Visa Free from 1 October : Sri Lanka has given great news for Indian travelers. From October 1, 2024, citizens of 35 countries including India will get visa-free entry in Sri Lanka.
Earlier on August 2, 2024, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka had banned the e-visa service being offered by IVS-GBS and VFS Global. After which Indians were given the option of visa-on-arrival instead of the option of e-visa. Now from October 1, Indian travelers will be able to enter without visa.
Countries that benefit from visa-free travel
Apart from India, citizens of the UK, US, China, Germany, Australia and many other countries will be able to avail this visa-free travel facility. The list includes the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, UAE, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, France, Canada, Italy, and many other countries.
What does visa-free travel mean?
Visa-free travel means that travelers will not need to obtain a visa in advance to enter the country. This simplifies the process and also saves visa fees. Usually you just need a valid passport.
Efforts to attract Indian travellers
Indians accounted for 20% of the total tourists in Sri Lanka in 2023. This visa-free policy is expected to further increase the number of Indian travelers to Sri Lanka. In October 2023 also, Sri Lanka waived visa fees for 7 countries including India, which was extended till 31 May 2024. In 2024, Sri Lanka welcomed 2,46,922 Indian tourists, while 1,23,992 tourists came from the UK. This policy of visa-free travel is considered an important step for Sri Lanka’s tourism economy. However, in the first six months of 2024, Sri Lanka earned $ 1.5 billion from tourism, up from $ 875 million in the same period in 2023.
Visa-free travel conditions
Here are the conditions for visa-free travel:
- Valid Passport
- Period of travel
- Proof of return or onward journey
- Proof of sufficient funds to cover travel expenses
- Proof of stay
- Travel/Medical Insurance
- criminal record check
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