Sunday May 19, 2024
Sunday May 19, 2024
Tuesday, 7 May 2024 00:40 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Public Security Minister Tiran Alles yesterday highlighted the necessity for the Government to define its stance on visa policy through the formulation of a National Policy.
“We must assess our economic conditions and decide whether the Government is prepared to waive visa fees, which amounted to a significant Rs. 24.8 billion last year. It is important to note that the entire collection went directly to the Treasury and not to the Immigration and Emigration Department,” he told journalists.
Highlighting his proactive approach, Alles disclosed that during the last Cabinet meeting he attended, he proposed initiating a comprehensive study involving officials from the Treasury to analyse the potential implications of maintaining or abolishing visa fees for tourists.
“I am willing to issue free visas to individuals worldwide if that aligns with the Government’s policy. With the necessary instructions in place, we can effortlessly implement this through the system and issue visas accordingly,” he affirmed.
He acknowledged an oversight in the previous legislation, which omitted the provision for the single-entry visa.
“I admit that there was a mistake on our part in not including the single-entry 30-day visa in the document passed in Parliament. This unfortunate error has now been rectified,” he said.
The reassurance from the Minister comes amid concerns over the absence of the single-entry visa option and to address the regulatory oversights to support the tourism sector.
He explained that the correction process required Cabinet approval and subsequent Parliamentary endorsement, which have been obtained now.
Minister Alles also commented on the absence of any significant impact resulting from the temporary unavailability of the single-entry visa for tourism purposes.
He cited statistics indicating a steady inflow of tourists, with April 2024 showing an increase of over 35,000 visitors compared to the same period in 2023. Any perceived decline in arrivals, he noted, could be attributed to the typical onset of the lean tourist season, which extends till June. (CdeS)
