ECONOMYNEXT – Fully vaccinated travelers can now visit Sri Lanka from Thursday (July 8) with only one-day in quarantine until on-arrival PCR tests are cleared, a ministry of health circular with fresh guidelines said.
Meanwhile Sri Lankans can return to the island without obtaining prior approval from the foreign ministry.
According to the circular published Wednesday (7), Sri Lankans or dual citizens arriving on Sri Lankan passports can directly book their tickets with their airlines. Clearance from the foreign ministry or the Civil Aviation Authority (CCA) is not required.
Upon arrival, passengers have the option to request a quarantine hotel or a government-run quarantine facility.
All travelers are allowed to enter via Sri Lanka Tourism and should obtain Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) from the Sri Lanka Tourism website at https://www.srilanka.travel/helloagain/
Foreigners and dual citizens arriving on foreign passports through Sri Lanka Tourism are not required to obtain prior approval from the foreign ministry of Sri Lanka. Others must obtain prior approval via email by contacting entry.permission@mfa.gov.lk to arrive in the country.
As per the standard, all passengers must submit a negative PCR test report done 72-hours before boarding the flight. Rapid antigen tests are not accepted, according to the circular.
On arrival at the airport, passengers must submit a health declaration form to the airport health office staff and vaccination cards too must be submitted to the airport.
Passengers are to be immediately transferred to a government run quarantine centre, quarantine hotel or a Safe & Secure Certified Level 1 hotel. Government authorities or the hotel management must take the responsibility on a pre-determined manner.
Likewise travelers attached to diplomatic missions and agencies must liaise with their respective offices to arrange for transport to undergo quarantine.
All travelers despite vaccination status must undergo PCR while staying at their quarantine facilities from ministry approved laboratories. Government approved laborites can be found at the following link: http://www.health.gov.lk/moh_final/english/news_read_more.php?id=999)
Children below two-years are exempted from PCR tests.
If the on arrival (day one) PCR test report is negative, tourists arriving via Sri Lanka Tourism are allowed to move between Safe & Secure Certified Level 1 hotels in a bio-secure travel bubble and allowed to visit approved sites during the quarantine period, the circular said.
All travellers should immediately inform the area Medical Officer of Health (MOH) by telephone or email, upon arriving at their residence.
Foreigners can get the assistance of the hotel management/travel agents to find the contact details of area MOH.
According to the circular, travellers with a travel history (including transit) in the past 14 days to India, Vietnam, South American countries and South African countries (South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe) will not be permitted to disembark in Sri Lanka until further notice.
Sri Lankan citizens from India, Vietnam, South American countries and South African countries are allowed to disembark in Sri Lanka with the permission of the Director General of Health Services/ Ministry of Health (dghs@health.gov.lk), followed by the permission of Foreign Ministry (entry.permission@mfa.gov.lk) and Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka.
They too have to undergo mandatory Institutional Quarantine (irrespective of their vaccination status) at a Quarantine Hotel or Centre.
Vaccinated travelers
Travelers who have received two doses of vaccine 14-days before arrival will be considered as fully-vaccinated.
Vaccinated travelers must carry their original certificate and translated copies if its not in English.
“As there are positive cases reported among fully vaccinated persons in Sri Lanka and in other countries, it is important to minimize COVID-19 or its variants entering in to the country. Therefore, fully vaccinated travellers should not relax the preventive measures and should abide by the COVID-19 preventive measures imposed by the Government of Sri Lanka,” Health Ministry said.
On the seventh day after arrival, vaccinated travellers must undergo another PCR test.
However if the PCR tests are negative for non-vaccinated travellers or who have not receive the required doses will be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine at the facilities they are staying at.
Travellers who complete two weeks period of recommended doses of vaccination during their stay at Quarantine can be discharged with a negative COVID-19 PCR test result (done
after completing the two weeks from last vaccination date) and NO further quarantine is necessary.
Seafarers or Maritime Security Officers (Sea marshals) via airports
Seafarers or Sea Marshals are not allowed to enter the country via Sri Lanka Tourism. They must obtain approvals from the foreign ministry and are to be quarantined at a separate isolation centre used for seafarers and sea marshals.
Sri Lankan seafarers / sea marshals who intend to board a vessel should be quarantined in an Isolation Centre.
Sri Lankan seafarers / sea marshals who do not intend to board a vessel but intend to enter the community should undergo quarantine in a Quarantine Hotel / Government Quarantine Centre (Colombo/July07/2021)