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Sri Lanka Announces Visa-Free Entry For Tourists From India, UK And 33 Countries | Details

As per media reports, the Sri Lankan government has announced this new visa-free rule and is expected to be implemented from October onwards.

sri lanka visa free
Sri Lanka Announces Visa-Free Entry For Tourists From India, UK And 33 Countries | Photo: Pexels
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Sri Lanka is ready to join the list of visa-free destinations for Indians. The Sri Lankan government is working towards visa-free access for tourists from citizens from 35 countries, including India, the UK and the US.

As per media reports, the Sri Lankan government has announced this new visa-free rule and is expected to be implemented from October onwards.

Citing the Adviser to the Ministry of Tourism, Harin Fernando, local newspaper Daily Mirror reported that the Cabinet has approved the decision and will be brought into effect from October 1, 2024, onwards.

As per Fernando, this visa-free entry policy will be in place for the next six months.

Sri Lanka Visa-Free Entry For 35 Countries | Full List

  1. India

  2. UK

  3. China

  4. United States

  5. Germany

  6. the Netherlands

  7. Belgium

  8. Spain

  9. Australia

  10. Denmark

  11. Poland

  12. Kazakhstan

  13. Saudi Arabia

  14. the UAE

  15. Nepal

  16. Indonesia

  17. Russia

  18. Thailand.

  19. Malaysia

  20. Japan

  21. France

  22. Canada

  23. the 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.

Sri Lanka's decision comes after a controversy erupted due to the hike in the fees for visa-on-arrival. This visa process was handled by a foreign company. Despite this controversy, the government had imposed a  the $50 fee for visitors obtaining a 30-day arrival visa.

A similar decision had been extended for tourists from India, China, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia to visit Sri Lanka and stay upto 30 days without a visa.

The aim behind visa-free entry is to help boost the economy through the tourism industry.