Americans must receive a digital access permit to fly to this trendy Asian country

Participate in a trend that seems to be conquering the world, Sri Lanka Is the next country that tightens the rules for Americans.

An island nation in South Asia, famous for its lush jungle, unspoilt coastline embraced by Azure Seas and vast capital, Colombo, a lively melting pot of cultures with Indian, British and Dutch influences, Sri Lanka has risen in popularity among travelers.

However, if you are an American passport holder and you will visit from 15 October, you must receive a digital access permit before leaving the house; Otherwise you were not allowed to get on board your flight, let alone Sri Lanka:

Insight into the complex visa rules of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has never been known exactly to have an uncomplicated visa system. From e-visas to e-visas on arrival to regularly visa issued by the consulate, there were plenty of options at hand, but somehow it never made it easier for visiting tourists.

Those who fly to Sri Lanka had to be Stay informed of changes in the regulations Daily, and this year not much has changed.

Although it was announced in July that the Sri Lankan government had in fact deleted e-visa costs for foreigners and would make it fewer bureaucratic for them to travel to Sri Lanka, they now seem to be noticed A complete 180.

Not only will the reimbursement be maintained, at least for the time being, but starting this fall, Americans (and any other tourist, regardless of nationality) will no longer be eligible to fly to Sri Lanka without obtaining prior authorization.

Introduction of the new Sri Lankan ETA

As confirmed by various Sri Lankan embassies, including those in Paris, Jakarta and Ankara, travelers on their way to the South Asian nation must now request an electronic travel authorization (ETA) ahead From departure.

Although they are not described as such, ETAs are effective digital visas: In countries that enforce them, and recent examples are the United Kingdom and Saint Kitts and Nevis, you will not be eligible to travel until you have been ‘ETA approved’.

Getting an ETA is usually involved Fill in an online formWhere you have to answer a series of personal and security questions, upload a photo of your passport and pay a fee. The reimbursement varies enormously between countries, ranging from $ 21 in the UK to a more biting $ 68 in New Zealand.

With regard to Sri Lanka, despite their promise of an exemption from the reimbursement, we are still not sure whether the new mandatory ETA will incur additional costs. At the moment it is safe to assume that it will do that.

At present, citizens of only 7 countries are exempt from paying compensation to enter Sri Lanka: China, India, Russia, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan – as you can see, Americans are not part of the select group.

How to get the Sri Lankan ETA

The new Sri Lankan ETA can be obtained through the official Sri Lankan ETA website, and currently the reimbursement is $ 50 for a double input permit. The process is the following:

• Access to the official website on eta.gov.lk
• Fill in the online form (this can include uploading a photo of your passport)
• Pay the fee of $ 50
• Wait for the confirmation email within a few minutes or hours.

In addition to the ETA, your American passport must have There is still at least 6 months validity left From your date of departure from Sri Lanka, and at least one full empty page for input and exit stamps.

The Sri Lankan ETA is valid for 6 months from the date of issue, so you have 180 days to enter the country after you have obtained it, and it gives you a stay of a maximum of 30 days. If you plan to stay longer, you have the option to expand the visa through local immigration offices.

So far this year Sri Lanka has hosted More than 1.7 million tourists. 150,000 foreign participants were registered in September alone.

This marks the best first semester in the country in terms of tourist appointments, and if the trend were to continue, it will possibly exceed 2018’s highest height of 2.3 million in a year.