Sri Lanka Is Now Offering Free One-Month Visas on Arrival

In an attempt to boost its tourism industry after the Easter bomb attacks that killed over 250 people including 42 foreign nationals, Sri Lanka is giving free 30-day visas on arrival to tourists and visitors on business from 48 countries.

This new measure started on August 1, and will be reviewed after six months. According to USA Today, Sri Lankan authorities previously charged between $20 and $35 for one-month tourist visas and required applications online, at embassies, or consulates.

Citizens from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, European Union nations, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and Russia are among the nations included in the measure.

According to Reuters, tourism in Sri Lanka was down 13.4 percent for the first half of 2019.