Sri Lanka’s Minister Vijitha Herath.
| Photo Credit: PICHUMANI K

The new Sri Lanka government headed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has ordered a forensic audit into the visa outsourcing contract with Indian firms alongside a Dubai-based firm allegedly involved in a scandal on arrival visa system for tourists.

A forensic audit has been ordered on Indian firms GBS Technology and IVS Global FZCO along with VFS Global which were in April awarded the multimillion-dollar contract as a technology partner to process the visa applications of foreigners, Vijitha Herath, Public Security Minister said.

“We have initiated an immediate forensic audit to investigate irregularities,” Mr. Herath said.

This comes after the Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 27, 2024) ordered to remand Controller of Immigration and Emigration Harsha Ilukpitiya for contempt of court charges for his failure to implement an apex court order on the ongoing disputed system on the issue of on-arrival electronic tourist visas to the country.

Mr. Herath said the airport immigration from Thursday (September 26, 2024) night onwards reverted to using the previous system which existed before mid-April.

“The visa facility provided by VFS Global had caused significant difficulties for many,” Mr. Herath added.

The court was hearing a fundamental rights petition filed by opposition politicians who called the outsourced visa operation a scam and urged for its suspension.

Under the outsourcing agreement, any foreigner entering Sri Lanka was required to pay USD 25 to have their application processed — even citizens of countries that had visa-free travel arrangements with Sri Lanka.

The court in July ordered the immigration controller to halt the outsourced operation and revert to the previous system.