Sri Lanka is preparing to amend its Immigration and Emigration Act to provide free six-month tourist visas to citizens of 39 countries, in a significant move to boost the island’s tourism recovery.
Draft regulations are being prepared by the Legal Draftsman for Cabinet submission. The initiative covers major source markets including the United States, United Kingdom, China, India, Australia, Germany, France, Japan, and several Gulf states.
Full List of Eligible Countries
The 39 nations include Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, China, 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 Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Tourism Recovery Push
The free visa scheme represents one of the most aggressive tourism promotion measures Sri Lanka has undertaken. By removing visa costs and extending the standard stay to six months, the government aims to attract longer-stay visitors and digital nomads alongside traditional tourists.
The announcement comes as Sri Lanka’s tourism sector continues to recover from the economic crisis of 2022. First-quarter 2026 arrivals have already shown strong growth, and eliminating visa barriers for citizens of these 39 countries — which collectively represent the bulk of global outbound tourism — could further accelerate the recovery.
The proposal was announced by Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, though implementation awaits completion of the legal drafting process and Cabinet approval of the regulations.