Month: April 2021
Gazette notification to recruit 40 eligible candidates to join the Sri Lanka Foreign Service (SLFS)
The Foreign Ministry is pleased to inform that a gazette notification to recruit 40 eligible candidates to join the Sri Lanka Foreign Service (SLFS) is now published.
The Gazette Notification No. 2,223 dated 9 April 2021 can be accessed at http://www.documents.gov.
Notice- Review of approval procedure to enter Sri Lanka
The procedure for entry into Sri Lanka has been reviewed and new guidelines have been applied with immediate effect.
Sri Lankans returning to home country and ex-Sri Lankans traveling for family visits etc
Accordingly, the following categories of persons will be permitted to enter Sri Lanka without prior approval of the Foreign Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority:
- Sri Lankans (including Sri Lankan seafarers arriving by air)
- Dual Citizens who travel on Sri Lankan Passports
- Foreign spouses of Sri Lankans
- Unmarried children of Sri Lankans, who are foreign nationals
Ex-Sri Lankans holding foreign passports (who do not hold Dual Citizenship) and travelling to Sri Lanka for family visits/family emergencies should continue to obtain prior approval of the Foreign Ministry. Such persons should obtain Foreign Ministry/Civil Aviation Authority approval by sending an email to kanchana.bandara@mfa.gov.lk with copy to entry.permission@mfa.gov.lk giving the following details:
- Name of the passenger
- Nationality and the passport number
- Intended date of entry into Sri Lanka
- Purpose of the visit
They should have prior visas to enter Sri Lanka as On-Arrival visas are not issued at present. As visas for Sri Lanka are issued only by the Department of Immigration and Emigration at present, any person of this category who need a visa for Sri Lanka should arrange a representative to visit the Visa Division of the Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka at Battaramulla with the relevant documents (copy of the passport of the traveller and the approval received from the Foreign Ministry for traveling to Sri Lanka, received by email) to obtain a visa by paying the relevant visa fee.
Ex-Sri Lankans and foreign nationals visiting Sri Lanka for tourism
Ex-Sri Lankans holding foreign passports and foreign nationals who wish to travel to Sri Lanka for the purpose of tourism should follow the Tourist Travel Bio Bubble procedure of the Sri Lanka Toursim Promotion Bureau. The procedure, including how to obtain the approval for travelling and visa procedure is available on the website at the link https://www.srilanka.travel/helloagain.
All arriving passengers are required to adhere to the Health Protocols/Guidelines that are applicable at the time of arrival.
The new quarantine measures issued by the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka on 6 April 2021 are given below.
Last updated on 13 April 2021
H.E. the President’s Message for the Easter Sunday – 04 April 2021
Joint Media Release – SLHC and APSL Research Symposium 2021 – Call for Abstracts
Foreign Minister calls for early conclusion of Charter of the Association of BIMSTEC Speakers and Parliamentarians at the 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting
Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, called for early conclusion of the Charter of the Association of BIMSTEC Speakers and Parliamentarians, in his welcome address at the 17th Ministerial Meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), comprising of Bangladeshi, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. This event was held virtually on 1st April 2021 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Foreign Minister informed that the platform would provide Speakers and Parliamentarians space for greater understanding, trust and friendship and to exchange ideas and information on parliamentary practices and commitment on democratic principles.