Probe on directive for Russian & Ukrainian tourists to leave

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has ordered an investigation into the notification issued to Russian & Ukrainian tourists, without prior Cabinet approval, requiring them to leave the country within 14 days.

" The Sri Lankan Government has not officially decided to revoke the visa extensions previously granted to these tourists", the President's Media Division said.

The Sunday Times today reported that the Department of Immigration and Emigration had given a 14 day period for Russian and Ukrainian tourists living long-term in Sri Lanka to leave the country. 

The Sunday Times news story was based on a letter from the Department of Immigration and Emigration to the Ministry of Tourism. 

The full Sunday Times news report follows:

Concern over foreign tourists running illegal businesses in Sri Lanka
The Department of Immigration and Emigration has granted 14 days from Friday (February 23, 2024) for Russian and Ukrainian tourists living long-term in Sri Lanka to leave the country.

Immigration and Emigration Controller Harsha Illukpitiya issued a letter on Thursday, February 22, to the Tourism Ministry Secretary requesting him to notify the relevant Ukrainian and Russian tourists about the new rule. Most of these visitors have been residing here on a periodic extension of their tourist visas since February 2022, when war broke out between their two nations.

The letter states that Ukrainians and Russians who were affected by the stoppage of flights to their home countries after the outbreak of the war were allowed to remain in Sri Lanka since February 28, 2022—a full two years—based on free visa extensions and without the imposition of penalties for expired tourist visas.

Although the Russian-Ukraine conflict continues, there are now direct flights between Russia and Sri Lanka, while Ukrainians also have facilities to enter and leave Sri Lanka by air, the letter says. It was observed that it is no longer necessary to keep extending their visas in the same manner.

“Therefore, Russian and Ukrainian tourists belonging to the above categories have been given 14 days from 2024/02/23 to 2024/03/07 to leave this country, and it is kindly notified that this period will no longer be extended,” it says.

It is not immediately known how many Russians and Ukrainians have been living in Sri Lanka under these special provisions or how many have entered the country since then and extended their visas on the pretext of not being able to return home.

Separately, in recent months, attention has been drawn to the increasing numbers of foreigners on tourist visas running illegal businesses in Sri Lanka.

Operating under the radar, many of them take payments through foreign card machines or collect service fees abroad. The terms under which they employ foreign staff are also unclear, and there has been a rising trend of excluding locals from their establishments, particularly in the south.

This week, there was a furor on social media after a Russian DJ—whose visa status is unknown—advertised a party at a club in Unawatuna that said “FACE CONTROL: WHITE”. When questioned, he elaborated that it meant “white people, no locals.”

After this elicited fury online and drew the attention of authorities, the party scheduled to be held yesterday was canceled. The police had also been notified. The DJ later said on Instagram that he left the country with his family.