The Department of Government Information issued a clarification yesterday, following allegations questioning the outsourcing of the Visa application process.
The Department stated that the responsibility for on-arrival visa applications was awarded to VFS Global, a company operating in 151 countries with 3,388 centres worldwide, following assessment and approval by the Cabinet of Ministers on September 11, 2023.
Based on a proposal tabled by Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, the company was selected following the Government’s procurement process, the Department said. VFS Global was chosen from two other contenders, due to its global reputation and extensive experience, with the view of streamlining the process for foreign visitors to apply for online visas.
The statement refuted recent reports alleging that the entire visa issuance process for foreign visitors to Sri Lanka had been transferred to a foreign company. Only the work of providing necessary facilities for visa issuance has been assigned to VFS Global, the Department said, denying claims that the operations were handed over without Cabinet approval.
The Government added that it is taking appropriate action against officials who made statements and acted in defiance of the Cabinet decision.
Sri Lanka’s new visa-issuing process sparked concern, following a video widely circulated on social media, claiming that the process had been awarded to several Indian companies.
In the video, an agitated Sri Lankan national claimed that Indian companies who had taken over visa processing at the Bandaranaike International Airport were causing delays and levying extra processing fees. The video also showed long queues at the BIA, where travellers were waiting to have their visa processed.
The Indian High Commission meanwhile refuted reports of Indian companies taking over visa issuance at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake. “Any reference to India in this context is unwarranted,” the Indian High Commission said. (Newswire)
