Sri Lanka’s tourism authorities are expecting to roll out the long-delayed visa-free facility for 40 countries starting coming January, as the island nation aggressively positions itself for a strong winter season recovery following the cyclone impact.
Speaking to Mirror Business, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam revealed that the scheme is now expected to come into effect from January, following necessary legislative clearances.
The move is seen as a critical step in revitalising the tourism sector, which is central to the country’s economic stability and immediate post-disaster recovery efforts.
Earlier, The Hotel Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President Asoka Hettigoda revealed that industry leaders had requested the immediate implementation of a visa-free regime during high-level discussions with the President, Treasury Secretary, and Tourism Minister.
Outlining a critical action plan for post-Ditwah recovery, the industry had urged the President to utilise emergency powers to expedite this process and immediately expand the list of eligible countries to maximise arrivals during the critical recovery phase.
However, Hewawasam highlighted complications in implementing this under emergency powers. Consequently, the government has decided to secure parliamentary approval to ensure the process is legally robust.
In terms of extending the number of countries beyond the proposed 40, Hewawasam noted that the scheme will be reviewed every six months. He indicated that the government could extend the number of countries in six months depending on the outcome of the initial phase.
“We don’t want to be seen as desperate,” he remarked, emphasising the need for a strategic and dignified approach to attracting visitors.
The initiative to open the borders visa-free to a wider pool of nations is not new, having faced significant headwinds since its inception. The proposal was first aggressively pushed forward last year, when the Cabinet approved visa-free entry for 35 countries in August 2024, later expanding the list to 38 countries with the intention of immediate implementation.
However, the move was paralysed by a Supreme Court interim order suspending the controversial VFS Global visa outsourcing deal, which threw the country’s immigration processing into disarray.
Since then, the comprehensive visa-free facility has remained in limbo. Foreign and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath previously noted that the delay in implementing the scheme for the additional countries was largely due to awaiting clearance from the Attorney General’s (AG) Department to resolve the legal entanglements left behind by the suspended visa deal.
At present, only holders of ordinary, diplomatic, official, or service passports from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, and Thailand are eligible for a free Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Currently, the visa-free facility is limited to nationals from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, and Thailand. Under the proposed January rollout, this list is expected to expand to 33 additional nations, covering major source markets including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The scheme also aims to capture high-potential travelers from across Europe—specifically Austria, Belarus, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Furthermore, the government intends to open the facility to key regional and Middle Eastern partners, including Bahrain, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, and the UAE.
By Nishel Fernando, Daily Mirror
