HARRASSMENT IN SRI LANKA AIRPORT

Hi Sujith Fernando,

A new topic has been created as from your post on the Sri Lanka forum for better visibility.

Good luck.
Christine

Wow, this is really terrible! 
You are talking about Immigration officers at Passport Control asking for money, or Customs officers in the Customs area to exit after baggage claim?
If Customs, I'm not surprised.  Den of thieves! They could try engaging a porter.  I have never been stopped when I use a porter.  Please note that I am not Asian though, so I must enjoy White Privilege on some level that they cannot.
My advice is for them to engage a porter, hold their head up and walk straight to the exit door like they are kings or queens.
If stopped and asked for cash they should ask for the officers name and badge number and note to them that the Commission to Investigate  Allegations of Bribery & Corruption has a 24 hotline tel number 1954.

Yes I have heard that this happens with Filipinas and Thais who come to Sri Lanka for holiday. Most of the time, the officers try it with ladies who feel intimidated and afraid to take any action as they are in a foreign country. This is very sad.

Well....after the bombing ,they’ll be lucky to even have a job working at airports.

You’d think they’d be glad for anyone to jump on a plane and go there.

You're right. I flew in to Colombo 2 weeks after the bombs. The airport was deserted and the officers had no work to do.

I'm happy to hear that ur wife is from Philippines! By d way I'm from Philippine to!n I'm working in negambo restaurant

Sri Lanka immigration officer should be more polite and friendly coz they need to boost tourism ryt now...but after the blast I thought they won’t  hold any passenger anymore as long as they have Sri Lanka bisa and no illegal possession in their luggage..this may 28 7:20 pm..They hold my 2 guest and force them to buy another visa for 60 usd ..visa is just 40 usd ...they just give it coz they really don’t let them go and even threatening them to send back in Philippines..(for what reason))..mostly from Qatar ..they come here to wait there working visa and go back there again after few days without breaking Sri Lanka law..but why those officer is lack of understanding ..those people mean no hard ..*instead they bringing income for Sri Lanka...they become more cunning ..coz even the passenger trying to write on arrival card..on security just suddenly  grab there passport and hold them inside the chief immig. Officer..I understand they are doing there job but why they asking money and threatening those weak  passenger ...

losing guest house business because of this cunning officers..how  can they recommend Sri Lanka nextime if they’re giving nightmare to those coming here for the firs time...not only filipino..I also have Nigerian .Ireland guest before same experience...what a heck....

Please write to the Bribery Commission of Sri Lanka. You can get all contact information from the internet. They will investigate this complaint and take action against the errant officer/s. It would be helpful if the victim can get the name or some sort of an identification of the officer who sought a bribe.

Since 1992  , I go to Srilanka every year  & only Twice stopped by them , As long as we r clean , No worries about them.