Sri Lanka revokes visa allowances, ordering thousands of Russian and Ukrainian refugees to leave

The immigration offices in Sri Lanka announced on 23rd February that the Russians and some Ukrainians living there will need to leave within two weeks. This decree affects those individuals who have stayed on the island on extended tourist visas. The government, based in Kotte, the rationale for this move is that the "flight situation has normalized."

Official data points to over 288,000 Russians and close to 20,000 Ukrainians have left for Sri Lanka in the past two years since the conflict began," disclosed The Independent.

Sri Lanka's president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has commissioned an inquiry into the situation to circumvent diplomatic tensions. Sri Lankan media have noted that the Ministry of Tourism issued this notice without obtaining prior consent from the government, which has not yet taken an official stance on the matter.

The Minister of Tourism, Harin Fernando, told the local edition of the Daily Mirror that the department received reports of Russian tourists allegedly operating businesses illegally in the southern part of the country.

This led to raids involving representatives of the immigration office. The Russians manage bars, nightclubs and rent out water equipment exclusively for white clients. Local inhabitants cannot avail these services.

In an attempt to stimulate tourism and bounce back from the severest economic crisis since 2022, Sri Lanka began granting 30-day visas on arrival, which could be extended for up to six months.

In 2022, Sri Lanka plunged into a deep economic crisis. Tourists were viewed as a rescue, hence the provision of 30-day visas, which could later be extended for half a year.

In August 2022, the inflation rate peaked at 70 percent, with food prices shooting up by an intimidating 84 percent in comparison to the previous year. Notwithstanding, they are not the sole problem. Amidst the crisis, roughly 3 million individuals faced the risk of famine.

In April 2022, Sri Lanka defaulted on foreign debt totaling £35 billion (rounded from $46 billion). The economic fallout sparked violent street protests spanning several months, culminating in the resignation of then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The country, situated on the island of Ceylon, declared in April 2023 that it wouldn't recognize Western sanctions placed on Russia. "The Sri Lankan authorities assured Russian officials that Russian vessels or aircraft won't be intercepted on the island; moreover, there will be no arrests in the foreseeable future", stated Bandula Gunawardana, Sri Lanka's Minister of Transport, to RIA Novosti.

Sri Lanka has declared bankruptcy and, per President Wickremesinghe's announcement, the dire circumstances could linger till 2026.