The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Mohamed Uvais Mohamed Ali Sabry, recently shared a message saying that people from India, among other countries, can now visit Sri Lanka without a visa ! This means Indians no longer have to pay visa fees or apply for one! Here’s everything you need to know about this exciting new update on Sri Lanka’s free visa policy.
Sri Lanka Is Now Issuing Free Visas To Indians
Cabinet approves issuing of free visas to India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia & Thailand with immediate effect as a pilot project till 31 March –
— M U M Ali Sabry (@alisabrypc) October 24, 2023
In an effort to boost tourism, Sri Lanka now allows Indians to visit their country visa-free. On October 24, the Minister of Foreign Affairs posted a message on the microblogging site X (formerly Twitter). In his message, he said that China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia and Thailand no longer require a visa to visit the country.
The message also explained that this decision is part of the pilot project and the visa waiver policy will only last until March 31, 2024. This program will also ensure a smooth travel experience for travelers from these countries. Applying for a visa can be a tedious and tedious process, but now Indians don’t have to worry about it when they travel to Sri Lanka.
Prior to this, Indians had to issue an Electronic Travel Authorization or ETA if they wanted to travel to Sri Lanka. This ETA costs ₹2,080 and is valid for a total of 30 days. However, with policy changes, this ETA is no longer required for Indian passport holders. But this change could not come at a better time since the weather in Sri Lanka is pleasant this time of the year.
Nations That You Can Travel Visa-Free To
The history and culture of Sri Lanka is closely related to that of India. It is also home to rich biodiversity and is a great place for history buffs as it is home to many ancient structures. In addition, its food is as attractive and beautiful as its culture, so if you visit, be sure to smell the aroma of authentic Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is not the only country you can visit without a visa. If you have an Indian passport, you can visit more than 20 countries without a visa, according to the Times Of India or TOI published recently. They are the following:
- Vanuatu
- Trinidad and Tobago
- St. Vincent and The Grenadines
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Sri Lanka
- Seychelles
- Senegal
- Palestine
- Nepal
- Micronesia
- Mauritius
- Macao
- Kazakhstan
- Jamaica
- Haiti
- Grenada
- Gambia
- Gabon
- El Salvador
- Dominica
- Bhutan
- Barbados
