Sri Lanka Suspends e-Visa System, Introduces Visa-Free Access for 35 Countries.
Sri Lanka has suspended its electronic visa (e-Visa) system since August 2, 2024, due to difficulties in managing the service. As a result, travelers can no longer apply for visas online through the government portal. Instead, they will receive visas upon arrival in the country.
In a recent announcement, Sri Lanka has introduced a temporary solution aimed at encouraging tourists who hesitated to visit the island after the cancellation of the e-Visa service.
Ali Sabry, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated, “The Cabinet has decided to allow visa-free access to Sri Lanka for citizens of 35 countries, including the UK, USA, Canada, Germany, Australia, Saudi Arabia, China, India, Russia, South Korea, and Japan. This will be effective from October 1, 2024, for a period of six months.”
A few months prior, Harin Fernando, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Tourism, proposed visa-free entry for tourists from 67 countries. This initiative aims to compete with neighboring regions and help Sri Lanka reach its target of welcoming 2.3 million tourists by the end of 2024.
According to recent data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the country has recorded over 1.3 million tourist arrivals since the beginning of the year.
On X (formerly Twitter), Ali Sabry expressed enthusiasm, stating, “First steps towards a visa-free regime!” He also revealed the list of countries whose citizens will benefit from the visa waiver starting October 1, 2024. The countries include:
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Canada
- China
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Malaysia
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Oman
- Poland
- Qatar
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
This new policy marks a significant shift in Sri Lanka’s approach to tourism, aiming to revitalize its appeal to international travelers.
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