Sri Lankan authorities said that foreign nationals and dual citizens holding foreign passports would no longer be required to obtain approval from the local Civil Aviation Authority and the Foreign Ministry to arrive in the country following the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Xinhua news agency, reported that in a new circular amending the quarantine measures for travellers arriving from overseas during the pandemic, stated that the requirement to obtain approval from these two institutions for foreign nationals and dual citizens to arrive in the country had been cancelled with immediate effect, The guideline came into effect last year when Sri Lanka was facing a rise in Covid-19 cases, making it mandatory for all arrivals to undergo a 14-day quarantine in a government centre or paid facility. Health authorities said as the Covid-19 spread caused by the highly contagious Delta variant was now easing across the nation, several guidelines were now relaxed including opening the country for tourism under strict health rules. This included wearing facemasks, maintaining social distance, and maintaining hand hygiene.