Crackdown on visa overstayers

Rasika Somarathna

Sri Lanka is set to take a tough stand on illegal immigrants on its soil, with a major crackdown in the offing to nab overstaying foreigners.

Already 97 deportations have taken place in recent times, but according to sources, the number could be as high as 37,000. The Immigration and Emigration Department Investigation Unit Head, Assistant Controller W. Devendraraja told the Daily News yesterday that they had intensified raids to nab overstayers in a bid to curb the increase of illegal immigrants.

“Sleuths have been deployed at identified hot spots. In addition, the Department has taken a decision to open new offices in rural areas to have a better reach”.

“The Department has also taken steps to develop a Data base system and to instal a surveillance system, to have as much details as possible on these illegal immigrants,” he added. Steps have also been initiated to deport them and have them blacklisted barring their re-entry to the country.

The Immigration and Emigration Department recently opened a new unit with additional powers, to handle cases of human trafficking, which too have contributed to the increase in illegal immigrants.

A recent US survey identified the country as a transit point for human traffickers.

In addition, according to sources, authorities are also looking at the possibility of amending existing Visa regulations to reduce the number of countries eligible for “On Arrival” tourist Visa scheme.

Bona fide tourists from 79 countries are at present granted arrival on visa for 30 days at the port of entry, with provisions to extend the stay for a further two months, subject to Immigration and Emigration authorities’ approval.

According to authorities, the majority of these illegal immigrants are from South and East Asian countries. Some of these migrants who abuse local visa provisions by overstaying without approval, have found to be working in hotels, jewellery shops, construction sites, IT sector, casinos, fishing and agricultural sectors and as street vendors.

Some are also suspected to be involved in drug trafficking, human smuggling, prostitution and other illegal activities.

According to a high ranking official at the Department of Immigration and Emigration, it has been difficult to impose restrictions, considering its effect on tourism.

According to authorities, after the Western Province, the East has become the latest hot bed for these unauthorized migrants.

They are believed to be mainly engaged in the textile trade and as temporary hands in agricultural work, where they sell their technical expertise in handling certain equipment manufactured in their countries to the local farmers.

The Investigation Unit arrested over 400 overstaying foreigners in 2006 while in 2007 and 2008 too more than 400 illegal migrants were arrested and deported after investigations.

This year, already 97 deportations have taken place with a further 88 arrests taking place during the period. Illegal immigrants on Sri Lankan soil has been a question largely ignored, as the focus over the years has been on the other side of the coin, where a large number of Lankans have been found to migrate illegally to other destinations(mainly western), in search of greener pastures.