- Sri Lanka is fast-tracking a free visa program for 40 countries to counteract declining tourism numbers.
- The proposed six-month scheme aims for parliamentary approval by April 2026 to ease travel costs.
- Officials target major markets in Europe, North America, and Oceania to boost arrival volumes.
(SRI LANKA) — Sri Lanka is fast-tracking a free visa program for 40 countries as it tries to lift tourist arrivals after a March slowdown tied to Middle East tensions and disrupted air travel.
Foreign Affairs and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed the free electronic travel authorization (ETA) scheme is being finalized for submission to Cabinet, with parliamentary approval targeted for April 2026. The plan would grant eligible passport holders a free tourist visa for six months.
Herath’s confirmation moves forward an initiative first raised in 2024. Sri Lanka is now pushing it on an expedited timeline as tourism officials try to protect demand during a period of weaker short-term arrivals.
Draft regulations for the scheme have already been prepared by the Legal Draftsman’s Department under the Immigration and Emigration Act. Lawmakers are expected to take up the draft in parliament as the government works through the final approval stage.
The proposal would expand a system that already waives ETA fees for seven countries: China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan. Under the broader plan, Sri Lanka would add 33 more countries, extending the offer across major visitor markets in Europe, North America, Oceania and the Gulf.
Officials have identified major European markets, the United States, Australia and Gulf states among the areas covered by the expansion. Pakistan’s inclusion has not been explicitly confirmed in the 40-country list, even as the plan has been described as opening to global visitors across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and other regions.
The government is turning to the visa waiver after arrivals weakened in March. Between March 1 and 25, 2026, Sri Lanka welcomed 151,693 visitors, down 22% from a year earlier.
Average daily arrivals dropped to 6,068 from 7,407 in the same period in 2025. Regional instability has disrupted flight routes, raised airfares and triggered cancellations, particularly on Europe-Asia corridors.
Those figures marked a setback inside a broader recovery that has continued through the year. Sri Lanka recorded 708,348 arrivals in the first quarter, a 4.45% increase from a year earlier.
India remained the top source market in March, accounting for 26% of arrivals. The other leading markets were the UK, Russia, China and Germany.
That mix helps explain the shape of the planned expansion. Sri Lanka already has free ETA access for India, China and Russia, three of its most watched inbound markets, and the wider scheme seeks to draw more traffic from Europe and other long-haul regions where airfare shocks and route changes can quickly hit booking volumes.
The appeal is straightforward. Removing visa fees lowers the upfront cost of travel, gives tour operators and airlines a simpler pitch, and lets officials market Sri Lanka as easier to enter at a moment when households are weighing airfares more carefully.
The free ETA model also gives the government a mechanism it already uses, rather than requiring a new arrival system from the ground up. Travelers would still pass through an electronic pre-travel authorization process, but without a visa charge during the six-month program.
Much now depends on the legal and political timetable. Cabinet clearance and parliamentary approval remain the two immediate milestones before the wider waiver can begin.
Another issue is the final composition of the 40-country list. The government has identified broad target regions and the seven countries already covered, but the final regulations will determine the exact scope of the expanded program and whether any market-specific conditions apply.
Implementation will reach beyond tourism promotion. A larger pool of visa-free visitors can alter ETA processing volumes, place more pressure on border controls during peak periods, and test airport and hotel capacity if demand rises quickly.
Sri Lanka’s calculation is that easier entry can help offset a period of weaker traffic without changing its longer-term recovery path. With April 2026 set as the approval target, the government is now trying to turn the draft into a live program before another soft patch in arrivals reshapes the tourism season.
