Reopening Updates

We have collated the latest updates from credible industry sources to offer a single point of reference for reopening Sri Lanka.

Covid Tests Requirements

 

Reopening Sri Lanka for Tourism
Updated on 07th September 2021

Travel and Re-entry Rules to/from Sri Lanka for Selected Countries

Country allowed Allowed to travel to SL? Quarantine requirements upon returning to the country of origin
INDIA Allowed No quarantine if negative PCR on return
Find out more here
UNITED KINGDOM Yes
More info here
Fully vaccinated – no quarantine requirements
Non or partially-vaccinated – 10 days self-isolation upon return followed by PCR test.
Find out more here
CHINA Allowed 14 day quarantine upon return
Find out more here
GERMANY Allowed Fully vaccinated – no quarantine requirements

Non or partially-vaccinated – 5-day home quarantine upon return followed by PCR test.
Find out more here

AUSTRALIA Allowed Hotel quarantine for 14 days for anyone returning to Australia
Find out more
FRANCE Allowed Fully vaccinated – none

Not fully vaccinated – Home quarantine for 7 days
Find out more here Russian

RUSSIAN FEDERATION Allowed Home quarantine rules apply regionally
Find out more here
Russian gov updates on travel he reunited
UNITED STATES Allowed Up to 10 day home quarantine upon return
Find out more here
MALDIVES Allowed 14 day home quarantine upon return
Find out more here
CANADA Allowed Fully vaccinated citizens are allowed to reenter after essential/emergency travel.
Find out more here
NETHERLANDS Allowed Up to 10-day home quarantine
Find out more here
ITALY Allowed 10-day home quarantine upon return for travelers with exemptions
Find out more here
UKRAINE Allowed Fully vaccinated – no quarantine requirements

Non or partially vaccinated – 10 day home quarantine upon return Find out more here

JAPAN Allowed
Source
Quarantine for 3-days in quarantine hotel + home isolation for 14-days
Find out more here
SWITZERLAND Allowed No quarantine required upon re-entry
Find out more here
SPAIN Allowed Up to 10 day home quarantine upon return
Find out more here
SWEDEN Allowed Fully vaccinated – no quarantine requirements

Non or partially vaccinated/ – Up to 7 day home quarantine upon return
Find out more here

POLAND Allowed Fully vaccinated – no quarantine upon return

Non or partially vaccinated – 10 day home quarantine upon return
Find out more here

CZECH REPUBLIC Allowed Fully vaccinated – no quarantine upon return

Non or partially vaccinated – self isolation upon return
Find out more here

DENMARK Allowed Fully vaccinated – no quarantine upon return

Non or partially vaccinated – self isolation upon return
Find out more here

GCC COUNTRIES
DUBAI Allowed Fully vaccinated – PCR on arrival + quarantine for 7 days with PCR on day 6

Non or partially vaccinated – PCR on arrival + quarantine for 12 days with PCR test on day 11
Find out more here

Abu Dhabi Allowed Fully vaccinated – PCR on arrival + quarantine for 7 days with PCR on day 6

Non or partially vaccinated – PCR on arrival + quarantine for 10 days
Find out more here

Kuwait Allowed No quarantine for Kuwaiti nationals
Find out more here
KSA Allowed Fully vaccinated – no quarantine requirements

Non or partially vaccinated – home quarantine for 7 days
Find out more here

Bahrain Allowed Home quarantine for 10 days with PCR on arrival, 5th day & 10th day
Find out more here
Qatar Allowed Fully vaccinated – 2 day quarantine upon return

Non or partially vaccinated – PCR on arrival + quarantine for 10 days
Find out more here

Oman Allowed Fully vaccinated – no quarantine

Non or partially vaccinated – not clear
Find out more here

Sri Lanka Travel Advisory Info for Incoming Foreign Nationals

Important information for passengers travelling to Sri Lanka – covid updates
Travel restricted list of countries
Find out more
Travelers with a travel history (including transit) in the past 14 days to South American countries (14 countries) and South African countries (South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe) will not be permitted to disembark in Sri Lanka until further notice.
Information for foreign travelers arriving in Sri Lanka Find out more Carry a negative COVID-19 PCR test report in English language done within 72 hours prior to embarkation.
Obtain ETA
Carry vaccination card if ‘Fully Vaccinated’
Undergo On Arrival (Day One) Covid-19 PCR test from a Ministry of Health approved laboratory
Submit a completed Health Declaration Form
Quarantine is not required for fully vaccinated travelers if the On Arrival (Day One) Covid-19 PCR test report is negative.
After completion of formalities at the Airport, all travelers will be transferred to a hotel designated for quarantine or to a Safe & Secure Certified Level 1 Hotel.
If there are children below 18 years, they can be discharged with fully vaccinated parents by adhering to the following measures.
If fully vaccinated or completed quarantine, obtain “Discharge Document” and email the details to the Epidemiology Unit (chepid@sltnet.lk and samithag@hotmail.com) of the Ministry of Health.
Travelers who are not AND partially vaccinated are required to adhere to Ministry of Health directives issued on 7th July & 15th July 2021 by Director General of Health in adhering to quarantine requirements.

Traveling Under the Sri Lanka Tourism Bio-Bubble System

Tourism Travel Bio Bubble Arrival Protocol Information: Source
Tourism Bio Bubble applies to:
  • Applies to International Tourists visiting Sri Lanka under tourist visa and optional for dual citizens, valid resident visa holders, Sri Lankan citizens who opt to come under the tourism route irrespective of the vaccination status.
  • No prior approval required from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Civil Aviation Authority.
  • There is no minimum duration of stay in Sri Lanka. Source
  • All visas must be applied online. Visit www.eta.gov.lk
Before applying for visa ensure you have the following:
  • A pre-confirmed booking at a Level 1(L1) ‘Safe & Secure’ hotel for up to 14 days; depending on the duration of your stay.
  • Hotel booking could be made directly with the hotel or through travel Agent or OTA.
  • Visitors are allowed to move within L1 hotels and use all facilities of the hotel.
  • Please visit www.srilanka.travel/helloagain

 

Updated on 29th March 2021

Procedures for International Travellers Arriving in Sri Lanka Foreign Travellers can holiday in selected certified hotels under Sri Lanka Tourism’s Safe & Secure program. Visit www.srilanka.travel/helloagain/ for details of the wide selection of available hotels. Tourists can use all facilities of the hotel and visit specified popular tourist sites, however, they are not permitted to mix with the local community until a specified number of days have elapsed. Travellers can move between multiple certified hotels. All travellers need to have a negative PCR report when arriving in Sri Lanka. Travellers will be subject to two PCR tests during the certified hotel stay period. Fully Vaccinated Travellers – Seven Day Stay in Certified Hotel

Non-Vaccinated Travellers – 14 Day Stay in Certified Hotel

Source: Economy Next

Updated on 18th January 2021

As Sri Lanka prepares to reopen the country for tourism in January, here’s everything you need to know to be ready.It is mandatory for hotels to provide confirmed booking number (reference number) only after collecting funds for necessary PCR tests ($40 per PCR test and number of PCR tests depends on the duration of the stay) and insurance premium of $12 for a cover of $50,000 for one month.Following are the instructions you would need to give international tourists planning to visit Sri Lanka.

Source: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority
Health & Safety Etiquette for Hotels and Accommodation Providers – DownloadThings you need to know when preparing to welcome visitors (Tour Guides) – DownloadThings you need to know when prepping for your visit (Travellers) – DownloadFAQ – DownloadMore information can be found here.Source – Sri Lanka Tourism

Updated on 12th October 2020

Sri Lanka currently has no confirmed date for resuming tourism. Authorities are closely monitoring the on-ground situation and will make a decision as soon as they are able to. This space will be updated with new information whenever it is available.

At this point, local authorities have concluded that:

· Once Sri Lanka opens for tourism, citizens of all nations will be welcome.

· Comprehensive testing protocols will be followed prior to boarding a flight to Sri Lanka and upon entering the country.

· Guests will be required to visit the country for a minimum two week period, and stay at a single certified hotel.

· Guests who wish to remain in Sri Lanka for a longer period will be required to stay at a single certified hotel for a minimum 21 days prior to being able to travel around the island and stay at other certified hotels.

· Hotels that are open to foreign guests will not be permitted to welcome local guests at the same time, in order to minimise social interaction.

· Guests will not be permitted to leave the hotel premises during the mandatory 14 day or 21 day periods. They are welcome to move freely around the hotel premises and utilise all hotel facilities during this time.

· Guests will be required to download a mandatory software application when applying for an e-visa to Sri Lanka. This app will enable contact tracing in the event it is required for health and safety purposes.

· Guests will be required to pay a value of USD 35 as visa fees, and an additional USD 110 to cover costs of PCR testing and mandatory medical/COVID-19 insurance.

· In the event a guest tests positive for COVID-19, they will be treated at the KDU University Hospital.

Updated on 22nd September 2020

Update from the Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance : click here to view.

Updated on 29th June 2020

Tourism Alliance Take on Reopening of Airport for Tourism

Although August 1st was announced for tourist arrivals to resume, it is now pushed back by a month or so (date expected to be announced mid-July) as a cautionary measure to protect Sri Lanka’s competent handling of the pandemic, with just 11 deaths and no community transmission for the last two months.

The upsurge of cases globally and a number of Sri Lankans returning from overseas and testing positive (and quarantined immediately), has alarmed authorities. The opening for tourism has hence been pushed back, to also buy time to enhance capacity for testing on arrival.

Sri Lanka Tourism has published a comprehensive protocol which hotels will be certified for. Domestic tourism resumed at the beginning of June.

 

Update from THASL – June 2020

 

 

Sri Lanka Tourism issued an update on 06th June 2020 with opening guidelines

 

Who can visit?

All nationalities are welcome and all types of travellers whether groups, families, individuals.

Which airports will operate?

Bandaranaike International Airport [BIA], Colombo Ratmalana Airport [RMA] and Mattala Rajapaksa Hambantota Airport [MRIA] will be operating for tourist arrivals from Aug 1, 2020.

What are the visa procedures?

Information required for visa application

Where can I stay and is there a minimum duration?

Pre-departure COVID-19 PCR testing

A negative PCR test is required prior to boarding your flight and on arrival in Sri Lanka. The test should be no older than 72 hours prior to boarding.

On arrival in Sri Lanka

The airport will have high intensity sanitation measures in place for all areas and staff.

Moving around Sri Lanka

What is Sri Lanka’s status with COVID-19?

Being an island, and thanks to the proactive measures taken, Sri Lanka has been able to manage the spread of the virus. No active community clusters have been detected in the last 30 days within the country.

Alliance Take:

Although appearing inconvenient, there needed to be much negotiation with the health authorities to get the opening date approved. Practically, nearer the time, there will likely be improvements to the process. It is unlikely that tourists will rush in immediately Aug 1, but technically Sri Lanka is open, so travellers can start planning to come later. It sends the signal that we are safe to travel to, even if we may appear obsessed that travellers may have the virus.

We understand that the airport is planning to acquire high speed machines to reduce the test result wait time to 4-5 hours. We believe that travellers will also want the comfort (when planning a holiday) of knowing that the destination is being stringent at the outset in order to protect hard-won gains, with only 11 deaths and 300 locally transmitted cases. We understand that in some countries getting tested when asymptomatic is not possible, so an on arrival test may suffice, as is the procedure in some other destinations such as Alaska.

Updated on 06th June 2020

 

COVID-19 Status

 

Number of Cases

Imported cases – 605

Local cases

Total cases – 1801

Status

Recovered – 891

Active – 899

Deaths – 11

Last community transmission – 30th April 2020

Source: Ministry of Health