Uk Set To Join Spain, Canada, France, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Italy And More In Sri Lanka Free Eta Travel Visa Expansion

Published on September 8, 2025

UK is group to subordinate Spain, Canada, France, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Italy, and respective different countries successful Sri Lanka’s planned description of free ETA recreation visa access, aiming to boost tourism and make nan land destination much appealing to world visitors. In an effort to boost tourism and retrieve nan industry, nan Sri Lankan authorities plans to waive visa fees for 40 countries successful total. Although nan argumentation has not yet been put into effect, it is anticipated that this alteration will make recreation easier for galore people. However, until nan charismatic rollout starts, visitors should proceed to salary nan modular fee.

Sri Lanka has unveiled a connection to grow its free Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) visa strategy to screen 33 further countries, but travellers should beryllium alert that nan alteration has not yet travel into effect. Until nan authorities publishes an charismatic announcement and updates its migration system, each visitors extracurricular nan 7 countries presently eligible must proceed to salary nan modular ETA interest earlier entering nan land nation.

The Announcement and Its Intent

On July 25, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath announced that nan authorities intends to broaden nan scope of its visa interest waiver scheme, extending it from nan existent 7 countries to a full of forty. The move, he said, was designed to springiness nan country’s tourism manufacture a competitory separator and to bring successful a larger stock of world travellers astatine a clip erstwhile Sri Lanka is seeking to turn beyond nan 2 cardinal visitors it hosted successful 2024.

The strategy is rooted successful nan thought that waiving visa fees could make Sri Lanka much charismatic compared to rival destinations crossed Asia, wherever introduction costs tin beryllium a decisive facet for holidaymakers. Officials judge that while nan authorities whitethorn suffer astir $66 cardinal successful nonstop visa revenue, nan anticipated maturation successful tourer arrivals will compensate for nan shortfall by generating much income crossed hotels, restaurants, transport, and attractions.

Why Confusion Exists

Despite nan enthusiasm generated by nan announcement, nan reality is that nan betterment has not yet started. Confusion is mounting because media sum has amplified nan news, starring immoderate travellers to presume they nary longer request to salary for their visas. In truth, nan process remains unchanged until Sri Lanka takes respective cardinal steps:

• The migration section must people an charismatic decree.
• The government’s charismatic portal, must bespeak nan caller policy.
• A patient commencement day must beryllium confirmed and communicated to nan public.

Without these measures successful place, nan existing visa model continues to apply.

The Current Rule

At present, each overseas traveller who requires an ETA must spell done nan modular paid process unless they are from 1 of nan 7 countries presently enjoying nan interest waiver. The basal points to retrieve are:

• The ETA exertion must beryllium completed online earlier arrival.
• The costs remains USD 50 per person.
• Each ETA is valid for six months from nan day of issue.
• Travellers are entitled to participate doubly and enactment up to 30 days per visit, pinch nan action to widen doubly for up to 90 days each time.

These conditions are non-negotiable until nan charismatic waiver description takes effect.

Countries Already Covered

At nan moment, nan only travellers eligible for a free ETA are from:

• China
• India
• Indonesia
• Japan
• Malaysia
• Russia
• Thailand

This waiver applies to holders of ordinary, diplomatic, official, and work passports.

Countries Expected to Join nan List

If Sri Lanka activates nan description , 33 further countries will subordinate nan program. These include:

• Asia: Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, United Arab Emirates
• Europe: Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom
• Oceania: Australia, New Zealand
• Americas: Canada, United States
• Other: Bahrain

This would importantly widen Sri Lanka’s visa-free appeal, covering galore of its apical root markets.

Tourism’s Role successful nan Economy

Tourism is simply a captious pillar of Sri Lanka’s economy, contributing billions of dollars annually and supporting thousands of jobs. In 2024, nan federation crossed 2 cardinal visitors, and policymakers are targeting 3 cardinal for 2025. Waiving visa fees is seen arsenic an important instrumentality to trim barriers for imaginable tourists, particularly arsenic Sri Lanka competes pinch countries specified arsenic Thailand, Vietnam, and nan Maldives, wherever streamlined introduction systems and promotional campaigns are already successful place.

Yet while nan semipermanent extremity is clear, past acquisition shows that announcements do not ever construe instantly into policy. In 2024, Sri Lanka floated a akin scheme to grow visa exemptions, but delays meant nan rollout took acold longer than anticipated. Travellers readying their trips coming should truthful trust only connected nan charismatic website and authorities updates, not assumptions based connected headlines.

Practical Advice for Travellers

For those preparing to sojourn Sri Lanka successful nan adjacent future, nan safest attack is simple:

1. Apply for your ETA online earlier departure.
2. Budget for nan USD 50 fee per traveller.
3. Check charismatic channels regularly for immoderate alteration successful visa policy.

Assuming your state has been added to nan database without charismatic confirmation could lead to denied boarding aliases refusal of introduction upon arrival.

What to Watch Next

The authorities has made its intentions clear, but whether nan argumentation is activated successful nan coming weeks aliases months remains uncertain. Implementation will require coordination betwixt ministries, clear connection pinch airlines and circuit operators, and updated systems connected nan migration platform. Until those steps are visible, thing changes for travellers.

Sri Lanka’s scheme to widen visa interest waivers to 33 much countries has generated important excitement, but it remains conscionable that—a plan. For now, each visitors isolated from those from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, and Thailand must proceed applying for and paying for an ETA.

UK is group to subordinate Spain, Canada, France, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Italy, and much successful Sri Lanka’s free ETA recreation visa description to pull much world visitors and boost nan country’s tourism recovery. However, nan argumentation has not been implemented yet, and travellers must still salary nan modular interest for now.

Travellers should dainty nan news pinch caution, show nan charismatic Sri Lanka ETA portal, and guarantee they comply pinch nan existent rules. With nan land federation striving to turn its tourism sector, nan description whitethorn good travel into effect soon—but until it does, visitors are advised to instrumentality to nan existing requirements and debar costly mistakes.