Sri Lanka Grants Free Visa Access to 35 Countries Including India

Sri Lanka will provide free visa access to 35 countries, including India, starting October 1. This move is seen as a step towards a visa-free regime, aiming to boost tourism. The decision comes ahead of the presidential polls, with political dynamics in flux as major parties announce their candidates.

Sri Lanka has announced that it will offer free visa access to visitors from 35 countries, including India, beginning October 1, the Daily Mirror reported. The information was confirmed by Harin Fernando, an advisor to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Tourism.

The list of eligible countries also includes major nations such as the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Israel, New Zealand, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, and Australia. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry hailed the decision as the first step towards a broader visa-free regime.

'First steps towards a visa-free regime!' proclaimed Sabry in a post on X. He also shared data indicating a rise in the number of tourists to Sri Lanka. Tourism numbers dropped significantly during the pandemic but have since rebounded, with 1,487,303 tourists arriving in 2023 so far.

Sabry expressed optimism about achieving pre-Covid tourism levels, stating, 'We are well on course to achieve the pre-Covid level. @SriLanka can - Sri Lanka will!' This development comes as the nation prepares for presidential elections on September 21, with incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party contesting.

Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the eighth President of Sri Lanka in July 2022 after Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned. While Wickremesinghe has announced his candidacy, the SLPP, led by the Rajapaksa family, has decided to field its own candidate.

(With inputs from agencies.)