Kazakhstan to Sri Lanka

How this access rule is documented

1. May 25, 2026ETA

   43 named ordinary passports: fee-waived Tourist ETA

   From 25 May 2026, 40 named nationalities plus Maldives, Seychelles, and Singapore receive a fee-waived Tourist ETA. It remains an ETA requirement, not visa-free access.

   • The 40-country scheme expressly covers ordinary passports as well as diplomatic, official, and service passports. Singapore, Seychelles, and Maldives have reciprocal arrangements; ordinary Maldivian passports receive 90 days, while the other named free-ETA passports receive 30 days.
   • The free Tourist ETA permits double entry from first arrival within the 30-day validity period; on a second entry, only the balance of the 30 days is granted. A fee is due for an extension beyond 30 days.
   • The Department states that all foreign nationals, including the 40 fee-waiver nationalities and Maldives, Seychelles, and Singapore, require an ETA before arrival; this policy therefore does not treat a waived fee as visa-free entry.
   • Apply electronically through the official ETA portal. The ETA must be used to enter within three months of issue; tourist ETA is initially up to 30 days from arrival and may be extended up to six months.
   • At entry, ETA holders need a passport valid at least six months from arrival, a confirmed return ticket, and sufficient funds. ETA is not admission; false information, security/admissibility findings, or a referral can result in refusal.
   • ETA holders must not undertake paid or unpaid employment, trade, or business beyond the granted ETA purpose. Residence, work, longer stay, transit, crew, diplomatic, official, service, UN, special-document and diplomatic-mission rules are separate.
   • The official application page retains a limited BIA-only, additional-fee ETA-on-arrival facility for travellers without prior approval. It remains an approval-contingent airport fallback, not a nationality-wide visa-free rule; the published standard is ETA before travel.
   • A different live ETA subpage still says Singapore, Maldives, and Seychelles are ETA-exempt for short visits. The current Department notice and current ETA overview expressly say these same nationalities require ETA, so this policy follows the later current notice/overview and records the disagreement for review.

   Official sourcesDepartment of Immigration and Emigration: Special Notice to Short-Term Visitors: free Tourist Visa (ETA) for 40 countriesDepartment of Immigration and Emigration: Electronic Travel Authorization official overviewDepartment of Immigration and Emigration: How to submit an ETA applicationDepartment of Immigration and Emigration: ETA application terms and conditionsDepartment of Immigration and Emigration: ETA exemption page (conflicting live portal content)