Sri Lanka Announces Free Tourist ETA For Nationals Of UAE, India, Pakistan, 37 Countries

The free-of-charge visa applies for a stay of 30 days; double entry is permitted for tourists from the date of first arrival in Sri Lanka

By: Poojaraj Maniyeri

Sri Lanka has announced free tourist visa, in the form of an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), for nationals of 40 countries. Starting May 25, this scheme includes nationals of India, UAE, Pakistan, among other nations. This applies to those holding diplomatic, official, service, or ordinary passports, according to Sri Lanka's official ETA website.

All foreign nationals from these 40 countries, along with nationals of Maldives, Seychelles and Singapore, who have bilateral reciprocal agreements with Sri Lanka, must obtain the ETA prior to arrival.

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While the ETA is free effective May 25, if fees were paid by any of these nationals before May 25, they are non-refundable.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. How long is the duration, can the visa be extended?

For nationals from these 40 countries, the free-of-charge visa applies for a stay of 30 days. Under the new scheme, double entry is permitted for tourists from the date of first arrival in Sri Lanka within the 30-day validity period.

If an applicant who has obtained a free ETA wants to extend their stay beyond 30 days, they will have to apply for a visa extension. This will require payment of the applicable visa fee.

In particular, Maldivian nationals will receive a 90-day tourist visa through ETA system in lieu of the agreement between the nations, according to the official Sri Lankan website.

Full list of 40 countries

Take a look at the full list of countries that are included, here:

Australia
Austria
Bahrain

Belarus

Belgium

Canada

China

Czech Republic

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

India

Indonesia

Iran

Israel

Italy

Japan

Kazakhstan

Kuwait

Malaysia

Nepal

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Oman

Pakistan

Poland

Qatar

Russia

Saudi Arabia

South Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Thailand

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United States

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