Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_ Sri Lanka has introduced a new eVisa scheme, accessible through www.srilankaevisa.lk, aimed at revamping its visa processing system, displacing the previous Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) framework. This advanced platform efficiently handles visa applications from non-residents across a diverse spectrum of visa categories, encompassing short-term, long-term, transit, and gratis visas, spanning 15 visa categories. Under this unified and integrated eVisa platform, visitors can avail stays ranging from one month to ten years.
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This latest initiative reflects the government’s commitment to modernizing the visa process, thereby making Sri Lanka a premier global travel destination. In the former ETA system, tourists from SAARC countries were restricted to a 30-day tourist visa. But the revised scheme now offers a longer duration of 60-day visa within the 6-month category for both SAARC and non-SAARC nations. Hence, the broadened offerings across visa categories provide enhanced flexibility, facilitating longer stays and multiple visits, a feature absent in the former ETA framework.
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Accordingly, the visa-free arrangement for seven countries, including China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan, will continue until April 30. Additionally, tourists from Singapore, Maldives, Czech Republic, and Seychelles benefit from visa exemptions. Designed for ease of use and security, the platform ensures a seamless and enhanced user experience, encompassing modern application features. It also offers support in multiple languages, including English, Tamil, Russian, Mandarin/Cantonese, and German, and provides round-the-clock customer service and improved accessibility and convenience.
Furthermore, statistics from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) reveal a significant surge in tourist arrivals, exceeding 600,000 visitors in the first quarter of 2024. With the target returning to the pre-pandemic levels witnessed in 2018, Sri Lanka aims to achieve its target of 2.3 million visitors in 2024, adding to the 1.48 million arrivals recorded in 2023. The new eVisa platform acts as a catalyst to promote expanded travel, trade, and business prospects in Sri Lanka, complying with the government’s objective to boost economic growth through advanced tourism and international cooperation.
Additionally, Sri Lanka has also revised its visa fees. Accordingly, non-SAARC nationals will now pay $75 for a standard tourist visa, marking a 50 percent increase. SAARC country nationals will pay $35 for the same visa. However, nationals from Singapore, Maldives, Czechia, and Seychelles are exempt from this fee. Additionally, the fees for other tourist visa types have also been adjusted. Accordingly, a two-year multiple-entry tourist visa now costs $300, while a five-year and ten-year multiple-entry visa incurs fees of $500 and $1,000, respectively.
However, diplomats are exempt from these fees, as indicated by the official Sri Lanka eVisa website. Furthermore, an additional report also states that nationals of Indians, Russians, Malaysians, Chinese, Japanese, Thais, and Indonesians are also not subjected to these visa charges. Additionally, the cost of business visas have also been revised with SAARC nationals paying 35$ and other nationals paying 73$ for business visas. In a bid to streamline travel to Sri Lanka, the country aims to enhance convenience for travelers worldwide through this transition.
