Sri Lanka's Free Tourist Visa: Who Qualifies — and the ETA Step You Can't Skip

November 1, 2026

Visiting Sri Lanka just got cheaper for travellers from many countries. Since May 25, 2026, passport holders from 40 countries — including the United States, the United Kingdom, India, China, Australia, Germany and Japan — can get a 30-day tourist visa free of charge. The visa is valid from the date you first arrive and allows double entry within that period, so you can pop over to the Maldives or southern India and come back without paying again (on your second entry you get whatever is left of the 30 days). The 40 countries are: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Here is the part many travellers miss: free does not mean no paperwork. Every visitor, including those from the 40 fee-free countries, must still apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) online before flying to Sri Lanka. The application only asks for your passport details, travel dates and where you will stay, and approval usually comes quickly — but airlines can refuse boarding without it, so apply a few days before you travel and keep a copy of the approval on your phone. Use only the official government ETA website, eta.gov.lk; unofficial "visa agent" sites often charge service fees for the same free application.

Want to stay longer than 30 days? You can apply for an extension for a fee through the Department of Immigration and Emigration (eservices.immigration.gov.lk). Maldivian nationals continue to receive a 90-day visa under the existing reciprocal arrangement, and ETA fees paid before the scheme began are not refundable. Because government visa programmes can change, always check the current list of eligible countries on the official Sri Lanka ETA website before you book. Once your ETA is sorted, all that is left is choosing between beaches, tea country and safaris!