The Dept. of Immigration and Emigration is concerned about the increasing violations of visa conditions evident in the last few years. However, due to stringent monitoring, most foreign traders who come on ‘visit visas’, now look for covert ways to conduct their business through local agents, making it difficult to nab the offenders. This is [...]

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Immigration Dept. seeks public assistance to nab foreign nationals overstaying visas

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The Dept. of Immigration and Emigration is concerned about the increasing violations of visa conditions evident in the last few years. However, due to stringent monitoring, most foreign traders who come on ‘visit visas’, now look for covert ways to conduct their business through local agents, making it difficult to nab the offenders. This is in the backdrop of the country fast becoming a transit location for illegal migrants from Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

Last year, 281 Indian nationals and 136 Pakistani nationals were arrested, of whom 261 and 39 respectively were deported from the country for violating immigration laws. According to the Immigration Dept of the 39 Afghans arrested, 31 were deported from the country, of which 22 were attempting illicit migration via Sri Lanka.

Of the 181 foreign nationals arrested and deported up to July this year, 98 were of Indian nationality. Many of them were engaged in farming related or economic activities while on visit visa.

In the North and East, there is a growing trend of foreign nationals working as labourers in paddy fields, while Indian and Chinese nationals on tourist visas, continue to violate immigration law and engage in trading and other income generating activities.

In Mannar town, Chinese nationals selling wrist watches and Chinese-made mobile phones in makeshift roadside shops, has become a common site. In other areas in the North and East, Indian nationals selling textiles door-to-door, has become a common occurrence.

Last year alone, 121 Indian nationals were arrested for violating visa conditions, by trading in textiles in these areas, following complaints from local businessmen and traders associations. One such trader in Batticaloa told the Sunday Times that he had arrived in Sri Lanka a month earlier on a tourist visa. He had completed his business and was going back from Batticaloa that night itself.

The situation is similar in the Kalpitiya area as well. According to UPFA Kalpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha member Siril Alexandre, business in Kalpitiya town has been affected due to Indian traders infiltrating the local market. “During Muslim festival seasons, shops in Kalpitiya town have a lot of business. However, lately, we have seen a decrease. This is going to affect the local business community a lot more in the future,” he said.

Mannar Urban Council chairman S. Gnanapragasm concurs that foreign nationals infiltrating the local communities and conducting business is a menace and should be stopped, as it affects local businesses, but says he can act on it only if he receives a formal complaint on the matter. 

A spokesman for the Mannar Traders Association said, since the end of the war, a large number of Chinese men and women are visiting Mannar and selling watches and mobile phones, while authorities have turned a blind eye. “Our local traders are adversely affected by their presence,” he says

Immigration Controller Chulananda Perera said that this is a growing trend, but not limited to one or two nationalities.
“Although we have seen an increase in immigration law violations by Chinese and Indian nationals, where many overstay their visas, there are other nationalities committing the same offence,” said Mr Perera, when asked about the situation, adding that, individuals who want to partner locals on small business ventures, are not aware of the visa condition violations until it is too late.

Mr Perera said that the Immigration Department is vigilant on the issue and conduct raids and arrests when such activities are brought to their notice.

“We have a unit called the Special Investigations Team working very closely with the police of the particular areas. On receiving information from the public, or on raiding a place, we conduct arrests and deport them to their country of origin,” he said, urging the public to inform the Immigration Dept. of such activities.

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