Sri Lanka Approves Free Visa Plan for 39 Countries — ETA Fee Waiver Awaits Parliament

On 1 April 2026, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa confirmed that Sri Lanka's Cabinet approved a proposal on 30 March to submit draft regulations to Parliament that would waive the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) fee for tourist visitors from 39 countries. The fee waiver would last for a six-month period and is designed to boost tourism arrivals.

Seven countries already benefit from free ETA access — China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, and Thailand. The new scheme would add 33 more countries to this list, bringing the total to 39-40 eligible nationalities.

Cabinet Spokesman Jayatissa disclosed the full list of eligible countries during the 1 April press briefing. The 39 countries span Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and North America. Notably, the UAE and most major nationalities represented in the UAE workforce are included.

Countries marked "already free" are the seven nationalities that currently receive free ETA access. The remaining 33 are new additions pending Parliamentary approval.

The announcement refers to a waiver of the ETA processing fee — not visa-free entry without an ETA. Travellers from eligible countries will still need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization through Sri Lanka's official portal at eta.gov.lk before travelling. The difference is that the fee (currently USD 50 for a 30-day tourist ETA) would be waived during the six-month promotional period.

The UAE is directly on the list, which means Emirati passport holders will benefit from the fee waiver once active. More significantly, the list includes India, Pakistan, Iran, China, and Nepal — nationalities that make up over 70% of the UAE's expatriate population.

Notable exclusions: Bangladeshi, Filipino, Egyptian, Nigerian, and Sri Lankan nationals living in the UAE are NOT on the list and will continue to pay the standard ETA fee.

The scheme has cleared the Cabinet stage but still requires two more steps before it becomes active. First, Parliament must approve the draft regulation submitted under the Immigration and Emigration Act. Second, the government must publish the regulation in the official gazette.

1. 1Cabinet approval — DONE (30 March 2026)
2. 2Draft regulation submitted to Parliament — IN PROGRESS
3. 3Parliamentary vote — PENDING (no date announced)
4. 4Government gazette publication — PENDING
5. 5ETA portal updated to show zero fee — PENDING
6. 6Fee waiver active for 6 months — PENDING

Based on previous parliamentary timelines, implementation could take anywhere from 2-8 weeks after the cabinet decision. OraVisa will update this page as soon as the gazette is published and the ETA portal reflects the change.

1. 1Continue applying for your ETA normally through eta.gov.lk and pay the standard fee. The waiver is NOT active yet.
2. 2Do NOT delay your Sri Lanka travel plans waiting for the free visa. The parliamentary timeline is uncertain.
3. 3Monitor the official Sri Lanka ETA portal (eta.gov.lk) — only when it shows a zero fee for your nationality is the scheme live.
4. 4If you have already paid for an ETA, there is no indication of retroactive refunds for fees paid before the waiver begins.
5. 5Bookmark this page — OraVisa will update it as soon as the scheme is officially activated.
6. 6For any questions about your specific situation, contact OraVisa for free guidance.

This update is based on publicly available information from Xinhua News Agency, Gazette.lk, and VisasNews reporting on Cabinet decisions made on 30 March 2026. The ETA fee waiver has been approved by Cabinet but has NOT yet been enacted by Parliament. Until the regulation is gazetted and the ETA portal updated, all standard visa fees and application requirements remain in effect. This analysis is provided for informational purposes to help UAE residents plan ahead. It does not constitute legal advice. For the latest official information, refer to the Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration at immigration.gov.lk and the ETA portal at eta.gov.lk.