By: Isuru Parakrama
Colombo (LNW): An extraordinary gazette has been issued yesterday (21) slashing the penalty charges on foreigners who are overstaying their visa period. The gazette has been declared under the signature of Public Security Minister Tiran Alles.
Previously, a penalty of US$ 500 charged per day for overstaying the visa period, but the new gazette declaration allows one to stay without paying any penalty for a period of seven days.
Following the seven-day grace period, one will have to pay a penalty of of US$ 250 per day in addition to the visa charges for the next seven days.
Anyone overstaying after 14 days since the visa period expired will have to pay a penalty of US$ 500 in addition to the visa charges.
The move has been made after considering a number of complaints made by foreigners to the Department of Immigration and Emigration on the sky-high penalty charges.
