A social-media rumour claiming that France refused a visa to Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake ahead of a planned July state visit is “entirely false”, the French Embassy in Colombo said on 23 July. Both governments confirmed the trip was merely postponed and that heads of state travel under diplomatic exemption, not standard visa rules. The clarification followed Facebook posts in Sinhala alleging France had rejected the president’s application because of human-rights concerns. The story gained traction after Dissanayake delayed his visit, during which he hoped to secure French support to extend Sri Lanka’s preferential EU tariff access and attract French investment. Visa experts note that misinformation of this kind can trigger uncertainty among business travellers and delegations, who may incorrectly assume that France is tightening entry rules for Sri Lankans. No such policy shift exists: Sri Lankan passport holders remain subject to the standard Schengen short-stay visa, with processing times in Colombo averaging 15 days. For corporate mobility teams the episode is a reminder to verify visa intelligence through official channels – especially in the age of viral disinformation. The embassy advises applicants to rely on the France-Visas portal and cautions that heads-of-state protocols bear no relevance to ordinary travellers’ requirements.
Source: AFP Fact Check
