Sri Lanka is set to waive visa fees for nationals from 40 additional countries in a move aimed at boosting tourism, Daily Mirror learns. The facility—previously granted to seven countries—will allow eligible travellers to apply online for a free tourist visa.
The government has taken a policy decision to add the new countries to the list, with the proposal currently under review by the Attorney General. Once cleared, it will be endorsed by Parliament and is expected to take effect by the end of this month.
Daily Mirror understands that several other countries have also expressed interest in securing the same concession for their citizens. However, Sri Lanka has prioritised its key source markets in the initial rollout.
Responding to questions on the possibility of expanding the list, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam said further additions would be considered based on the success of the current policy.
The Advocata Institute, a Colombo-based think tank, welcomed the move, noting that tourism remains one of Sri Lanka’s few sectors with immediate job-creating potential and significant multiplier effects across the economy. CEO Dhananath Fernando described the waiver as “a step in the right direction,” but urged the government to see it as part of a broader liberalisation agenda rather than a one-off gesture.
Advocata has long advocated for consistent, liberal visa policies to unlock tourism’s full economic potential. In a recent statement, it recommended restoring visa-on-arrival access, easing travel for vetted international visitors, and introducing long-term renewable visas to attract high-value tourists and remote workers.
The Institute also called for a return to at least the pre-2012 visa regime, under which citizens of 84 countries were eligible for visas on arrival without prior electronic travel authorisation (ETA). Advocata further proposed granting visa-on-arrival to travellers holding valid multiple-entry visas for high-screening countries such as the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, or Australia.
Sri Lanka is currently targeting three million tourist arrivals and USD 5 billion in revenue, with stakeholders emphasising that open, predictable visa policies will be crucial to achieving these goals.
Source – dailymirror.lk
