Sri Lanka ranks 94th of 199 passports on the Henley Passport Index 2026, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 39 destinations. Singapore holds first place with 192.
Here is the list, followed by the traps that catch Sri Lankan travellers out.
Visa-free destinations
No visa needed before you travel, though airlines will still ask for a return ticket, proof of funds and sometimes a hotel booking.
| Destination | Permitted stay |
|---|---|
| Barbados | 6 months |
| Dominica | 6 months |
| Vanuatu | 120 days |
| Bahamas | 3 months |
| Grenada | 3 months |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 3 months |
| Haiti | 90 days |
| Kiribati | 90 days (within any 12 months) |
| Lesotho | 90 days |
| Venezuela | 90 days |
| Gambia | 90 days — entry clearance required in advance |
| Thailand | 60 days |
| Singapore | 30 days |
| Micronesia | 30 days |
| Rwanda | 30 days |
| Tajikistan | 30 days |
Territories and special cases: Cook Islands (31 days), Niue (30 days), Northern Cyprus, Transnistria (registration required after 24 hours), Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Montserrat also admit Sri Lankan passport holders without a visa.
Visa on arrival
You get the visa at the border, usually for a fee. Carry cash in USD — card facilities at immigration counters are unreliable.
| Destination | Permitted stay |
|---|---|
| Nepal | 90 days (online or on arrival) |
| Madagascar | 90 days (eVisa or on arrival) |
| Samoa | 90 days (entry permit on arrival) |
| Tanzania | 90 days (eVisa or on arrival) |
| Mauritius | 60 days |
| Liberia | 3 months (e-VOA) |
| Maldives | 30 days |
| Malawi | 30 days (eVisa or on arrival) |
| Sierra Leone | 30 days (eVisa or on arrival) |
| Timor-Leste | 30 days |
| Tuvalu | 1 month |
Electronic travel authorisation
Approval needed before departure, but the process is short and online.
| Destination | Permitted stay |
|---|---|
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 3 months (eTA) |
| Seychelles | 3 months (Electronic Border System, EUR 10) |
| Kenya | 90 days (eTA) |
Why the number differs depending on where you look
You will see wildly different totals quoted, and none of them is necessarily wrong — they count different things.
- Henley Passport Index: 39. Counts destinations reachable visa-free, with visa on arrival, or with an eTA. Ranks Sri Lanka 94th.
- Passport Index: 54. Uses a broader definition and includes destinations Henley leaves out.
- Lists claiming 42, 43 or more are usually older editions, or are counting eVisa destinations as though they were visa-free.
An eVisa is not visa-free travel. You apply in advance, you can be refused, and you should not book flights before approval. India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Iran, Qatar, the UAE, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Namibia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Serbia and Hong Kong all sit in this category for Sri Lankan passport holders. Useful, but plan for processing time.
Traps worth knowing
“Visa-free” with a condition attached. Gambia is the clearest example: listed as visa-free for 90 days, but you must get entry clearance from Gambian Immigration before arrival. Turning up without it is a wasted flight.
Territories are not countries. Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and Guernsey admit Sri Lankans without a visa, but reaching them usually means transiting the UK or the US — and the transit itself needs a visa you do not have. Check the whole route, not just the destination.
A Schengen visa can open doors. Several countries that normally require a visa will admit you on a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa. Serbia is the useful one: visa-free for 90 days if you hold a valid EU or US visa or residence permit.
Permitted stay is not residence. These are tourist entry limits. None grants a right to work, and overstaying damages future applications everywhere.
Rules change without notice. Confirm with the airline or the destination’s immigration authority before booking. Airlines check on departure and will refuse boarding if the paperwork is wrong.
Where you still need a visa in advance
No visa-free or visa-on-arrival access exists for Sri Lankan passport holders to:
- United States, Canada, United Kingdom
- Schengen Area and the wider European Union
- Australia and New Zealand
- China, Japan, Philippines, Bangladesh
Hong Kong requires an eVisa rather than a full visa, which makes it the most accessible of the major Asian financial centres.
Sri Lanka’s ranking in context
At 94th of 199, Sri Lanka sits well below the global middle. The gap is stark at the top: Singapore’s passport reaches 192 destinations, nearly five times Sri Lanka’s 39. At the bottom, Afghanistan reaches 24.
The practical consequence is that most business and study travel from Sri Lanka requires advance planning, application fees and the risk of refusal. The destinations that are open skew towards the Caribbean, the Pacific and parts of Africa, which are rarely where the business is.
Last verified: 3 August 2026 against the Henley Passport Index and the Henley Global Mobility Report, January 2026 for rankings, and Wikipedia’s maintained visa requirements table for per-destination conditions. Visa rules change frequently and this list will drift — treat it as a starting point and confirm each destination before booking.
