Sri Lanka’s Revised Visa System
On 25 May 2026 Sri Lanka waived the tourist ETA fee for 40 nationalities. It is the most significant change to the system in years — and it is narrower than the headlines suggested.
What actually changed
| Before 25 May 2026 | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist ETA, 40 listed countries | USD 50 typical | Free |
| Stay granted | 30 days | 30 days |
| Entries | Usually single or double | Double entry |
| Tourist ETA, other countries | USD 50 | USD 50 — unchanged |
| Business ETA | USD 55 | USD 55 — unchanged |
| Transit ETA | Free | Free — unchanged |
| Requirement to apply | Mandatory | Still mandatory |
"Free visa" has been widely reported as "no visa needed". It is not. The application is still compulsory for every affected nationality, and airlines still refuse boarding without an approved ETA. What changed is the price, not the requirement.
Who benefits
Forty countries, including Australia, the UK, the US, Canada, India, China, Japan, Russia and most of the EU. The full list is on the visa guide.
✅ Tourists from listed countries
Free 30-day double-entry ETA. The clearest saving — around USD 50 per traveller.
➖ Everyone else
No change. Standard fees still apply at USD 50 online for most nationalities.
➖ Business travellers
No change. The business ETA remains USD 55 regardless of nationality.
What it means in practice
- Apply directly on eta.gov.lk — for free-list nationalities there is now no payment step at all.
- If a website asks you to pay for a tourist ETA and you are on the free list, you are on an agent site, not the government portal.
- Fees paid before 25 May 2026 are not refunded retrospectively.
- Double entry is the quiet improvement: a side trip to the Maldives or India no longer needs a second application.
- Processing times were not affected — still typically 24 to 72 hours.