Visa controversy: SJB alleges Tiran Alles misled Parliament

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Chief Opposition whip and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella has said the Minister of Public Security, Tiran Alles, misled Parliament in November 2023 about increasing visa fees.

Kiriella told The Island that he would make a special statement today (07) on the issue.

“I will make the statement after question time in Parliament. I hope Minister Tiran Alles will be there. Alles was not in Parliament when the Easter Sunday debate took place. I hope he will be there on Tuesday,” Kirielle said.

Earlier, in the day, the Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles said that Parliament had unanimously approved the government’s proposal to increase visa fees in November 2023.

Speaking at a press conference in Colombo on the recent controversy about VFS Global operating the On Arrival visa counter at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Alles said that they had made an error with regards to the visa fee.

“We only had a 30-day visa available for those who sought the online visa facility. Now, we have introduced 17 visa categories to those who avail the online service. Among this is a category of visa where you can enter twice in six months. There is also a one-year visa, five-year visa and a 10-year visa. Cabinet approved this proposal and Parliament ratified it without a debate on 23 November 2023. There is now a controversy about the visa fee of 75 dollars for one category. But this, too, was approved by Parliament,” he said.

Alles added that the implementation of the new scheme had been postponed until 17 April as the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system required modification.

“We had to wait until the VFS platform was set up. However, we have made one mistake. We have not put the one month single entry visa (for 50 dollars) into the system.”

The Minister said VFS Global was a leading company in the world, he said.

“This is not an Indian company. Blackstone is the main shareholder. There were no Indians at the counters at the On Arrival counter at the airport. VFS also can’t issue visas, it only collects biometrics.”

Alles said several other local companies had previously tried to overhaul the ETA system, unsuccessfully.

“The Cabinet then approved the VFS proposal after serious and in-depth consultations. This was taken up by the Cabinet twice,” he said.