The process is moving forward, but it is not yet fully complete.
According to the official statement on the decisions made by the Cabinet on March 30, 2026, the Sri Lankan government approved the proposal submitted by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to present to Parliament the draft regulation governing the issuance of free tourist visas.
The text, prepared by the legal draftsman in accordance with the Immigration and Emigration Act, must now receive parliamentary approval. This marks a decisive procedural step, but not yet the formal entry into force of the scheme.
As we reported in our article yesterday, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, had said that the free visa program would be finalized and then submitted to the Cabinet, with parliamentary approval targeted for April. The decision taken on March 30 therefore confirms that this timeline is accelerating.
A list of countries has been released, but ambiguity remains
This latest development comes at a time of strong concern over the island’s tourism performance.
Discussed for many months, the visa/ETA fee waiver plan has now returned to the forefront as a recovery tool, with the aim of attracting more foreign visitors and reinforcing Sri Lanka’s position in the regional tourism market.
Colombo’s logic is clear: reduce the cost of entry for travelers from strategically important markets through a temporary six-month scheme, one that has already been used in the past and could have a rapid effect on demand.
At the press conference following the Cabinet meeting, government spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa presented the list of countries expected to benefit from the measure. One point, however, deserves attention. Official communications refer to a program intended for nationals of 39 countries, yet the list made public during the press conference includes 40 states.
That discrepancy does not call into question the overall direction of the project, but it does leave some uncertainty as to the exact scope of the measure. It may simply reflect a communication inconsistency within the government, or an adjustment made during the process. Pending formal confirmation, that slight ambiguity remains.
Here is the list released following the Cabinet meeting of the 40 countries whose nationals are expected to become eligible for a free Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA):
- 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, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States.
* Countries that already benefit from free ETA issuance
A decision is now expected in Parliament
For travelers, caution is still advised.
Sri Lanka has indeed approved, at the Cabinet level, the continuation of the process aimed at granting free tourist visas for six months to nationals of a large group of countries. But until the regulation is approved by Parliament and implemented, the scheme is not yet fully operational.
If the text is approved by lawmakers, Sri Lanka will join the destinations using visa fee waivers as a tool to boost tourism competitiveness. The remaining questions now concern the entry-into-force date, the practical conditions of implementation, and the final list of countries that will actually be covered.
