Sri Lanka cuts off visas on arrival to stop flow of Muslims from Rakhine

Sri Lanka has suspended issuing visas on arrival for Myanmar travellers to stop “Bengali” people from Rakhine State entering the country.
Currently, they stopped issuing visas on arrival to prevent the entry of Muslims from Rakhine State who identify themselves as Rohingyas. The Myanmar government denies the term and refers to them as “Bengalis”, illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

“We are still allowed to issue (visas on arrival) to diplomats, monks and nuns, but for tourists we have stopped giving arrival visas,” she said.

According to the Myanmar embassy in Colombo, the arrival visa fee is US$35 (K47,415) per person and the visa application can be completed within one day if done in person. An online e-visa will cost $40 per person.

They stopped issuing visas on arrival to Myanmar people after people protested in front of the embassy of Myanmar in Sri Lanka. She said that “we don’t know how long does it take to issue visa on arrival because we are worried Bengali people from Rakhine will enter the country.”

According to Ashin Ven Pandita, who is currently studying Buddhism in Sri Lanka, posted on his facabook on September 14, that about 30 people who identified themselves as Rohingyas arrived with Myanmar passports and that was why arrival visa was suspended temporarily.

Also, some Muslim residents protested against Myanmar government while another group are supporting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar government near the Myanmar embassy in Colombo, according to embassy official.

“We don’t exactly know about those 30 people who identified themselves as Rohingyas who came with Myanmar passports. They [Sri Lanka government] didn’t inform (us), may be its their country security policy,” Daw Ei Ei Myo, a Consul at the Myanmar embassy in Sri Lanka told The Myanmar Times on September 18.