Since 25 May 2026, tourists from 40 countries who are planning on visiting Sri Lanka can apply for a free Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). While the visa fees are thus scrapped, travellers are still required to complete the usual administrative process before their arrival.
On 7 May 2026, Sri Lanka’s Parliament officially approved visitors from 40 countries to receive a free 30-day visa under the Immigration and Emigration Act after the Cabinet approved the plan in March 2026. However, the move is not to be considered a visa-waiver, as travellers still need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization before travelling to the country.
The new measure was already widely shared over the course of 2025, but only became official on 25 May 2026. Eligible travellers who have applied for an ETA before that date can’t apply for a refund.
According to the Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala, the measure is meant to boost the tourism sector. While the government could lose some $75 million in revenue due to the initiative, authorities project that waiving the ETA fee could attract some 247,000 extra tourists, generating $317 million in revenue.
The plan is scheduled to last for a year and will be evaluated after six months. In 2025, when the visa fee-waiver was first communicated, not everyone was as optimistic about the idea.
“For most visitors, what truly matters is an efficient online visa process, which Sri Lanka already offers. The visa initiative should not serve as a smokescreen for the ongoing absence of a coherent international marketing campaign. Despite repeated proclamations, no meaningful effort has materialized, even though funds have long been available,” Malik J. Fernando, chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance, said at the time in an interview with Skift.
40 countries on Sri Lanka’s free ETA-list
| Asia | Europe | North America | Oceania |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | Austria | Canada | Australia |
| China | Belgium | United States | New Zealand |
| India | Belarus | ||
| Indonesia | Czechia | ||
| Iran | Denmark | ||
| Israel | Finland | ||
| Kazakhstan | France | ||
| Kuwait | Germany | ||
| Japan | Italy | ||
| Nepal | Netherlands | ||
| Malaysia | Norway | ||
| Oman | Poland | ||
| Pakistan | Russia | ||
| Qatar | Spain | ||
| Saudi Arabia | Sweden | ||
| South Korea | Switzerland | ||
| Thailand | United Kingdom | ||
| Türkiye | |||
The list includes a wide range of countries across the world, with Asia and Europe being especially well-represented. Although the Maldives, Seychelles, and Singapore are not mentioned in the list, they, too, are eligible for a free ETA. Nationals from the Maldives will receive a 90-day tourist visa through the ETA system as part of a reciprocal agreement between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
According to the press release, applicants who have obtained a free visa and wish to remain in Sri Lanka beyond 30 days may apply for a visa extension upon payment of the applicable visa fee. All citizens from countries other than those mentioned in the list remain subject to the general rules and regulations governing the Sri Lanka ETA system.
