Sri Lanka has announced on several occasions that it will temporarily offer a free visa to nationals of certain countries. The Cabinet approved this proposal last week and it has now been submitted to parliament. It is not yet known whether the current visa will become free of charge. For the time being, it can only be obtained upon payment.
A project that has been on the table for some time
On 30 March, Sri Lanka’s Cabinet approved a bill announcing the introduction of a visa-free scheme for 40 nationalities. The bill will subsequently be submitted to parliament. According to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, parliament is expected to approve the bill during April. It is not yet known whether this visa-free scheme will actually be introduced and, if so, when it will become available. In July 2025, there were already plans to offer the Sri Lanka ETA free of charge to certain nationalities. However, these plans have not yet materialised.
Nationalities eligible for a visa-free entry
According to the Sri Lankan government’s proposal, the following countries may soon be able to apply for a visa free of charge:
Australia, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Austria, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Thailand, Czech Republic, Turkey, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, United States, Sweden, South Korea and Switzerland.
Citizens of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia and Thailand are currently exempt from visa requirements.
A visa will still be required
It is important to note that the visa requirement for Sri Lanka will remain in force. The new bill does not exempt the nationalities mentioned above from the obligation to apply for a visa, although they will likely be eligible for a free ETA in the future. Travellers of these nationalities must therefore still complete the application form and wait for their visa to be granted. Spanish citizens can easily apply for their visa via this website.
Apply for a Sri Lankan visa
The electronic visa for Sri Lanka – also known as an ETA – can be easily applied for online. At e-Visa.co.uk you will find an application form with clear explanations. To apply, simply fill in the application form; there is no need to submit any photos or documents. The processing time for the Sri Lanka ETA is around 4 days on average. You also have the option of submitting an urgent application, which is usually approved within around 30 minutes.
The Sri Lankan ETA can be applied for in order to make a stopover, or for tourism or business purposes. The visa is valid for 180 days, but the maximum length of stay is 30 days. You can find more information about the requirements and the validity.
Reasons for offering a visa-free scheme for Sri Lanka
For the Sri Lankan government, the introduction of a visa-free scheme represents a loss of revenue. However, this scheme would make Sri Lanka more attractive to foreign tourists. In principle, the visa-free scheme is a measure designed to support the island’s tourism sector, which would ultimately benefit the Sri Lankan economy.
The war between the United States and Israel against Iran has led to a sharp drop in the number of visitors to Sri Lanka. Between 1 and 25 March 2026, the island received 151,693 visitors, a 22% decrease compared with the same period in 2025.
The reason for this is the rise in ticket prices and the cancellation of flights between Europe and Asia. The first few months of 2026, prior to the US attack on Iran, were positive for Sri Lanka’s tourism sector. The government is attempting to limit the damage to Sri Lanka’s economy by introducing visa-free travel. However, the course of the war and ticket prices are expected to remain the most significant factors.