Entertainment Desk — Sri Lanka has officially waived tourist visa fees for travelers from 40 countries for stays up to one month; however, Bangladesh has been excluded from this privilege.
The decision to exempt citizens of these 40 countries from paying fees when issuing an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) came into effect on May 25.
According to the new directive, Sri Lanka has granted the visa fee waiver to citizens of three South Asian nations: India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Conversely, Bangladeshi nationals, alongside citizens of Afghanistan and Bhutan, will still be required to pay the standard visa processing fees. Maldives nationals are already exempt from visa fees under a separate bilateral agreement.
According to data from the Sri Lankan Department of Immigration and Emigration, the fee for a multiple-entry visa valid for up to 30 days is $20 for SAARC member nations and $50 for all other countries.
Apart from the three South Asian nations, the countries included in the visa fee exemption list are Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.
The official announcement notes that diplomatic, official, employment, and ordinary passport holders from these 40 countries will all enjoy the fee waiver benefit. However, the standard fees will still apply to any traveler wishing to extend their stay beyond the initial 30 days.
According to a report by the British newspaper The Independent, the Sri Lankan government originally launched this visa fee waiver program on an experimental basis in September 2024.
Since that pilot phase, citizens of China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan have been benefiting from the facility.