UK lifts travel advisory against Sri Lanka

The UK Government yesterday decided to fully remove the advice against travel to Sri Lanka just six months after it removed the travel advisory on the Eastern Province and the Jaffna Peninsula.

The British High Commission in Sri Lanka yesterday updated the travel advisory removing the advice against travel to four districts in the Northern Province. British High Commissioner Dr. Peter Hayes in a release yesterday said the UK Government no longer advises Britons against travel to any part of Sri Lanka with the removal of northern part from its travel advisory.

However, he stressed that Britons wishing to travel to the North should be aware that there remains a risk from mines and unexploded ordinance and that they need to obtain permission from the Defence Ministry before they travel.

The change in the advisory follows a security assessment carried out by a High Commission delegation led by Deputy High commissioner Mark Gooding that visited the Northern Province in June.

The UK Government has altered its travel advisory for Sri Lanka since the war ended in May 2009.