Sri Lanka Parliament has approved new regulations allowing citizens from 40 countries to enter without a visa. The move is part of the government’s efforts to boost tourism and attract more international visitors.
According to lankatalks, Minister of Public Security and Parliament Affairs Ananda Wijepala stated that the new regulations will provide free 30-day visas to countries including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Bahrain, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the UAE, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, and Thailand.
He noted that previously, free visas were only available for China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, and Thailand.
The Minister explained that travelers from these countries will now be granted a free 30-day visit visa, but must still adhere to all other entry procedures, including obtaining an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). The visa fee will be waived.
While the government anticipates a loss of approximately USD 75 million due to the free visa policy, it is estimated that the initiative will attract an additional 247,000 tourists, generating around $317 million in revenue and resulting in a net profit of $242 million.
