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The Sri Lankan government has announced visa-free entry to citizens of 35 countries, including India, the UK and the US, into the island nation for six months, media reports said on Wednesday (August 22).
The Cabinet took this decision which will be effective from October 1, 2024. daily Mirror The newspaper quoted Tourism Ministry advisor Harin Fernando as saying.
Mr. Fernando said the policy is for six months.
The list includes India, UK, China, the US, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia, Denmark, Poland, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Nepal, Indonesia, Russia and Thailand.
Other countries include Malaysia, Japan, France, Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Israel, Belarus, Iran, Sweden, South Korea, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and New Zealand.
Earlier, there was controversy over the increase in visa-on-arrival fees in Sri Lanka, which was being managed by a foreign company.
Tourists coming from India, China, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia were given free tourist visa for Sri Lanka.