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A visiting American family has gone viral after posting a video criticising what they described as the “worst immigration experience” while trying to extend their visa in Sri Lanka.The Hutchinson family shared the clip on TikTok after visiting the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo to extend their 30-day tourist visa. The video was filmed in a vlog-style format where the father speaks directly to the camera, describing a long and stressful day at the office.
According to the family, they first attempted to extend their visa online but were unable to do so because the official website kept malfunctioning.
Left with no choice, they travelled to the Colombo immigration office in person.The man says they arrived early, queued outside and collected a ticket, but then waited for around three hours in “absolute chaos”. He complained of a lack of clear instructions, people pushing ahead in line, staff shouting and officials being unhelpful.He also claimed one staff member stayed on his phone while ignoring people waiting to be served.
The family said conditions inside were uncomfortable, with no air conditioning, overcrowding and children crying, including their own.Despite eventually paying the required fees and receiving the visa extension, the man said the process was the most frustrating experience they had faced in any country.“We've been loving Sri Lanka – it's been absolutely amazing,” he said, adding that the country’s natural beauty and friendly people were being undermined by poor administration.
“Sri Lanka, you gotta sort this out if you want more tourists staying longer.”His wife briefly appears in the video, describing the experience as “awful” and “so stressful”.The video ends with the family outside the building, relieved the process was completed but warning other travellers to be prepared for delays. The clip has gone viral on multiple social media platforms including X and Facebook.
English (US) ·