High Commission of Sri Lanka in India

Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha said that the investment environment in Sri Lanka for Indian investors is conducive not only because of its stable leadership but also due to the strong bilateral relationship between Sri Lanka and India. This was consolidated on following the early visits of the President, Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister to India where areas of cooperation was fully reviewed.

The Government of India has conveyed the following notice to the Diplomatic Missions in India with regard to the extension of the validity period of the visas of foreign nationals who are stranded in India due to restrictions on international passenger traffic in view of the Government of India’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19:

“Regular Visa, e-Visa or stay stipulation, of such foreign nationals whose visas have expired or would be expiring during the period from 01.02.2020 (Mid-night) till the date on which prohibition on international air travel of passengers from India is lifted by the Government of India, would be extended on ‘GRATIS’ basis on submission of online application by the foreigners. Such extensions would be granted for a period up to 30 days from the date of lifting of prohibition on international air travel of passengers from India without levy of overstay penalty. Exit to such foreign nationals, if so requested by them, will also be granted on the same lines.”

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has announced launching of Special Deposit Accounts through commercial banks to attract foreign currency remittances to Sri Lanka.

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Bank wise Interest Rates offered for SDAs

With the arrival this evening (30 April) of UL 1188 carrying 125 Sri Lankan students from Kolkata, the operation to bring home 1065 Sri Lankan students based in the South Asian region, over 10 days, reached a successful conclusion.

Commencing on 21 April 2020, a total of nine (9) Sri Lankan Airlines special flights were used to destinations in India (Punjab, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Bangalore, New Delhi and Kolkata) Pakistan (Karachi and Lahore), Nepal (Kathmandu) and Bangladesh (Dhaka), to repatriate the  Sri Lankan students who had expressed their desire to return to Sri Lanka in the wake of the COVID 19 Pandemic. Those repatriated also included public and military officials who had completed study and training programmes in the respective countries and had to return to take up official duties back in Sri Lanka. Currently all returnees are undergoing mandatory quarantine at facilities afforded by the Sri Lanka Government.