Sri Lanka has waived visa fees for 40 countries: Russia is on the list, but Ukraine is not
27 May 12:23
The Sri Lankan government has officially launched a new large-scale program to boost tourism. Starting May 25, 2026, citizens of 40 designated countries can apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for up to 30 days without paying a visa fee. Official confirmation and a full list of countries have been published on Sri Lanka’s official immigration portal, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
The website states that starting May 25, 2026, citizens of 40 countries are eligible to receive a tourist ETA free of charge for a period of up to 30 days.
The list of countries for which Sri Lanka has waived the tourist permit fee includes European Union member states, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, India, and the aggressor country Russia.
What exactly has Sri Lanka changed?
This is not a complete abolition of entry formalities, but rather the elimination of the fee for processing a tourist ETA for citizens of certain countries.
Tourists from these countries must still apply for an electronic permit before their trip, but they will not have to pay the standard visa fee. According to the official ETA portal, a 30-day tourist visa is provided free of charge for citizens of 40 countries, while the fee continues to apply to all other nationalities.
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In other words, the new scheme does not mean a completely “visa-free” regime in the traditional sense. It means that for certain countries, the ETA tourist permit has become free of charge.
The list of countries eligible for free tourist visas includes European Union member states, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, India, as well as the aggressor state Russia (listed as number 30 in the official roster).
Ukraine is not on this list.
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How much will Ukrainians have to pay
This means that entry requirements for Ukrainian citizens remain unchanged. To visit the island for tourism purposes, Ukrainians will still need to apply for a standard ETA and pay the full visa fee, which currently stands at $50.
Meanwhile, Russian citizens will receive a similar 30-day permit with the option of two entries completely free of charge.
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The Sri Lankan government’s decision has sparked a wave of outrage on social media among Ukrainian travelers. Some Ukrainians are calling for a boycott of this tourist destination.
For many travelers, this is not just a matter of the visa fee, but also a political and moral statement. After all, this is a situation where citizens of an aggressor country receive preferential tourist treatment, while Ukrainians continue to pay the standard fee.
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