Sri.Lanka departing Feb 11th 2012

Hello Bill

I am booked and getting excited.

I have had a blip as I lost my passport and will have no visa therefore on arrival

Sue

Hi Sue

I would just like to make you aware of the visa advice currently in place for Sri Lanka:

From Midnight on 31 December all passengers entering Sri Lanka from 01 January 2012 onwards must submit an online visa application for each applicant via the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) to the Ministry of Emigration and Immigration. Therefore, it is mandatory that all passengers travelling after the 1st of January 2012, submit their Visa application on-line by logging into
www.eta.gov.lk

This is a very simple procedure and requires no additional documents. Passengers are required to fill in the information and once the Visa is approved, the passenger will be notified with an ETA approval notice. The ETA approval notice will be required for entry into Sri Lanka.

Passengers arriving into Sri Lanka from the 1st of January 2012 are also required to make a payment of US$ 20 per person by following this ETA process. The Visa issued will be a Double-entry Tourist Visa, which would be applicable for 30 days from the date of arrival to Sri Lanka.

Important: All passengers travelling to Sri Lanka after 1st January 2012, are required to submit the following at the port of entry to Sri Lanka:

a) Valid passport (not less than 6 months)
b) A copy of the ETA approval notice
c) Confirmed return Air Ticket
d) Sufficient funds for the duration of stay

You will need to add an address in Sri Lanka for your ETA application. Please use the address of our local supplier:

Nature Odyssey
130, Glennie Street
Colombo 02
Sri Lanka
Tel: 0094 11 2306421

For those who arrive without obtaining a Visa Approved Reference number through ETA after midnight 31st December there will be a facility to obtain ‘on-arrival VISA’ by paying the on arrival VISA fee of US$25.00. However, there could be long queues and we recommend all passengers obtain their approval in advance of travel.

Please ensure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months and contains two empty pages.
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If you do not have a visa already arranged you may experience very long delays on arrival. As this is a new system, we would strongly recommend everyone gets a ETA before arrival - as we would not want anyone's holiday to be jeapordised.

Kind regards

Sean Hughes
Customer Operations Manager

Hi Bill (& Sue),

I too will be on this trip - first time in SL - but I have travelled with the Adv Co before and not been disappointed. Look forward to meeting up with you.

David L

Hi Bill, Sue & David
We are also booked onto the trip to Sri lanka.
Just a note on visas....don't hold your breath! We applied before Christmas and are still waiting for a reply. Did try direct email over a week ago but still no answer. We have "approved in principle" on the website but that is all. Evidently others are having problems with the website. Hope you have better luck.
First time for us in Sri Lanka.
We travelled with Adv Co a year ago to China and enjoyed the trip.

Peter & Anthea

Dear all

I booked on the trip late so I won't be flyingwith you. For my sins I have a 4 hour stop over in Dubai! I'm arriving after lunch so will join you all later.

I haven't been to Sri Lanka before but it comes very well recommended! I travelled with the Adventure Company to northern India for the first time last year and had an amazing time...!

Best wishes

Sean B

Sean

Passport has arrived, Visa I think I have but it all was too easy in the end so am suspicious.

I logged on at 6 am, entered details, paid my money and it was returned online by the time I got to work - approved!

My latest worry is 'travelling light'. I'm not a hairdryer and tongs kinda woman but there are some things I can't forego at my advancing age. No. I don't mean incontinence pants!

Hello,

Not long to go now, nice to hear from you all!

Spoke with someone at the Adventure company today and was informed that there are 12 of us flying from Heathrow. With one joining later who i guess from above must be you Sean.

Like you Sue i logged on applied for my Visa and then by the next day it was returned granted. All a bit easy but im not complaining.

I havent contemplated packing yet, as always it'll be last minute!

Bill

Well we believe we have our visas. Finally emailed the High Commission in London and asked for help, and they did. Emailed back within the hour and said they were approved and bring a copy of their email for confirmation. Thank you High Commission. Still haven't heard from the visa website! (We did apply in December).
We have the bags down from the loft ....but still empty! Start thinking about that next week.

Peter & Anthea