Lanka implements free visa policy for Indians

Colombo, November 28

Aimed at boosting the tourism sector, Indian tourists — the largest inbound group — to Sri Lanka, would receive free tourist visas with immediate effect, the Department of Immigration and Emigration has announced here.

The facility follows a Cabinet decision from October to issue free tourist visas to travellers from India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand amidst efforts to rebuild the debt-trapped island nation’s tourism sector that had slumped since the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. The pilot project to offer free visas for the first 30 days would be in force till March 31, 2024, the announcement said.

The travellers would be given dual entry status on arrival and the visa validity would be limited to 30 days’ stay in the island nation.

India is traditionally Sri Lanka’s top inbound tourism market. In October 2023, arrival figures for India topped with over 28,000 arrivals or 26% with Russian tourists trailing at over 10,000 arrivals as the second largest group. The UK tourists were placed third with over 8,000 arrivals.