Sri Lanka has been experiencing financial difficulties; however, it is a lovely country for tourists to visit, and I love heading over from time to time.
Sri Lanka’s new plan to offer “visa-free tourist entries” to 35 nationalities
In August 2024, Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers approved a new plan to let in visitors from 35 countries, effective October 1, 2024. Under a six-month pilot programme, tourists will be given 30-day visas when they arrive at the border. The following countries’ passport holders will get to travel to Sri Lanka without a visa.
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Belgium
- Spain
- Australia
- Denmark
- Poland
- Kazakhstan
- Saudi Arabia
- UAE
- Nepal
- China
- India
- Indonesia
- Russia
- Thailand
- Malaysia
- Japan
- France
- United States
- Canada
- Czech Republic
- Italy
- Switzerland
- Austria
- Israel
- Belarus
- Iran
- Sweden
- South Korea
- Qatar
- Oman
- Bahrain
- New Zealand
Earlier, a visa-free regime was approved for citizens of China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan, valid until April 30, 2024. Subsequently, Sri Lanka transitioned to a new e-Visa system, which cost about 26 USD, and the Sri Lankan Supreme Court temporarily halted this after many graft cases were filed.
A friend who visited Sri Lanka a few weeks ago already saw entry into the country without a visa, with an Indian passport. He was stamped in and out without the need for a prior Visa on his passport.
I was in Sri Lanka last month and I walked into that beautiful country without a visa.
It's officially ON in five weeks but has been unofficially ON since a few weeks. https://t.co/TMqqMMKfxD— Amith P 🇮🇳 (@amithpr) August 22, 2024
Bottomline
Sri Lanka has put in motion a plan to offer entry to visitors from 35 nationalities into Sri Lanka, without the need for a visa. The plan officially goes live effective October 1, 2024 and visitors from these countries can just walk in with their passport and be welcomed into Sri Lanka.
What do you make of the new expanded version of the Visa Free Regime of Sri Lanka?
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It’s a shame Russia is included. Their behaviour has been awful to the level they’re scaring away other tourists and annoying the locals.