21 Indian Detained In Sri Lanka For Violating Visa Norms

In the latest development, 21 Indians have been detained by Sri Lankan authorities for illegally engaging in the operation of an online marketing center in the island nation. This action violates the tourist visa norms, according to media reports.

According to the media report, the 21 Indian men between the ages of 24 and 25, who were visiting Sri Lanka on tourist visas, were apprehended by the Department of Immigration and Emigration on Tuesday.

Following an initial investigation, the department conducted a raid on a rented house in Negombo city, where the detainees were operating an online marketing center. The house had been transformed into an office space equipped with computers and other devices, as per the report.

It’s worth noting that under Sri Lanka’s regulations, individuals visiting the country on tourist visas are prohibited from participating in any form of paid or unpaid work.

The Indian nationals had taken advantage of the visa waiver program extended by Sri Lanka to certain countries until March 31, as part of an ongoing initiative to boost tourism in the financially strained nation.

Sri Lankan Law:

Based on the Sri Lankan law, it says that people visiting the country on tourists visa aren’t allowed to work, irrespective of the fact that they are paid or not.

A senior immigration official informed the newspaper that these individuals had arrived in Sri Lanka between February and March on tourist visas.