The Minister of External Affairs of Sri Lanka, Mohamed Uvais Mohamed Ali Sabry, recently shared a post which said that people from India, among other countries, can now travel to Sri Lanka without a visa! This means that Indians will no longer have to pay any kind of visa fee or even apply for it! Here is everything you need to know about this exciting new update in 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 a bid to boost tourism, Sri Lanka is now allowing Indians to visit their country without a visa. On October 24, the Minister of External Affairs shared a post on the micro-blogging website X (formerly known as Twitter). In the post, he mentioned that China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia and Thailand no longer need a visa to visit the country.
The post also specified that the move was a part of a pilot project and this visa-free policy will only be available till March 31, 2024. This particular scheme will also facilitate a smoother travel experience for tourists from these countries. Applying for a visa can be an intimidating and cumbersome process but now Indians don’t have to worry about it when visiting Sri Lanka.
Prior to this, Indians had to issue an Electronic Travel Authorisation or an ETA if they wanted to visit Sri Lanka. This ETA cost ₹2,080 and was valid for a total of 30 days. With its shift in policy, though, this ETA is no longer required for Indian passport holders. And this change couldn’t have come at a better time since it is quite pleasant in Sri Lanka this time of the year.
Also Read: Thanks To IND-PAK Match Kandy Hotels Are Fully Booked. Will This Help Revive Tourism In Sri Lanka?
Nations That You Can Travel Visa-Free To
Sri Lanka’s history and culture is inextricably linked to that of India. It also houses rich biodiversity and is a great spot for history aficionados because it has a number of old architectural sites. What is more, its cuisine is as vibrant and beautiful as its culture so if you do visit, make sure to indulge in some authentic Sri Lankan delicacies.
Sri Lanka is not the only country that you can visit visa-free. If you have an Indian passport, you can travel to more than 20 countries visa-free, according to an article recently published by The Times Of India or TOI. They are as follows:
- 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
Also Read: Sachin Tendulkar Spends Time With Children In Sri Lanka, Says They Are The Best Teachers
Have we convinced you to visit Sri Lanka yet? Let us know in the comments below!
Cover Image Credits: Canva Images
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First Published: October 25, 2023 6:28 PM