COLOMBO, 23 March 2020: With the World Health Organisation declaring the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic, more and more countries are implementing stringent measures to stop the spread of this disease, which has infected over 325,000 people worldwide and killed nearly 15,000 to-date. The regulations and directives that are being enforced vary from country to country but one of the main restrictions adopted by governments across the world is related to travel. Global Sri Lankan has compiled below a travel update based on official announcements pertaining to the coronavirus crisis.
Thousands of Sri Lankans unable to take up foreign jobs due to travel ban
Between 8,000 and 9,000 Sri Lankans who were due to take up foreign employment soon are now left stranded following a travel ban imposed by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) on prospective job seekers until COVID-19 is brought under control. The SLBFE decision was taken as a supportive measure for the quarantine processes being implemented at the national and global level and restricting the movement of the migrant population is an important element of such an endeavor and aligns with travel restrictions imposed by countries that are home to large migrant workers.
According to a report in The Sunday Times, prospective migrant workers who were on the brink of leaving are also in trouble because “almost all” have left their jobs. Therefore, their families are also affected. In the longer run, the situation will hit foreign exchange inflows which play a major role in the country’s economy, as remittances by migrant workers constitute one of Sri Lanka’s largest foreign exchange earners.
“Our trade is in tatters,” The Sunday Times quoted P.S. Selvaratnam, Assistant Secretary of the Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agents (ALFEA) and Chairman/Managing Director of Selco Continental (Pvt) Ltd as saying. “We cannot do the recruitment, which means sourcing, interviewing, pre-screening and selecting the people. Of an estimated 800 licensed foreign employment agents countrywide, 300 are ALFEA members.
“We also cannot carry out the second phase,” Mr. Selvaratnam said. “That is, once the selections are done, the employers will send the visas. We send the people for medical and Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) formalities, buy the tickets and deploy them.”
“The immediate effect was that all those who are meant to be travelling—around 8,000 to 9,000 a month—now cannot go,” Mr. Selvaratnam said. “Their visas have come, they have their tickets and they are ready to depart. But the airports are closed and other countries have stopped people from arriving.”
Ninety-percent of Sri Lankan migrant workers are deployed by agencies, he continued. “When the agencies don’t have revenue, they cannot function, run their offices and meet overheads. There is now no money coming in. We are also not receiving requirements from employers and this means the numbers we sent out per month come to a standstill.”
Mr. Selvaratnam urged Government support in several areas, including the provision of grants or long-term loans that will also cover prospective migrant workers who gave up their jobs and sources of income in anticipation of going abroad. Embassies need to be canvassed to re-issue visas without charging fees afresh. And airlines must be requested to re-issue tickets without cancellation or no-show charges.
UAE halts entry of residency visa holders who are abroad
The UAE has suspended the entry of all valid visa holders, who are currently out of the country, for a renewable period of two weeks effective noon on Thursday, March 19, due to the spread of COVID-19. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has requested those holding valid UAE visas, and now staying out of the country, to pursue the following procedures:
a) Those currently in their countries of origin should contact the UAE diplomatic missions in their respective countries for all necessary support and to streamline their return to the UAE.
b) Those currently outside the UAE for business should contact their employers in the UAE, as well as Emirati diplomatic missions in their host countries for all necessary support to facilitate their return to the UAE
c) Those currently on vacation should contact the UAE diplomatic mission in their respective host countries for all necessary support to facilitate their return to the UAE.
UAE stops issuing work permits
The UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has suspended the issuance of all types of labour permits, including for drivers and domestic workers, effective Thursday, March 19 until further notice. The decision excludes intra-corporate transfer permits and employment permits for Expo 2020 Dubai, the region’s first World Expo which is scheduled to open in October. Millions of migrant workers including around 300,000 Sri Lankans are employed in the UAE, the Arabian Gulf’s economic powerhouse.
UAE cancels all pre-approved entry visas
The UAE has cancelled all types of new visas issued prior to March 17 and holders of these visas will not be allowed to enter the country. A March 18 notification issued by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs, which has been communicated to all airlines, states “Pre-issued UAE visas (all types) are cancelled and they [passengers with these visas] cannot apply for new visas until further notice”.
“This is effective from March 17, 2020. All passengers holding this visa type should not be allowed to board flights as they will not be allowed to enter the country,” states the notification. It further states that residents of the UAE returning back to the country need to be notified that they will be quarantined for a duration of two weeks on arrival.“Therefore, kindly notify them to ensure that all passengers understand the rules and regulations,” the notification said. “Travel agencies and ticket sales centres need to be notified to ensure that they notify customers prior to their travel bookings.” The airlines have also been asked to ensure documentation, operations and tasks to all strategic partners in minutes of meetings and ensure they proceed with the rules and regulations to fulfil the objectives defined.Airline officials said they are now implementing the new directives. However, travel agents said visa suspension rules have not impacted those renewing, extending or amending the status of visas while being inside the country and exempts diplomatic passport holders. Further, all airlines have been instructed not to carry UAE residents whose stay exceeds six months outside UAE and airlines have also been barred from carrying residents who have lost passports with UAE visa.
Sri Lanka urges foreign states to extend visas of stranded Sri Lankans
Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha has requested foreign governments to facilitate the appropriate extension of visas for Sri Lankans currently visiting their countries, and facing difficulty to return to Sri Lanka on account of the travel bans that have and will come into force, as part of the precautionary measures taken by various governments to stop the spread of COVID- 19. He noted that the Government of Sri Lanka had announced a one-month extension of all types of visas for those foreign nationals presently in the country, from the date of expiry of their present visas. He said such reciprocal arrangements were a common practice, and hoped that this could be facilitated for Sri Lankans, to minimize the anxieties faced by those travelling, in these exceptional times.
Foreign Secretary Aryasinha made these observations today (18 March), when he addressed a group of Ambassadors, as part of a series of briefing sessions to keep the diplomatic community informed of the developments with regard to measures taken by Sri Lanka to tackle COVID-19. While appreciating the supportive role played by the respective governments on assisting the Sri Lankan communities in their countries, the Foreign Secretary shared with the envoys present, the current status regarding foreign nationals in Sri Lanka and some difficulties experienced by Sri Lankans overseas.
He also said that all Sri Lankan diplomatic outposts now serve as emergency response units, where only limited consular and other services are continued to be offered amid the current challenges. Concerns of foreign missions in Colombo over their citizens, facilities at the quarantine centres, and proper communication channels, were effectively responded to by the local stake holders present. The meeting also reached consensus on the smooth departure of foreign nationals, notwithstanding the closure of the airport for those seeking to enter Sri Lanka. The envoys expressed appreciation for the efforts of the government in handling the situation, including extension of visas for their nationals, and assured that the request to reciprocate the same for Sri Lankans travelling in their countries will be communicated to their respective governments.
Sri Lanka suspends incoming passenger flights
All incoming passenger flights at Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake have been suspended with immediate effect for two weeks, the Government announced following a meeting of the Task Force on Coronavirus that was presided over by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. However, incoming cargo flights will be permitted and there will be no restrictions placed on departures.
Earlier, Sri Lankan tour operators had requested tourism authorities to ban all foreign tourists arriving in the country in the wake of protests against them by locals and the closure of a number of tourist sites and attractions across the island.
One of the Covid-19 patients who has tested positive is an Army Officer who was engaged in quarantine-related activities of Sri Lankans returning from Italy, according to Army Commander Shavendra Silva.
Meanwhile, the government has declared a three-day holiday until Thursday, March 19. The holiday excludes essential services involving health, transport, food supplies, banks and district secretariats but can be availed by employees of all state institutions, departments and corporations. The government has requested the private sector to grant this special holiday to their employees too. The government will consider further extending this holiday pending a review of the situation during the three-day break.
Sri Lanka suspends visas for Europeans
The government has suspended the issuance of visas for Europeans for a period of two weeks from March 13. In addition, the government has decided to place all Sri Lankans who arrive from Europe under quarantine for a period of 14 days. This will be in addition to the previous official announcement that passengers arriving from Italy, South Korea and Iran will be separated based on a new procedure adopted by the airport officials, and placed under quarantine for 14 days at Batticaloa Campus, Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre in Polonnaruwa and the Leprosy Hospital Hendala. Every passenger arriving in Sri Lanka will also be subjected to a strict screening process and there will be no exemptions.
Visa on arrival suspended
The on-arrival visa facility which was available for foreigners visiting Sri Lanka has been suspended by the government until further notice, the President’s Media Division said. Accordingly with effect from 12.00 noon (Sri Lanka time), 14th March 2020, the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) on arrival, for foreigners who hold ordinary (or) normal passports will be temporarily suspended until further notice.
However, the following are exempted from this suspension:
– a foreigner who holds diplomatic or official passport.
– citizens of Singapore, Maldives and Seychelles
Foreigners, who intend to visit Sri Lanka for purposes deemed necessary are required to secure visa prior to their arrival in Sri Lanka, through the following channels:
a. Online through ETA website (www.eta.gov.lk)
b. Sri Lanka Diplomatic Missions and Posts abroad and
c. Heads of the Department of Immigration and Emigration.
Saudi Arabia to suspend international flights from March 15
Saudi Arabia will suspend international flights for two weeks from March 15 to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. During the two-week period, some flights would only be allowed in for “exceptional cases”. For residents who cannot come back during this period, it will be considered as an official holiday. Arrangements will be made regarding health procedures such as examination and isolation according to the preventive measures approved for all arrivals. For Saudi citizens who wish to return, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Interior, the Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant entities, will arrange for their arrival, and the procedures for this will be soon announced.
Saudi Arabia expands travel ban to 12 more countries including Sri Lanka
Saudi Arabia has temporarily stopped all travel to and from almost all of Europe and 12 more countries including Sri Lanka. Other countries included in the new travel ban are member-countries of the European Union that had earlier been left out in last Monday’s travel ban list, as well as Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia. Saudi Arabia had already banned travel to and from France, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Oman, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Italy, South Korea and Syria. Transportation through all land ports with Jordan is also suspended, except for the passage of passengers considered as “humanitarian cases” and except for commercial and cargo traffic. Excluded in the travel ban are health workers in the Kingdom from Philippines and India. Saudi Arabia said it would impose a fine of up to 500,000 riyals (around 25 million rupees) on people who did not disclose health information and travel details at entry points.
Kuwait to suspend all flights from March 13
Kuwait City: Kuwait has declared that it will be suspending all flights from Friday. The gulf country will, however, limit inbound trips for Kuwaiti citizens and their first-degree relatives. Cargo flights are also excluded. It also announced a public holiday from March 12 to March 26. These steps have been taken to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
Oman suspends tourist visas
The Sultanate of Oman has suspended the issuance of tourist visas to all countries for one month starting March 15. All cruise ships will be banned from entering Omani ports for a period of one month.
All passengers arriving in UAE will have to go through thermal scanning process
The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority said that all passengers have to go through a non-intrusive thermal scanning process as they pass through customs on arrival at Dubai International Airport.
Those arriving from any of the following countries – Thailand, Lebanon, Syria, Italy, People’s Republic of China (Beijing) – will undergo thermal screening and nasal swab. This level of screening is being carried out by Dubai Health Authority’s airport medical centre team and limited to these five countries.
As directed by the relevant authorities, flights to and from the following countries have been temporarily suspended: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Islamic Republic of Iran and People’s Republic of China, except for Beijing.
Those travelling to Kuwait, via Dubai, and are resident of, or have travelled to the following countries in the past 14-days, will not be permitted to enter Kuwait and should check with their airline before departure: Bangladesh, Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Egypt and Syria.
Qatar bans visitors from Sri Lanka, 13 other countries
Qatar has temporarily banned the entry of travelers from 14 countries, including Sri Lanka, with effect from March 9. According to an advisory issued by Qatar, temporary entry restrictions were imposed on Doha-bound passengers from these countries: Philippines, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, South Korea, Lebanon, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Syria and Thailand.
SriLankan Airlines cancels flights to Jeddah, China
SriLankan Airlines has cancelled its flights to Jeddah from March 15 -April 30 following restrictions being set in place by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia on the entry of foreign nationals into Saudi Arabia, in view of the present Coronavirus pandemic. SriLankan Airlines has also temporarily suspended its services between Sri Lanka and China from March 10 to April 30, 2020.
India suspends all tourist visas
India on Wednesday suspended all tourist visas till April 15 in a bid to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, according to an official statement. The suspension came into effect from March 13 at the port of departure.
US travel ban on much of Europe
Starting just before midnight on Friday, March 13, the United Sates began enforcing new travel restrictions on much of Europe, barring most foreign nationals and screening all Americans arriving from countries identified as hot spots for the COVID-19 virus. The restrictions on entry into the United States, covers immigrants or nonimmigrants who were physically present within the Schengen Area during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States. The Shengen Area is home to people from 26 European countries – Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The United States had earlier imposed similar travel restrictions on China and Iran.
