Colombo, May 7 (PTI) Visitors from India, China, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia will continue to receive tourist visas free of charge, the Sri Lankan government has said.

This decision comes amidst a controversy surrounding increased fees for on-arrival visas, which were being handled by a foreign company.

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A statement issued by the office of President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday said, "It was decided today to maintain the existing USD 50 fee for a 30-day visa for foreigners visiting the country and the free visa service currently offered to citizens of seven countries -- India, China, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.”

The government's decision to retain the existing visa fees and free visa service follows days of stiff criticism directed at the new on-arrival visa system, which was being handled by a foreign company at the Bandaranaike International Airport here.

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Under the proposed system, the cost per person for a visa was set to exceed USD 100 due to additional service and convenience fees brought about by the outsourcing visa issuance company.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)