The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) yesterday announced that on-arrival ETA will be issued to tourists from several countries due to impediments in applying for electronic travel authorisation (ETA).
Issuing a statement, the CAASL Chairman said that the Department of Immigration and Emigration has informed that the tourists from the following countries, who are unsuccessful in making credit card payments for ETA to travel to Sri Lanka, due to the ongoing upgrade and maintenance of the ETA front-end system, will be issued on-arrival ETA (at the port of entry to Sri Lanka) as an alternative channel, with a view to promote the tourism industry: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Greece, Sweden, Hungary, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Estonia, Mauritius, Iceland, Cuba, Singapore, Russia, and Ukraine.
He further said that the respective missions/posts accredited or concurrently accredited to the above countries are requested to take urgent action to convey this information to the relevant authorities, travel industry/associations, and intended travellers.
In a separate announcement, the CAASL said that Sri Lankan passport holders do not require the Covid-19 insurance coverage when travelling to Sri Lanka.
However, all tourist visa holders require mandatory Sri Lanka Covid-19 insurance coverage to be purchased online (https://portal.pionline.lk/covidinsurance/) or on arrival.
All tourist visa holders require travel insurance coverage for a minimum of $ 50,000, including cover for hospitalised treatment for Covid-19 infection, it was stated.
The Covid-19 insurance coverage is not required to board an aircraft, but upon landing in Sri Lanka if the tourist visa holder is not carrying the Covid-19 insurance coverage for a minimum of $ 50,000, they must purchase the policy prior to leaving the respective airport in Sri Lanka, it said.