Cancellation of visa on arrival - an essential security safety net:

ETA will not affect arrival of high spenders

By Charnika IMBULANA

The headlines in the 'Economic Times of India of November 11, 2011 issue says "Six Indians arrested in Sri Lanka on charges of visa abuse". The report reveals that six Indian nationals have been arrested in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province on charges of abusing visit visas by indulging in textile trading. The six, who had arrived here on visit visas, were found engaged in textile trading in the Eastern town of Kalmunai. According to the police they were selling textiles in a roadside market when they were arrested, and the six were to be produced before the Kalmunai Magistrate.

In another national newspaper headline on November 12 it states that "Lanka used as drug traffic hub". The report reveals that "the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board has revealed that Sri Lanka is being used as a hub by drug traffickers to smuggle drugs to Europe from India and Pakistan". "The Board, in its annual report, said drug traffickers used Colombo and Male as transit points in this case. According to them, heroin seized during the past five years, a heroin variety called brown sugar or south west Asian heroin is mainly smuggled from India and Pakistan." "During this period, 58 foreigners have been arrested in Sri Lanka for drug-related offences. Of them 25 were Pakistanis, four Indians, six Maldivians and five Iranians."

This is just two of the recent situations among a countless number of some such cases and others such as over staying, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities that the Sri Lankan authorities have had to deal with, for which the authorities strongly state that the visa on arrival system has been abused. Their complaints of abuse of this system, which has been in operation for over four decades, however will finally come to an end.

In fact visitors from 78 countries, albeit those from Singapore and Maldives, the two countries which give on-arrival visas to Lankans and get the reciprocal facility, will be subject to the new online visa application system the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) that will come into effect in Sri Lanka in less than two months.

It is indeed heartening to note that finally a firm decision has been made on this system -a timely move for a security safety net that Sri Lanka required in the post - conflict era. Although the government initially withdrew this facility in August 2009 subsequent to a proposal by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and endorsed by the Cabinet, it overturned the decision after a clamor of protests from the tourism industry.

And now it is back on track. Saner counsel has prevailed. And the Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka has now announced a concession - a reduction of the charge for the on line visa processing fee, from the initial US $50 flat rate for every country, to a charge of US $10 for travellers from the South Asian Association Regional Countries (SAARC) that includes India,( more than 85000 Indians visited Lanka; that number went above 120,000 last year) - statistics that the Tourism Industry in Sri Lanka showed to lay claim that the sector would be affected by the original cost. The charge will be US $ 20 for non SAARC countries. The revised structure following a policy decision by the government, would also ensure no visa processing fee for children under 12 years and transit passengers stopping over for 48 hours or less.

This should be a fair compromise between the Tourism authorities and the Immigration and Emigration officials who have had many an exchange of different opinions and words on the matter on independent public platforms that have lately continued unabated.

What is the Electronic Travel Authorization system? It is best described by the Sri Lanka's Controller of Immigration and Emigration, WA Chulananda Perera - Foreigners visiting and travelling via Sri Lanka will be able to obtain visas through the website of the Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka by personally applying for them on payment of the prescribed fees. Those who do not have private access to internet facilities, will be able to apply for visa through private agencies to be established for the purpose and also through Sri Lankan Foreign Missions and from the Head Office of the Department of Immigration & Emigration. Applicants will be able to apply to get a visa either within a day or within three days.

The system will be very easy and a database for each applicant will be maintained online. Travel or ticketing agents would also be able to apply for the visa on behalf of the tourists. Visitors who arrive at the Sri Lanka airport terminal without a visa can also apply at the airport -but for this an extra fee will be charged.

Tourism is one of the main earners of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka and it is witnessing a revival. A number of people in the tourism field have been voicing their opposition to the system. However the immigration officials argue that tourism will not be affected by the change in system. It will only make it easier for the tourist", they say.

The Tourism industry spoke on the "impact and the slowing of numbers the initial US $ 50 would have on the influx target of 2.6 million travellers", they target, by 2016. They find the reduction of the visa processing fee to be "encouraging news", but still "think it is not the correct amount when competing with the likes of Thailand and Malaysia". However, some key officials have clearly expressed, that "the industry (which was given a run-through of the website on-line visa application process) being "quite happy and the system to be customer friendly". On that positive note let's hope then we can get on with the system without further ado.

For those who have concerns on the alleged challenges posed by Thailand and Malaysia, it is time for them to think of innovative ways and very attractive offers of our country to compete with Malaysia and Thailand on a level playing field so that the traveller would choose Sri Lanka over the latter two anyway, and a mere visa fee or the method in which it is obtained wouldn't be the reason for them to choose to the contrary or go elsewhere.

With Sri Lanka Tourism's launch of its marketing campaign titled "refreshingly Sri Lanka - visit 2011- as an island of new found freedom"; we witnessed the record breaking 750,000th arrival last week. This is evidence that the new branding has caught the imagination of the traveller.

Any Govertment would welcome high performance in tourism and any such revenue generating sectors and would make every attempt to ease any undue blocks.

If one really looks at the situation realistically the country would attract the genuine tourist when an effective method such as the ETA is in place.

It would be for the genuine traveller's safety as well and it is always best for a country to be known to be one that safeguards one's security when visiting than being easy on access to entry but saddled with security concerns.

Whatever forms of revenue making methods that the country badly needs or is compelled to dive into for economic progress - in a dire rush also to compensate for the lost time included, could overlook or dismiss legitimate concerns.

We cannot afford the loopholes, furthermore when there's a compromise on national security.

If we Sri Lankans have to apply for a visa to visit a country, it hasn't prevented us from visiting it.

We just apply for it. And if that country finds you eligible for entry, you get the visa. Then why would this same method be a problem to the genuine visitor coming to Sri Lanka? In the midst of a desperate bid to merely double up the tourist 'arrival' figures, doesn't it count as to "what" we are doubling up with? The figures wouldn't constitute to be that of not the genuine travellers alone.

Among those we eagerly welcome and the dollars that come could very well be elements and from sources that are detrimental to the country as the cases the authorities are inundated with, reveal. The ETA would serve to a great extent -act as a deterrent, as it were, not only for the country, its reputation and its people but also the genuine traveller, particularly that the industry and its veterans, are naturally so keen to have.

Let's not get desperate to the point that we lose sight of the dangers that can lurk around all revenue generating avenues in sight. Prevention is indeed better than cure. Generations paid the price of the war but let's not fall prey to other dangers that we open up to in the absence of it and end up with another type of war that we can ill afford. Tourism experts would know the pain of that more than anyone.

The on line system- the ETA must be here to stay- a compromise on the visa fee would be fair, especially to our neighbours to be on par with other countries on equal terms.

Those who want to come will come anyway and those who have nothing to fear of them being screened well. Aren't they the ones we want visiting "our land like no other" anyway?

It's the high spenders that Sri Lanka must attract and a visa fee or an on-line method before arrival and available on arrival cannot be a hindrance to them. It's not a cumbersome process by any means, then it's this very system in place then, a safety measure -that very well be the support system that will help increase the numbers- to achieve the tourism arrival targets. Let's just get on with it then. Visitors, welcome to Sri Lanka- the miracle of Asia.