Sri Lanka began offering free tourist Electronic Travel Authorization, or ETA, to nationals of 40 countries on Monday, according to the Department of Immigration and Emigration.
The free ETA is valid for 30 days and applies to eligible nationals holding diplomatic, official, service or ordinary passports.
Tourists approved under the free ETA will be allowed double entry from the date of their first arrival within the 30-day
The scheme covers Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, the 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.
All foreigners, including citizens of the 40 countries mentioned and with bilateral reciprocal agreements with Sri Lanka, will have to obtain an ETA prior to their arrival in Sri Lanka, the department said.
The department said nationals of Maldives, Seychelles and Singapore also will have their ETA processed free of charge. Maldivian nationals will receive a 90-day tourist visa through the ETA system under a bilateral reciprocal agreement between Sri Lanka and Maldives.
The department said ETA fees paid before May 25, 2026, are non-refundable. Nationals of countries not covered by the free ETA scheme will remain subject to Sri Lanka’s general ETA rules and regulations.
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