The High Commission of India in Colombo has clarified that there is no change in its visa fee policy for Sri Lankan pilgrims travelling to India, and has announced the reintroduction of the free “gratis” visa facility for eligible pilgrimage groups.
According to the Daily Mirror, the clarification followed public confusion over visa charges. The High Commission said the gratis facility, which had briefly lapsed following a change in the visa outsourcing agency handling applications, has now been restored.
Under the arrangement, visas are issued free of charge for groups of ten or more pilgrims whose applications are recommended by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs. While no visa fee is levied on such pilgrims, applicants are still required to pay a service charge to the outsourced application centre and to visit the centre in person to provide biometric details.
The move is expected to ease travel for Sri Lankan Buddhist and other religious groups who regularly journey to pilgrimage sites in India. Such visits form a significant part of people-to-people ties between the two neighbours.
India remains one of Sri Lanka’s closest partners, and religious tourism is a long-standing strand of the relationship. The High Commission encouraged prospective pilgrims to route their applications through the designated ministry to qualify for the gratis facility.
