Sri Lanka has withdrawn the recently introduced requirement for tourists to obtain Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before arrival. The Immigration Department said travellers can follow pre-October 15 visa procedures

Colombo: Tourists travelling to Sri Lanka are not required to obtain Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) prior to their arrival in the island nation, the authorities said.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration said in a statement on Thursday that it has withdrawn the requirement, which came into effect on October 15.

As per the new directive, all ETA and visa issuance services will continue to operate under the existing procedures until further notice. “Travellers may therefore apply for visas under the same process that existed before October 15,” the statement said.

India has been Sri Lanka’s biggest inbound tourism market for the last three months—July to September.