Sri Lanka has announced a free tourist visa in the form of an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for people from 40 countries. Starting May 25, this initiative will encompass nationals from India, the UAE, and Pakistan, among others. This applies to those with diplomatic, official, service, or ordinary passports, according to Sri Lanka’s official ETA website.
All foreign nationals from these 40 countries, as well as those from the Maldives, Seychelles, and Singapore, who have bilateral reciprocity agreements with Sri Lanka, must get an ETA before arriving. For nationals of these 40 countries, the free visa is valid for a 30-day stay. Tourists can now enter Sri Lanka twice under the new program, beginning on the date of their initial arrival and lasting 30 days.
If an applicant who has received a free ETA wishes to extend their stay beyond 30 days, they must apply for a visa extension. This will necessitate payment of the appropriate visa fee. According to the official Sri Lankan website, Maldivian nationals would acquire a 90-day tourist visa through the ETA system in place of the bilateral agreement.
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