Sri Lanka is now once again welcoming fully vaccinated travellers from India.
Indian travellers who have received both the doses of a approved COVID-19 vaccine and arriving from India (including transit) after two weeks of the vaccination will be allowed into the island nation. Any vaccination type accepted by the country of origin is acceptable.
Note that non-vaccinated or partially-vaccinated travellers are not permitted under the new rule. Additionally, travellers arriving from India who have recovered from COVID-19 and have taken one dose of vaccine will be considered as ‘fully vaccinated’.
An official document on Sri Lanka Tourism’s website states:
These travellers should present a valid document certifying Covid-19 illness (in English) and departed between 28 – 90 days from the date of positive Covid-19 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT). Such travellers should arrive after getting at least a single dose of Astra Zeneca/ Pfizer BioNTech/ Moderna/ Johnson and Johnson vaccine or any other recommended single dose Covid-19 vaccine and the vaccination certificate should indicate that the vaccination course has been completed following the administration of one dose. This vaccine should be given 14 days after the positive NAAT and 14 days before departure. This certificate should contain the name of the person, dates and names of the positive NAAT.
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Travellers should have a valid tourist visa before boarding the flight. All visas must be applied online on eta.gov.lk.
Before applying for a visa, travellers should make sure to have a pre-paid booking at an ‘L1 Safe and Secure’ three-star or above category hotel for the first two days until the on-arrival PCR test is performed and a pre-paid booking at three-star or above category hotel/s for the rest of stay.
Hotel bookings can be made directly with the hotel or through ‘Safe and Secure’ certified travel agent or OTAs’. Visit srilanka.travel/helloagain for more information.
The on-arrival RT-PCR test is performed at your ‘L1 Safe and Secure’ three star or above category hotel and upon a negative test report, travellers can leave the bio-bubble.
The respective hotel doctor or hotel management will issue a ‘Discharge Document’ upon verifying the status of vaccination and RT-PCR test results. Unvaccinated children aged between 2 and 18 years are allowed to leave the bio-bubble with fully vaccinated parents upon a negative on arrival (Day 1) RT-PCR test.
Travellers will need to pay for the mandatory COVID-19 local travel insurance cover at US$ 12 for a policy of US$ 50,000 up to a period of 1 month (including children below 2 years).
Travellers will also need to pay for the on-arrival RT-PCR test (US$ 40 per PCR test). Children below two years are exempted from PCR tests. However, if the parents/guardians develop symptoms or result in positive PCR test reports, children will undergo PCR tests.
What do you think of Sri Lanka reopening to fully vaccinated travellers from India? Let me know in the comments section below.
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