Sri Lanka has confirmed that Indian passport holders will continue to enjoy fee-free entry in 2026 under its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme. High Commissioner Mahishini Colonne told reporters in New Delhi that the Cabinet has approved draft regulations to make the pilot—first rolled out in 2023—permanent and to widen it to 39 countries. Business Today outlined the details in a 17 April explainer aimed at Indian tourists and corporate travellers. Indians may obtain a no-cost double-entry ETA valid for 30 days, covering tourism, family visits and short business meetings. While the visa is free, travellers must still complete the online ETA form before departure or queue for a visa-on-arrival stamp at Bandaranaike International Airport. Extensions up to 270 days remain available for a fee in Colombo.
![Sri Lanka extends fee-free 30-day visas for Indian travellers through 2026]()
For travellers who would rather outsource the paperwork, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can submit the ETA application, monitor status changes and advise on post-arrival extension options—useful if you’re coordinating group travel or facing a tight departure deadline.
The incentive is part of Sri Lanka’s tourism-recovery roadmap after the 2022 economic crisis. India is already the island’s top source market, accounting for roughly 22 percent of arrivals in Q1 2026. Airlines have responded: IndiGo now operates more than 50 weekly flights, SriLankan Airlines serves ten Indian cities and low-cost carrier FitsAir will add an Ahmedabad–Colombo route on 15 May. For Indian companies, the waiver lowers costs for regional off-sites and client meetings and simplifies last-minute travel—no embassy visits, no service fees. Mobility teams should remind employees that a six-month passport validity, return ticket and proof of funds are still checked at the border and that carrying printouts of ETA approval can speed clearance. The move also dovetails with New Delhi’s efforts to negotiate mutual visa facilitation across South Asia; officials hinted that India may reciprocate with e-Visa fee discounts for Sri Lankan nationals later this year.
For travellers who would rather outsource the paperwork, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can submit the ETA application, monitor status changes and advise on post-arrival extension options—useful if you’re coordinating group travel or facing a tight departure deadline.
The incentive is part of Sri Lanka’s tourism-recovery roadmap after the 2022 economic crisis. India is already the island’s top source market, accounting for roughly 22 percent of arrivals in Q1 2026. Airlines have responded: IndiGo now operates more than 50 weekly flights, SriLankan Airlines serves ten Indian cities and low-cost carrier FitsAir will add an Ahmedabad–Colombo route on 15 May. For Indian companies, the waiver lowers costs for regional off-sites and client meetings and simplifies last-minute travel—no embassy visits, no service fees. Mobility teams should remind employees that a six-month passport validity, return ticket and proof of funds are still checked at the border and that carrying printouts of ETA approval can speed clearance. The move also dovetails with New Delhi’s efforts to negotiate mutual visa facilitation across South Asia; officials hinted that India may reciprocate with e-Visa fee discounts for Sri Lankan nationals later this year.
