Highlights: Sri Lanka ends long-term visas for Russian and Ukrainian tourists. The latter had been using them to live on the island since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. More than 288,000 Russians and nearly 20,000 Ukrainians have visited Sri Lanka in the past two years. The government's decision comes after a storm of protests on Sri Lankan social media against a Russian-run nightclub which hosted a "whites only" party in the southern resort town of Unawatuna.

Sri Lanka announced on Sunday February 25 that it would end the extension of long-term tourist visas for thousands of Russian and Ukrainian nationals. The latter used them to live…

Sri Lanka ends long-term visas for Russian and Ukrainian tourists

Sri Lanka announced on Sunday February 25 that it would end the extension of long-term tourist visas for thousands of Russian and Ukrainian nationals.

The latter had been using them to live on the island since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

View of the immigration office at Bandaranaike International Airport, Sri Lanka, in March 2020. AFP - LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI

By: RFI Follow

“

The government is not granting further visa extensions

,” Sri Lanka's Commissioner General of Immigration, Harsha Ilukpitiya, told AFP, setting the deadline for departures at March 7.

“

The flight situation is now normalized and they have no difficulty returning home

,” he added.

More than 288,000 Russians and nearly 20,000 Ukrainians have visited Sri Lanka in the past two years, according to official figures.

There are no statistics that count those who stayed longer than the usual thirty-day tourist visa.

But thousands of Russians and smaller numbers of Ukrainians are believed to have settled in Sri Lanka, some to avoid potential recruitment by the army.

Some have opened restaurants or nightclubs.

Read alsoIndia: Goa, the tropical haven for Russians fleeing the war

The government's decision comes after a storm of protests on Sri Lankan social media against a Russian-run nightclub which hosted a "whites only" party in the southern resort town of Unawatuna.

Sri Lanka sought to boost tourism by granting thirty-day visas on arrival, at a time when the country

desperately needed foreign currency after a severe economic crisis

The country defaulted on its foreign debt of $46 billion in April 2022.

Also listen How will Sri Lanka emerge from the crisis?

Protests for months soon led to the resignation of then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

A $2.9 billion International Monetary Fund bailout helped stabilize the economy and end shortages of essentials such as food, fuel and medicine.

Also listenExpatriates and the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine

(

with AFP

)

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Sri Lanka ends long-term visas for Russian and Ukrainian tourists

Sri Lanka ends long-term visas for Russian and Ukrainian tourists

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