Free visa policy for 39 countries soon: Tourism Minister

 Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath

• Industry stakeholders welcome move citing potential to boost destination’s appeal
• Opine scaling it from 35 to 39 countries could generate even greater benefits 
• First 19 days of 2025 draw 153,761 visitors compared to 127,951 arrivals in same period 2024
• Daily arrivals rise to 8,093 up 20.2% YoY

By Charumini de Silva

Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath on Wednesday announced that the Government is moving with the plan to offer free visas for nationals of 39 countries.   “A Cabinet paper will be formalised and presented to Parliament as a gazette notification to extend free visas for 39 countries. It is expected to be implemented in the near future,” he told journalists.

The free-visa initiative intended to be rolled out from 1 October 2024 for six months was approved by the previous administration’s Cabinet on 21 August 2024, following recommendations from an Expert Committee that evaluated the benefits of free tourist visas (https://www.ft.lk/top-story/Presidential-boost-for-tourism-with-free-visa-to-35-nationals/26-765842). 

It was an extension from the November 2023 free visa approval for seven countries including China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan till 31 March 2024 and was later extended till 30 April 2024 (https://www.ft.lk/front-page/Immigration-extends-visa-free-entry-for-seven-countries-indefinitely/44-762671).

Tourism industry stakeholders welcome the Tourism Minister Herath’s latest decision, noting its potential to boost Sri Lanka’s appeal as a travel destination. They opined that elimination visa fees not only simplifies the travel process but also encourages tourists to allocate their budgets toward experiences, accommodation and activities - ultimately enhancing their overall trip and revenue for the host community.

On 1 October 2024, Minister Herath disclosed that the launch of the free-visa system has been delayed, as it required adjustments and the Parliament was dismissed at the time (https://www.ft.lk/front-page/Delay-in-implementing-free-visa-system-for-35-countries/44-767448). 

“This strategy aligns with Sri Lanka’s target of attracting 5 million tourists by 2030. By removing visa fees, we eliminate potential barriers to entry, yet allowing security concerns to be addressed through visa process,” they pointed out.

The industry champions highlighted the successful impacts of arrivals and earnings from the previous trial free-visa policy for the seven countries. “If the earlier policy saw a tangible increase in arrivals, scaling it from 35 to 39 countries could generate even greater benefits,” they said.

As per the previous decision, the 35 countries included; India, China, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia, Denmark, Poland, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Nepal, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, France, the US, Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Israel, Belarus, Iran, Sweden, South Korea, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and New Zealand.

During the first 19 days of 2025, Sri Lanka has welcomed a total of 153,761 visitors, compared to 127,951 arrivals in same period 2024 —reflecting a strong start. The daily arrival average climbed to 8,093, a 20.2% jump from 6,734 during the same period last year.

India leads the pack in terms of source markets, with 27,166 tourists; followed by Russia with 22,023 visitors and UK with 12,917 travellers. In addition, tourists from Germany, China, France, Australia, US, Poland and Netherlands were seen.

For 2025, Sri Lanka Tourism aims to woo three million tourists and generate $ 5 billion revenue.