Sri Lanka to Remove All COVID-19 Restrictions
Sri Lanka has removed all remaining COVID-related restrictions. International travelers no longer need to present any coronavirus documentation to enter the country.
Nor do they need to purchase insurance with coronavirus coverage. The restrictions were lifted as of Dec. 13th, 2022, and apply to all arrivals regardless of nationality.
The removal of additional restrictions, the Sri Lankan authorities believe, may boost tourism in the country, which has been severely affected by the prolonged pandemic.
No additional documents to present upon arrival in Sri Lanka may encourage more tourists to visit this island country in South Asia.
What is also worth noting, the removal of health requirements impacts all arrivals, whether vaccinated against COVID-19 or not.
The entry requirements are now the same regardless of the individual's vaccination status.
All travelers planning to travel to Sri Lanka must, however, still remember to follow standard immigration regulations, i.e., holding a proper visa for Sri Lanka.
COVID-19 regulations in Sri Lanka
Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, following other countries' governments, the Sri Lankan authorities implemented some additional entry requirements to prevent the further spread of the virus both across the country as well as beyond its borders.
Previosuly, passengers arriving in Sri Lanka had to provide one of the following documents:
- proof of COVID-19 vaccination
- certificate of negative PCR/antigen test
- proof of recovery
A person who was unable to present one of the above-mentioned documents had to undertake COVID-19 testing upon arrival in Sri Lanka.
As of 13th Dec., none of these documents is longer mandatory. Moreover, there is no on-arrival testing procedure.
Testing positive when staying in Sri Lanka
Previously, travelers were subject to a 14-day quarantine upon arrival in the country, even those who presented a negative test certificate.
Currently, an individual is subject to a 7-day quarantine which must be undertaken at a private hospital. It applies only to passengers being tested positive for coronavirus when staying in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Health Declaration
The previous entry requirements also included completing the Health Declaration Form. The declaration had to be submitted within 48 hours prior to the planned entry to the country.
The form was available completely online and required a traveler to provide some essential health, personal, and travel-related details.
After completing the form, one received a unique QR code, which was then verified upon crossing the Sri Lanka border. This requirement has also been removed.
Other documents required for entry to Sri Lanka
Although Sri Lanka's Government lifted the requirement to present COVID-19 documents, travelers must still remember to familiarize themselves with standard entry requirements, including obtaining a visa for Sri Lanka (except for nationals of Singapore, the Maldives, and Seychelles).
Fortunately, the majority of countries of the world can apply for Electronic Travel Authorization instead of bothering themselves with embassy appointments and applying for a regular visa.
The ETA Sri Lanka is a double-entry permit enabling a 30-day tourism or business-related stay, or a 2-day transit stop in the country.
Nationals of eligible countries can complete the ETA application in a few simple steps without even leaving their homes. The approved document will then be sent directly to the email inbox.
