Sri Lanka Expat Forum

VISA ERROR

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jonesie71

3/28/2017 10:41 EST

Hi

Desperately need some advice - I accidentally placed my wife's Passport number in my Tourist Visa application and mine in hers.

We both now have been accepted for our online Visa applications but the details are wrong, and I cannot re-apply because both passports already exist on the system.

I called the Sir Lanka Visa office in Columbo and spent 2 hours on hold / phone ringing out before the office shut for the day.

I then called the High Commission in London who were fairly useless promising to forward on an email which I have sent in.

Any thoughts on what will happen on arrival if I arrive with Visas in this state? Im travelling with 2 young kids too (their visas are fine!)

I'm due to fly in 2 days.
Please Heeelp!

Thanks

Mark

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lallylinda

3/30/2017 00:00 EST

Hi, to be honest they may not notice, but there are officials at the airport who look very closely, so luck of the draw. If it is picked up i would think the worst that could happen is you have to buy visa on arrival. So, in other words pay again, but we have travelled several times, and nobody has checked our visa print outs, just ran the passport through the computer reader. Be interested to find if you get through ok.

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jonesie71

3/30/2017 06:41 EST

Thanks for this lallylinda. I think it would be an easy spot as my Visa would have come up with me as Female against my passport number and my wife's as male. Pretty easy to spot and while I agree probably would have just had to re-apply there and then, I didn't want to risk either being deported (very unlikely granted) or potentially a night in the airport with 2 kids waiting for Immigration office to open.

However, as a follow-up - I managed to get the 2 Visas cancelled after a sleepless night and several more phone calls.

I rang Sri Lanka immigration in Columbo at 9am local time and finally got through to a person who took my details and then stated I hadn't requested cancellation, just described the problem - and to email again and then she hung up! So I sent another cancellation email and chased by phone. I was then informed to wait 4-5 hours and the line went dead again. Stress!

But finally after maybe 90 mins I got a reply simply saying:
"HI,
YOUR ETA’S ARE ALREADY CANCELLED."

So I then managed to reapply (and re-pay) for 2 new Visas, thereby resolving the issue.

So, for anyone in this rare situation - the way forward is to first send an ETA CANCELLATION email to :

eta@immigration.gov.lk

And then call and chase:

0094 11 5329000
and ask for Tourist ETA department.

Good luck and happy travels!

Mark

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