Starting October 1, 2024, travelers from 35 countries, including China, the United Kingdom, and the United States, will be allowed to enter Sri Lanka without a visa as part of a new initiative to boost its economy and tourism sector.

Sri Lanka’s cabinet has revealed that it has approved a six-month pilot program granting a 30-day visa-free entry to citizens of the specified countries, VisaGuide.World reports.

List of 35 Countries Whose Citizens Will Soon Be Eligible to Visa-Free Entry to Sri Lanka

• United Kingdom

• Germany

• Netherlands

• Belgium

• Spain

• Australia

• Denmark

• Poland

• Kazakhstan

• Saudi Arabia

• United Arab Emirates

• 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

Sri Lanka Halts New eVisa System Temporarily

Sri Lanka has temporarily suspended its e-visa services. The suspension, intended to simplify the new visa-free process and avoid potential confusion, will impact the previously available e-visa options, which included double entry for up to 30 days (extendable to 60 days) and transit entry for up to two days.

Such a decision to halt the e-visa system follows ongoing controversies and issues with the previous scheme, which had drawn criticism since its introduction. Sri Lanka continues to offer free tourist visas to visitors from select countries, including China, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. However, e-visa services in other countries have been suspended temporarily.

Previously, the country decided to keep the tourist visa fee at $50 instead of raising it to $75. The change comes after tourist industry leaders complained that the higher fee would make Sri Lanka’s visa the most expensive in Asia.

Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and a financial crisis in 2022, shows signs of recovery. As a result, the country, known for its stunning beaches, has welcomed nearly two million tourists by mid-August this year, a notable increase since 2019.