Sri Lanka visas may become free for Kazakhstanis

Tengrinews.kz - Sri Lanka may temporarily waive visa fees for citizens of 40 countries, including Kazakhstan. This follows a decision by the country's parliament, which approved new regulations under the Immigrants and Emigrants Act on May 7, 2024, citing the VisasNews.

The proposal involves a one-year program offering free 30-day tourist visas. However, the system currently remains unchanged: the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) can still only be processed after payment. Sri Lankan authorities have yet to announce an official launch date for the new rules.

What will change

According to media reports, the program is part of a broader initiative to support the tourism industry. Authorities anticipate that waiving visa fees will attract an additional 247,000 tourists and generate over $300 million for the economy through domestic traveler spending.

The list of countries slated for the visa fee waiver includes Kazakhstan, Russia, China, India, the UK, the USA, Germany, France, South Korea, the UAE, and dozens of others. Previously, a fee-free scheme was already in place for citizens of seven countries: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, and Thailand.

It is important to note that this is not a full visa-free regime. Even after the new rules take effect, travelers will still be required to obtain an ETA. The changes apply only to the visa fee; the application process and pre-travel registration remain mandatory.

As explained by Ananda Wijepala, Sri Lanka's Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, maintaining the ETA system is necessary for security reasons. Entry will continue to be monitored despite the removal of the fee.

When it will take effect

We reached out to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Russia to clarify whether the system has already been implemented for Kazakhstani citizens. The diplomatic mission stated that they have not yet received official notification regarding the program's launch.

"At this time, the Embassy has not received official notification of the visa fee waiver for 40 countries, including Kazakhstan, and the eta.gov.lk website continues to process visas on a paid basis. Once official confirmation is received, the information will be published in the visa section of the Embassy website," the letter stated.

The Embassy also issued a specific warning: if a tourist pays for a visa now and the new rules come into force the following day, no refunds will be issued.

Current cost of a Sri Lankan visa

Currently, for citizens of most countries, including Kazakhstan, a standard 30-day tourist ETA costs $50 (approximately 24,000 tenge) when applied for online, and $60 (approximately 29,000 tenge) upon arrival at the airport.

As stated on the ETA website, the authorization has been mandatory for short-term visits to Sri Lanka since 2012. It is initially issued for 30 days and can be extended from within the country if necessary.

Essential information for tourists

Tourists should keep in mind that the fee-free regime is not yet officially active. The ETA system continues to accept paid applications, and Sri Lankan authorities have not specified a start date for the new regulations. Travelers planning a trip in the near future are advised to closely monitor updates on the official ETA website and Embassy resources.

As a reminder, Sri Lanka has recently tightened certain rules: since February, foreigners have been prohibited from importing cigarettes. Previously, travelers were allowed to bring in up to 200 cigarettes per person.