Sri Lanka waives tourist visa fees for India, US, UK and 37 other nations

In a move to revive its vital travel sector, Sri Lanka has officially rolled out a free tourist visa scheme for citizens of 40 countries, including India, Pakistan, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The new policy, which went into effect on Monday, aims to substantially lower travel costs and boost inbound visitor numbers.

Under the updated guidelines announced by the Department of Immigration and Emigration, eligible international travellers can secure a 30-day tourist visa completely free of charge. The policy applies to citizens holding diplomatic, official, service, or ordinary passports from the designated list of nations.

Free of cost, but not free of formalities

Sri Lankan authorities explicitly clarified that while the standard visa processing fees have been completely waived, travellers are still legally required to obtain pre-arrival approval.

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All foreign visitors from the 40 chosen nations must log onto the official Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) portal and complete their digital registration before boarding their flights. Easing the financial burden does not eliminate administrative security checks.

The 30-day free visa includes a double-entry facility. This structure permits a tourist to enter Sri Lanka, exit to a secondary destination, and return a second time within the original 30-day window. Upon the second entry, however, only the remaining balance of the initial 30 days will be granted.

A strategic push for the South Asian travel hub

The targeted list of 40 countries reflects Sri Lanka’s primary source markets for global tourism. Alongside India—which remains the island nation’s single largest source of inbound travelers—the fee waiver extends to a broad mix of nations across Europe, Asia, West Asia, and North America.

Separate bilateral arrangements remain unaffected. Maldivian nationals, for instance, will continue to receive a 90-day tourist visa free of charge.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration noted that travellers who wish to extend their stay in Sri Lanka beyond the initial 30 days are welcome to do so. However, any subsequent visa extensions will be subject to standard extension fees. Additionally, the government stated that any ETA application fees paid by travellers prior to the official May 25 launch date are strictly non-refundable.