The Department of Immigration and Emigration has been using the Electronic Travel Authorization System for pre-screening and granting of approval for foreign visitors to visit Sri Lanka since the year 2012.

Even though Sri Lanka is a more attractive country for Chinese tourists, it has been observed that the tourists from China who visit Sri Lanka has to face some delays at times, in obtaining visas since the Electronic Travel Authorization System is presently functioning only in the English language and that as a remedial measure, it is appropriate to have the services of a private agency to assist them in obtaining their visas. Accordingly, the proposal made by the Minister of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation and Rural Development, the Minister of Internal Trade, Food Security and Consumer Welfare and the State Minister of Defence, to obtain the services of Travelzen International Travel Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. of Shanghai, China which has the experience of providing such services to a number of countries, was approved by the Cabinet as a matter of policy.