Sri Lanka has approved free visa entry for nationals of 40 countries, significantly widening a facility that was previously extended to just seven nations. The regulations, passed under the Immigration and Emigration Act, cover major source markets including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, India, China, and the UAE, among others.
Under the new framework, visitors from eligible countries will receive a free 30-day visa, though all standard entry procedures remain in place and travellers will still need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization.
The scheme is expected to cost the government around 75 million dollars in foregone visa revenue. However, authorities project the waiver will attract an additional 247,000 tourists, generating an estimated 317 million dollars in tourism receipts and delivering a net gain of approximately 242 million dollars.
Sri Lanka had previously offered free visas to China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, and Thailand. The expanded list brings in a broad sweep of European, Middle Eastern, and Asia-Pacific markets, reflecting a clear push to diversify arrivals and accelerate tourism recovery.
