Welcoming a record 2.3 million international visitors in 2025, the South Asian island nation of Sri Lanka is associated with everything from its tea fields and beaches to the scenic blue train from Colombo to Kandy.
In response to growing tourism interest, the Sri Lankan government has experimented with several visa programs over the last five years.
Although travelers from countries such as the U.S. and the United Kingdom previously needed to apply for short-stay tourist visas, this requirement was scrapped in favor of the electronic travel authorization in 2024.
The rollout was rocky, and after incidents of malfunctioning gates and periods of heavy congestion at the airport, travelers from many countries could enter Sri Lanka with only a passport throughout 2025.
Sri Lanka updates 2026 visa requirements to make online authorization free
The reworked entry requirements taking effect in May 2026 mean the electronic travel authorization will once again be required, but free, to citizens of 40 countries. Once approved, it will be valid for a single entry of up to 30 days.
Passports eligible for the online authorization include the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, and all the member countries of the European Union.
Related: Major airline to launch new route to Sri Lanka, more flights to three U.S. cities
The entry rules voted in by Sri Lanka’s parliament will stay in effect for a period of one year until May 2027 and are designed to drive tourism into the country at a loss of over $75 million USD in funds brought in to the government.
In a press call on the changes, Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala said the one-year period will help determine whether heightened tourism offsets losses from the scrapped ETA fees.
Sri Lanka currently aims to exceed three million international arrivals, and $317 million in revenue generated from them, by 2026.
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What else to know about Sri Lanka travel right now
Travelers who come from places not included on the list of visa-free countries, or those who are eligible but want to stay in Sri Lanka for longer, still need to apply for a traditional embassy visa that comes with the accompanying cost and extra documentation requirements.
Countries trying to grow their tourism industries, with Bolivia as a recent example, will generally loosen entry requirements for international travelers.
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Others, such as Thailand, have reversed previous courses and lowered the number of visa-free days after finding a spike in foreigners launching illegal businesses.
Amid growing tourism interest and demand in Sri Lanka, British flag carrier British Airways will start running a new route between London Gatwick (LGW) and Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) in October 2026.
Due to Sri Lanka’s smaller size and distance from this part of the world, there is currently no direct flight from the U.S. Travelers from North America will generally get there through a connection in either Dubai or an Indian city.
The country is also a popular destination for those on a wider tour of Asia.
Related: Thailand may crack down on visa-free access for Americans