Indian Passport Holder: Good News! This country will provide visa-free entry to Indians for 60 days from October 1 – List of all visa-free countries for Indians

 

Sri Lanka will offer visa-free entry to Indian citizens starting October 1, 2024 for a period of six months. This is part of a larger initiative to offer visa-free entry to citizens of 35 countries. The full list of countries includes

Great news for Indians planning to visit Sri Lanka! Starting October 1, 2024, Sri Lanka will offer visa-free entry to citizens from 35 countries, including India, the UK, and the US. This visa-free access will be available for six months, according to Minister of Tourism Harin Fernando, as reported by PTI.

This decision follows a Supreme Court interim order on August 2 that suspended the e-visa services provided by IVS-GBS and VFS Global. Previously, Indians could apply for an e-visa or use a visa on arrival since the free visa extension ended on May 31, 2024. With the suspension of the e-visa service, Indians can now use the visa-on-arrival option until October 1.

Currently, the visa fee for Indians is $50, or about Rs 4,197.

Who Will Benefit?

Citizens from numerous countries, including India, the UK, China, the US, and Germany, will be able to travel to Sri Lanka without a visa. The full list of visa-free countries includes the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia, Denmark, Poland, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Nepal, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, France, Canada, the Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Israel, Belarus, Iran, Sweden, South Korea, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and New Zealand.

What Is Visa-Free Travel?

Visa-free travel allows you to enter a country without needing to obtain a visa beforehand. This simplifies travel by avoiding complex visa processes and saving on visa fees. Typically, you only need a passport to pass through customs in visa-free countries. However, some countries might require additional documents, such as proof of onward travel or payment of an airport tax.

Sri Lanka’s Efforts to Attract Indian Travelers

Indians have been the largest group of visitors to Sri Lanka, making up 20% of the total arrivals in 2023. The new visa-free policy is expected to further increase this number. In October 2023, Sri Lanka waived visa fees for tourists from India and six other countries, a policy extended until May 31, 2024. Minister Harin Fernando has been actively promoting Sri Lanka through roadshows in India to attract more visitors.

In 2024, Sri Lanka welcomed 246,922 Indian tourists, with 123,992 visitors from the UK. The introduction of visa-free travel is a crucial step in revitalizing Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, which has struggled since the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. The country earned $1.5 billion from tourism in the first half of 2024, up from $875 million during the same period in 2023, according to the central bank.

List of Visa-Free Countries for Indian Nationals

  • Sri Lanka: 30 days
  • Angola: 30 days
  • Barbados: 90 days
  • Bhutan: 14 days
  • Dominica: 180 days
  • El Salvador: 90 days
  • Fiji: 120 days
  • Gambia: 90 days
  • Grenada: 90 days
  • Haiti: 90 days
  • Iran: 15 days
  • Jamaica: 90 days
  • Kazakhstan: 14 days
  • Kiribati: 90 days
  • Macao: 30 days
  • Malaysia: 30 days
  • Mauritius: 90 days
  • Micronesia: 30 days
  • Nepal: 90 days
  • Palestinian Territories: 30 days
  • Rwanda: 30 days
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis: 90 days
  • Senegal: 90 days
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines: 90 days
  • Thailand: 30 days
  • Trinidad and Tobago: 90 days
  • Vanuatu: 30 days

Entry Requirements for Visa-Free Countries

  • A valid passport
  • Maximum duration of stay
  • Proof of return or onward ticket
  • Proof of sufficient funds
  • Proof of accommodation
  • Travel/medical insurance
  • Criminal record check
  • Customs and declarations

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Senior Citizen Train Ticket Discount: Government has issued a new statement regarding giving discount to senior citizens on train tickets, know the details here

Image
  Senior Citizen Train Ticket Discount: Once again a demand has been made in the Lok Sabha to give discount to senior citizens on train tickets. Senior Citizen Train Ticket Discount:  Railways has withdrawn the discount given to senior citizens on train tickets since the Corona period. However, from time to time there has been a demand to restore this concession given to senior citizens in trains. Even in the winter session of the Lok Sabha, some members raised the demand for increasing fare concessions and facilities for senior citizens traveling in trains. However, even before this, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has told in the Lok Sabha that during the train journey, every passenger is given an average subsidy of 53 percent on the train ticket. Apart from this, he also told who gets discount on tickets while traveling by train. Demand for discount in train tickets raised again During Zero Hour in the House, Janata Dal (United) MP Kaushalendra Kumar said that before the Corona ep
Read more

Cash Transaction Rules: Income tax rules on cash transaction between Husband-Wife and Son-Father, know rules

Image
  Cash Transaction Rules: Income tax keeps an eye on our every transaction. But is there any tax on cash transactions or can Income Tax send a notice? Or how much cash transaction can take place between you and your wife or between father and son? If you also have these questions in your mind, then let us know their answers… If you also transact money between father and son or between husband and wife, then this news is useful for you. Actually, every transaction of ours has an eye on income. In such a situation, a question arises in the minds of many people whether income tax notice can be received even on cash transactions? Let us know how much cash transaction you can do in your family. Income tax sends notice? According to tax experts, if you give money every month for household expenses or give money as a gift, then the wife is not liable for income tax. Both these types of amounts will be considered as the income of the husband. The wife will not receive any notice from the Incom
Read more

Have a Current/Savings Bank Account? Know the Cash Deposit Limits under Income Tax Act to avoid Penalties and Notices

Image
  Adhering to cash deposit and withdrawal limits is crucial to remain compliant with the Income Tax Act in India. This article aims to elucidate the various facets of cash-related regulations, encompassing savings and current accounts, fixed deposits, credit card bill payments, real estate transactions, and more.  Cash Deposit Limits in Savings and Current Accounts The Indian Income Tax Act imposes specific regulations on significant cash deposits in savings accounts. Individuals accumulating INR 10 lakh or more during a fiscal year must notify tax authorities.  For current accounts, this threshold is set higher at INR 50 lakh. Although not immediately taxed, financial institutions report transactions exceeding these limits.  Cash Withdrawal and TDS under Section 194N  Section 194N outlines TDS rules for cash withdrawals. A 2% TDS is levied on withdrawals exceeding INR 1 crore within a fiscal year. Non-filers face a 2% TDS on withdrawals over INR 20 lakh and a 5% TDS on amounts exceedi
Read more