Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Sri Lankan government decided to issue six-month visas for tourists applying through the electronic system and the move is a follow-up to a cabinet decision taken on January 4 to link a mobile app created by Sri Lanka Tourism to the visa application process implemented under the country’s Department of Immigration and Emigration through its Online Electronic Tourist Visa Activation (ETA) system.
According to the reports, the applicable visa charges for a six-month stay are $70 for tourists from SAARC countries, $85 for those from non-SAARC countries, and $50 for tourists from Singapore, the Maldives and Seychelles.
Currently, short-term tourist visa for 90 days costs $20 for those from SAARC countries and $35 for nationals from other countries. Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has been one of the worst affected due to the Covid-19 pandemic and tourists are presently allowed to tour the country under a bio bubble.
The report further added that the government stated that over 4 million people depend on the local tourism industry directly and indirectly.
