Sri Lanka: Officials extend interprovincial travel ban, relax other rules through July 19 /update 64

Event

Authorities have extended the interprovincial travel ban through July 19 amid ongoing efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19 but relaxed other restrictions. Exemptions from the interprovincial travel suspension remain in place for essential service providers and selected government employees, among others. Private taxi services can now operate at full capacity nationwide. Additionally, public transport vehicles in Western Province can operate at 30 percent capacity, while those in the rest of Sri Lanka can continue running at half their capacity. Corporate meetings can occur with a maximum of 10 people, while conferences can involve up to 25 on-site participants; other types of private and public gatherings are still largely banned. Shopping malls in Western Province can reopen, while those in other areas can continue operating.

Other domestic measures remain in effect nationwide. Supermarkets remain capped at 25 percent of their customer capacity. Religious establishments, cinemas, museums, and entertainment venues must remain closed. Using facemasks remains mandatory in public. Companies must continue to allow telecommuting to the extent possible; they must also collect and update employee details to facilitate contact tracing.

Curfews remain in effect in areas at high risk for COVID-19 transmission. Nonessential businesses, except for specifically permitted industries, must close in these localities. Officials advise people living in curfew areas or with recent travel history to these locations to monitor their health and undergo COVID-19 tests if symptoms occur. Such measures will likely continue in Ampara, Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Jaffna, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Nuwara-Eliya, Matale, Puttalam, Ratnapura, and Trincomalee districts, due to elevated COVID-19 activity.

Additional Travel Restrictions
Inbound international passenger flights are operational with protocols, like carrying only a maximum of 75 passengers. Travelers with less than 12 hours of transit at any Sri Lankan international airport may disembark if holding proof of onward travel. Officials ban entry for individuals with travel history in the past 14 days to India, South Africa, Vietnam, or any South American nation, as well as French Guiana and the Falkland Islands. Additionally, authorities have suspended entry for travelers who have been to Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, eSwatini (Swaziland), Zambia, and Zimbabwe in the previous 14 days through 23:59 July 31. The entry ban applies to all passengers regardless of nationality and vaccination status.

Permitted arrivals must provide a negative result from a PCR test taken within 72 hours before departure and a completed health declaration form. Passengers must take another PCR test upon arrival and stay at a designated facility or Level 1 hotel for 14 days regardless of vaccination status; they must also receive an additional PCR test between 11 and 14 days after arrival. Incoming travelers who have been to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates in the past 14 days must obtain a negative PCR test result within 96 hours before the trips and quarantine at designated facilities upon arrival.

Special quarantine rules are in place for fully vaccinated entrants holding Sri Lankan or dual citizenship. These travelers must quarantine in a designated facility or Level 1 hotel and undergo testing; those that return negative results may return to their residences in private vehicles to serve the remainder of their 14-day quarantine before undergoing another test at the end of the quarantine period. The travelers must adhere to protocols, like presenting original certificates proving completion of vaccination at least two weeks before travel; non-English certificates must include an English translation. Other rules include submitting a negative PCR test result within 96 hours before departure, though returning nationals may also provide a negative result from a rapid antigen test taken within 48 hours before the trips.

Most outbound passengers must take RT-PCR tests within 72 hours before departure; foreign nationals and holders of official or diplomatic visas may be exempt. International passenger ships, such as cruise liners and ferries, are barred indefinitely; however, ports are operating for cargo transport. Foreigners already in Sri Lanka may apply to extend their visas.

Advice

Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Reconfirm all travel arrangements. Consider delaying traveling if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation. Ensure that contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Reconsider and reconfirm nonemergency health appointments. Plan for queues and delays at available shopping centers.

Resources

World Health Organization (WHO)
Ministry of Health Sri Lanka
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Tourism Board
Civil Aviation Authority Email Address