update travel regulations sri lanka

Further to the update released on 19 April 2021 by the local Health Ministry, please take note of the relevant revised protocols (in Bold) regarding travel to Sri Lanka.

Prior to boarding travellers are required to:

1. Have a valid tourist visa before boarding the flight, applied online via eta.gov.lk.
Before applying for the visa, travellers are required to have the following;

  • A pre-confirmed booking at a Level 1 ’Safe & Secure’ hotel; depending on the duration of your stay and vaccination status. 24-48 hrs for vaccinated and 14 days for not vaccinated. Allowed to move within Level 1 hotels and use all facilities of the hotel.
  • Obtain COVID-19 local travel insurance cover for USD 12 for a policy of USD 50,000 for a period of one month is mandatory (despite the vaccination status all visitors are required to obtain a COVID insurance cover)
  • Pay for PCR tests (USD 40 per PCR test) depending on the number of days of stay and vaccination status.

                       *If vaccinated 1 PCR test on arrival.
                      *If not vaccinated 2 PCR tests, on arrival and exit PCR. However, if the stay is less than 5 days, no exit PCR required.
                      *Children below 2 years are exempted from PCR testing.
                      *Children between 2-12 years,
                                          • Vaccinated route – undergo only on-arrival PCR.
                                          • Not-vaccinated route – undergo only exit PCR.

2. Have a negative PCR test done within 72 hours before boarding the flight.

3. Airport transfers should be arranged by a Certified Safe & Secure travel agent or another certified secondary party.

Protocol for Vaccinated Travellers

1.

• Travellers who have completed the recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccination and arriving after two weeks of completion of vaccination will be considered ’vaccinated’.
•  Any vaccination accepted by the country of origin is acceptable under the vaccinated route.
• Children below 12 years are permitted to accompany their parents/guardians who are fully vaccinated.
           * Children 2 years and above are required to do one PCR test (On arrival)
          * Children below 2 years are exempted from PCR tests. However, if the parents/guardians develop symptoms or result in positive PCR test reports, children will undergo PCR tests.

2. 

At the airport produce the following;
a. Negative COVID-19 PCR report (in English) taken within 72 hours before the flight.
b. Original copy of the vaccination certificate (in English).
c. Completed Health Declaration Form.

3.

Stay at a Certified Safe & Secure Level 1 hotel until the on-arrival PCR test is performed (for 24-48 hours). Travellers are permitted to use all the facilities of the Certified Safe & Secure Level 1 hotels.

4.

On receipt of a negative PCR test report, travellers are permitted to leave the bio-bubble. The respective Level 1 hotel doctor will issue a discharge document upon verifying the status of vaccination and PCR test results.

Protocol for Travellers who are not vaccinated 

1. 

• Travellers who have not completed the COVID 19 vaccination or arrive in Sri Lanka less than two weeks of vaccination or accompany children above 12 years who are not vaccinated are considered ‘Not-Vaccinated’.
• Under this route children below 12 years are exempted from on-arrival PCR testing. However, children between 2 to 12 years will undergo an ’Exit PCR’ testing.
• Children below 2 years are exempted from PCR testing. However, if the parents/guardians develop symptoms or result in positive PCR test reports children will undergo PCR tests.

2. 

At the airport produce the following;
a. Negative COVID-19 PCR report (in English) taken within 72 hours before the flight.
b. Completed Health Declaration Form.

3. 

Stay at a Certified Safe & Secure Level 1 hotel/s for up to the first 14 days of the visit and undergo an on-arrival PCR test. Travellers are allowed to stay at any number of Certified Safe & Secure Level 1 hotels and are permitted to use all facilities of the hotel. Travellers are also allowed to visit approved tourist sites in a bio bubble. 

4. 

Perform the second PCR;
a. If the stay is more than 14 days – perform PCR on 11-14th day of arrival. Upon negative results for both PCRs, travellers are allowed to leave the bio-bubble and the respective Level 1 hotel doctor will issue a discharge document upon verifying the PCR test results.
b. If the stay is between 5-14 days – perform the PCR depending on the date of departure (i.e. 24-48 hours before departure).
c. If the stay is less than 5 days – no exit PCR required.

These guidelines will be reviewed by the relevant authorities depending on the COVID-19 status in the country and global situation, wherein such an event we will keep you updated no sooner the verified news is received.  

WHY SMALL BUSINESSES DON’T GROW?

AROUND 70% OF SRI LANKAN WORKERS HOLD INFORMAL JOBS. WHY IS INFORMALITY SO STUBBORNLY HIGH, AND DOES IT MATTER IN THE FIRST PLACE

An earnest tenderer for a building improvement at a public sector energy organisation, who arrived at 9 am spent the next six hours to collect bidding documents. Due to the risks associated with the pandemic, employees at some public sector organisations are rostered for work two or three days a week. The officers who eventually attended to the tenderer arrived several hours late carrying bags of groceries evidently having completed weekly shopping during work hours.

Being a small business owner, the tenderer patiently endured another delay to pay a Rs1,500 non-refundable bid deposit. Although the state organisation publishes documents online tenderers must bid on, the originals are collected after paying a bid deposit.


For most small businesses, and private and informal sector workers, Covid has been devastating. Private sector employees endured pay cuts, small businesses went bust and those in informal jobs were without an income during the lockdowns to prevent the Covid pandemic’s spread.

Read more

Senaste nytt om inresa till sri lanka

Please be informed of the latest circular on the revised entry measures for travel, that have been released by the Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka.
 
All travellers should get approval from Sri Lanka Tourism through https://www.srilanka.travel/helloagain/.
 
A) Protocol for travellers who have completed recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccination and arriving after two weeks of completion of vaccination. 

  1. On arrival, the original copy of the vaccination certificate together with a certified English language translation (if the certificate is not in the English language) should be produced to the Airport Health Officer.
  2. Travellers must be booked in a certified ‘Safe & Secure’ Level 1 hotel allocated for tourists.
  3. Travellers should undergo a COVID-19 PCR test within 24 hours after arrival (day one) from a Health Ministry approved private-sector laboratory.
  4. The relevant hotel will inform details of the travellers and their PCR test reports on day one, to the area Medical Officer of Health (MOH).
  5. The traveller should produce the original copy of the vaccination certificate together with a certified English language translation (if the certificate is not in the English language) to the hotel management, where they will take a photocopy to be submitted to local authorities.
  6. If the first PCR test result is negative, travellers can move within certified ‘Safe & Secure’ Level 1 hotels and visit approved sites in a bio-security bubble until the completion of day seven.
  7. If a traveller displays COVID-19 symptoms, he/ she should inform the respective tour guide/ chauffeur and hotel, and they will take steps to inform the relevant local authorities.
  8. If the day seven PCR test result is negative and upon receiving clearance from the area MOH, travellers can move about freely and engage with local communities.
  9. If the PCR test result is positive, hotel management will inform the area MOH and follow the treatment protocol issued by the Ministry of Health.

B) Protocol for travellers who have not received the COVID-19 vaccination/ not completed the recommended doses of vaccination/ arriving in Sri Lanka within less than two weeks of vaccination. 

  1. Travellers must be booked in a certified ‘Safe & Secure’ Level 1 hotel allocated for tourists.
  2. Travellers should undergo a COVID-19 PCR test within 24 hours after arrival (day one) from a Health Ministry approved private-sector laboratory.
  3. The relevant hotel will inform details of the travellers and their PCR test reports on day one, to the area Medical Officer of Health (MOH).
  4. If the traveller departs from Sri Lanka within less than fourteen days, a second PCR test should be done depending on the date of departure and should have a negative test report before departure (e.g. if the traveller departs on day eight, a second PCR test should be done on day 6th to 7th  ).
  5. If the traveller stays for less than 96 hours in Sri Lanka, it is not required to undergo the exit PCR test and will be required only if the airline/ country of destination requests so.
  6. If the traveller stays up to 14 days or more, a second PCR test should be conducted on day 11th to 14th.
  7. If the first PCR test result is negative, travellers can move within certified ‘Safe & Secure’ Level 1 hotels and visit approved sites in a bio-security bubble until the completion of day fourteen.
  8. If a traveller displays COVID-19 symptoms, he/ she should inform the respective tour guide/ chauffeur and hotel, and they will take steps to inform the relevant local authorities.
  9.  If the PCR test results of day one and day 11th to 14th are negative, the area MOH will give clearance for travellers to move about freely and engage with local communities.
  10.   If the PCR test result is positive, hotel management will inform the area MOH and follow the treatment protocol issued by the Ministry of Health.

 
These guidelines will be reviewed by the relevant authorities depending on the COVID-19 status in the country and global situation, wherein such an event we will keep you updated no sooner the verified news is received.