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 “visa-free tourist entries” to 35 nationalities live now.

In August 2024, Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers approved a new plan to let in visitors from 35 countries, effective October 1, 2024. The plan was to grant a 30-day visa to tourists when they arrived at the border under a six-month pilot programme. The following countries’ passport holders get to travel to Sri Lanka without a visa.

1. United Kingdom
2. Germany
3. Netherlands
4. Belgium
5. Spain
6. Australia
7. Denmark
8. Poland
9. Kazakhstan
10. Saudi Arabia
11. UAE
12. Nepal
13. China
14. India
15. Indonesia
16. Russia
17. Thailand
18. Malaysia
19. Japan
20. France
21. United States
22. Canada
23. Czech Republic
24. Italy
25. Switzerland
26. Austria
27. Israel
28. Belarus
29. Iran
30. Sweden
31. South Korea
32. Qatar
33. Oman
34. Bahrain
35. New Zealand

A visa-free regime was earlier 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 and 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 🇮🇳 #PRAXIS11 is in Pune Sept 20-22, '24 (@amithpr) August 22, 2024

The new system has been implemented immediately, rather than waiting for the October 1, 2024 deadline, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka announced.

"Today, the Cabinet authorized the President to implement visa-free access for 38 nationalities with immediate effect, adopting Singapore's streamlined 'one-chop' approach. This decision will help ease congestion at visa counters."

— M U M Ali Sabry (@alisabrypc) September 2, 2024

The requirement was brought forward because Visa Stamping at the border led to long queues. What is unclear, though, is which three countries were added to the list, as they have not been put on the website where these announcements need to be carried.

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 went live effective September 2, 2024 and visitors from these countries can just walk in with their passports 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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