Sri Lanka extends visa-free entry to 7 countries, including India
Golden buddha statues at Gangarama Seema Malakaya buddhist temple at Colombo, Sri Lanka.
To promote tourist arrivals, Sri Lanka renewed visa-free entry for visitors from India and several other select countries. The Sri Lankan government’s move will open exciting possibilities for seamless travel between the two nations.
The country’s Cabinet decided to award free-visa entry to nationals from India, China, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia who are on a 30-day visit to the island nation. The scheme was launched in October as a pilot project to rebuild the tourism industry in the country.
According to the Department of Immigration and Emigration which handles visa-free entry, foreigners from the above-mentioned countries should apply visa via website www.srilankaevisa.lk before arriving in Sri Lanka and the validity period of this free visa is 30 days.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet has decided to maintain USD 50 fee for visitors who enter the country on arrival visa for 30 days.
“Amidst the notable progress in the country’s tourism sector, numerous stakeholders within the industry have recently urged President Ranil Wickremesinghe to maintain the maximum visa fee for foreigners at USD 50,” President Media Division (PMD) said.