Colombo: In a significant policy shift, Sri Lanka has announced the termination of long-term tourist visa extensions for Russians and Ukrainians, who had been utilizing this provision to stay on the island, particularly since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Commissioner-General of Immigration, Harsha Ilukpitiya, stated, “The government is not granting further visa extensions,” setting a deadline of March 7 for departure. He emphasized, “The flight situation has now normalized, and they have no difficulty in getting back.”
Official figures spanning the past two years indicate a substantial influx of approximately 288,000 Russians and nearly 20,000 Ukrainians to Sri Lanka. While the exact count of individuals overstaying the standard 30-day tourist visa remains unclear, it is widely speculated that a considerable number of Russians and a smaller contingent of Ukrainians have chosen to settle in Sri Lanka, possibly seeking refuge from military conscription concerns.
This decision by the Sri Lankan government coincides with mounting social media criticism directed at a Russian-operated nightclub in the coastal resort town of Unawatuna, following the organization of a controversial “whites-only” party.
Sri Lanka initially introduced the 30-day visa-on-arrival policy as part of efforts to attract tourists and revitalize its economy, which has been reeling from its worst economic crisis since mid-2022. The country’s default on its $46 billion foreign debt in April 2022 triggered months of street protests, culminating in the resignation of then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
However, with the stabilization of the economy following an IMF bailout of $2.9 billion, essential supplies such as food, fuel, and medicines are no longer subject to shortages.
