COLOMBO – Less than 24 hours after announcing the relaxation of rules for inbound travellers, the government on Tuesday (22) said it would continue with the existing procedures that require prior approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Civil Aviation Authority for travel to Sri Lanka. The decision to retract the relaxation of rules that was scheduled to come into effect from Saturday (26) follows the detection o f a highly transmissible new coronaviurs variant in the UK that has led to widespread travel ban.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement announcing the decision said revised guidelines on repatriation will be issued once the situation has been reappraised.
Earlier in the day Sri Lanka banned all arrivals from or transiting from the UK and those who have been to the UK in the last 14-days.
On Monday (21) the government announced the relaxing of rules for inbound travellers allowing expatriate Sri Lankans and dual citizens to return to the country on any commercial flight subject to availability of seats and compliance with paid quarantining at a designated hotel.
The revised rules are set to come into effect from Saturday (26).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said together with National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO), it will also arrange special repatriation flights for migrant workers, students, patients, short term visa holders, government and military officials, who will be directed to government quarantine facilities.
No mention has been made about the special repatriation flights.
-ENCL