KATHMANDU, Aug 22: The Sri Lankan government has announced a significant policy change, allowing citizens from 35 countries including Nepal to enter the country without a visa. This new visa-free entry policy will come into effect on October 1, 2024.

Sri Lanka's Minister for Foreign Affairs, M.U.M. Ali Sabry, shared the news on his X account on Wednesday evening, calling it the first step towards establishing a comprehensive visa-free regime. Replying to his X post, Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal has thanked Sri Lankan Foreign Minister for including Nepal in the list.

According to reports from the Sri Lankan media, the decision was finalized during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The visa-free policy will initially be implemented for a trial period of six months, according to Sri Lankan media reports.

The list of countries eligible for visa-free entry includes the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia, Denmark, Poland, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Nepal, China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, France, United States, Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Israel, Belarus, Iran, Sweden, South Korea, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and New Zealand.