31, 2027.

The cabinet approved a resolution by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to enter into a loan agreement with ADB.

Sri Lanka Railways suspends interprovincial services

Sri Lanka Railways has decided to suspend interprovincial services effective from midnight today (May 11).

Accordingly, intra-provincial services will be provided for the commuters for time being, the railways department said further.

The decision came after the government announced that interprovincial travel restrictions would be imposed from tonight in a bid to control the spread of novel coronavirus.

In addition, interprovincial bus services provided by Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) and private sector will also be suspended from tonight.

Minister of Transport Dilum Amunugama stated that an announcement regarding the use of buses for essential services will be made later.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to continue the provision of concessions for interprovincial bus transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Accordingly, the proposal submitted by Minister of Transport to levy only 50% of the annual tender deposits and only 50% of the expressway temporary permit charges from bus owners from April 01, 2021 to September 31, 2021 due to irregular operations following the outbreak of the pandemic.

Posted in Uncategorized