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Administrative entry restrictions From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Visa requirements for Sri Lankan citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Sri Lanka.
As of 2024, Sri Lankan citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 44 countries and territories, ranking the Sri Lankan passport 97th in the world according to the Henley Passport Index.[1] This has hampered the ability of Sri Lankan business people to travel and connect with peers and maintain a globally competitive outlook.[2]
Although Sri Lanka is a middle-income country, successive Sri Lankan governments have made little or no efforts to improve the standing of the passport.[3][4] The Sri Lankan passport continues to rank in the bottom 10% of Henley's Annual Passport Rankings.[5] Considering the extent of the Sri Lankan diaspora, a passport with wider access to the world could contribute to a more competitive and future-ready society.[6]
Sri Lanka has limited personal or business contacts with the ASEAN, a region with which it shares significant historical and cultural relations. Within the SAARC region, the Sri Lankan government has made little effort to encourage religious tourism from countries such as Nepal and Bhutan.[7] Sri Lanka and Thailand have signed a Free Trade Agreement in February 2024, and agreed to enable visa-free travel.[8]
Sri Lankans are unable to travel to Hong Kong, China, Indonesia and the Philippines, four of the world's most important markets, without a complex visa application process with a hefty visa fee.[9] The inability to access the financial markets of Hong Kong has been especially detrimental to the growth of businesses in Sri Lanka.[10]
Despite demands from citizens and civil society groups, Sri Lanka has largely been unsuccessful in expanding visa-free travel for its citizens.[11] The Sri Lankan government has been able to negotiate visa-free travel to numerous countries for diplomatic and official passport holders, effectively developing a 2-tiered system that benefits state officials and politicians over ordinary citizens.[12][13][14][15] Likewise, the Sri Lankan state spends millions on maintaining an extensive diplomatic service, which is said to bring little or no benefits to its citizens.[citation needed]
In July 2024, Sri Lanka announced it will issue biometric passports to its citizens in order to address the poor standing of the passport.[16]
Most recently, Sri Lanka signed a visa waiver for diplomatic and official passport holders with Cambodia.[17] The Sri Lankan state has made statements from time to time that it wishes to enhance links within the Indian Ocean littoral but has largely struggled to convert these statements into reality.[18] In 2023, the Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickramasinghe noted that Sri Lanka had applied for membership in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and is actively seeking to establish trade relations with countries in ASEAN.[19]
Country | Visa requirement | Allowed stay | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
---|---|---|---|
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Visa required[20] | ||
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eVisa[21][22] |
| |
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Visa required[23] | ||
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Visa required[24] |
| |
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Visa required[25] | ||
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eVisa[26][27] | ||
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Visa required[28] | ||
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Visa required[29] | ||
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Online Visa required[30][31] |
| |
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Visa required[32] | ||
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eVisa[33][34] | 30 days | |
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Visa not required[35] | 3 months | |
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eVisa / Visa on arrival[36] | 14 days |
|
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Visa required[37] | ||
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Visa not required[38] | 6 months | |
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Visa required[39] | ||
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Visa required[40] | ||
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Visa required[41] |
| |
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eVisa[42][43] | 30 days |
|
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eVisa[44][45] | ||
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Online Visa / Visa on arrival[46] | 30 days[47] | |
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Visa required[48] |
| |
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eVisa[50][51] | 3 months | |
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Visa required[52] | ||
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Visa required[53] | ||
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Visa required[54] |
| |
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eVisa[55][56] | ||
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Visa on arrival[57] | 1 month |
|
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eVisa / Visa on arrival[59][60] | 30 days | |
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eVisa[61][62] | ||
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Visa required[63] | ||
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Visa on arrival[64] | ||
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Visa required[65] | ||
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Visa required[66] | ||
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Visa required[67] | ||
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Visa required[68] |
| |
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Online Visa[70][71] | ||
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Visa on arrival[72] | 45 days | |
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Visa required[73] | ||
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eVisa[74][75] | 7 days | |
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Visa required[76] | ||
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eVisa[77][78] | 3 months |
|
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Visa required[79] |
| |
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Visa required[80] | ||
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Visa required[81] | ||
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Visa required[82] | ||
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Visa required[83] | ||
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eVisa[84][85] | 90 days | |
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Visa not required[86] | 6 months | |
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Visa required[87] | ||
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Visa required[88] | ||
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Visa required[89] | ||
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Visa required[90] | ||
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eVisa[91][92] | ||
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Visa required[93] | ||
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Visa required[94] | ||
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Visa required[95] | ||
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eVisa[96][97] | 90 days |
|
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Visa required[98] | ||
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Visa required[99] | ||
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Visa required[100] | ||
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eVisa[101][102] |
| |
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Visa not required[103] | 90 days |
|
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Visa required[105][106] |
| |
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Visa required[107] | ||
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Visa required[108] | ||
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Visa required[109] | ||
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Visa not required[110] | 3 months | |
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Visa required[111] | ||
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eVisa[112][113] | 90 days | |
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Visa on arrival[114] | 90 days | |
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Visa required[115] | ||
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Visa not required[116] | 90 days | |
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Visa required[117] | ||
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Visa required[118] | ||
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Visa required[119] | ||
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eVisa[120][121] | 30 days | |
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Visa required[122] | ||
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eVisa[123][124] | 30 days | |
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Visa required[125] | ||
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Visa required[126] |
| |
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Visa required[128] | ||
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Visa required[129] | ||
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Visa required[130] | ||
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Visa required[131] | ||
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Visa required[132] | ||
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eVisa[133][134] | ||
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Electronic Travel Authorisation[135][136] | 90 days |
|
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Visa not required[137] | 90 days |
|
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Visa required[138] | ||
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Visa required[139] |
| |
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Visa required[140] |
| |
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eVisa[141][142] | 60 days | |
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eVisa / Visa on arrival[143][144] | 30 days | |
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Visa required[145] | ||
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Visa required[146] |
| |
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Visa not required[147] | 90 days | |
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Visa required[148] | ||
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eVisa[149][150] | ||
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Visa required[151] | ||
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Visa required[152] | ||
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Visa required[153] | ||
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Visa on arrival[154] | 60 days | |
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Visa not required[155] | 30 days | |
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eVisa[156][157] | 30 days | |
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Free visa on arrival[158] | 30 days | |
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Visa required[159] | ||
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Visa required[160] | ||
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Visa required[161] | ||
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Visa on arrival[162] |
| |
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Visa on arrival[163] | 60 days[164] | |
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Visa required[165] |
| |
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Visa not required[166] | 30 days | |
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Visa required[167] |
| |
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Visa required[169] | ||
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Visa required[170] | ||
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Visa required[171] |
| |
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Visa required[172] | ||
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eVisa[173][174] | 30 days |
|
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eVisa[175][176] | 28 days |
|
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Visa required[177] | ||
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Visa required[178] | ||
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Online Visa / Visa on arrival[179] | 90 days[180] | |
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Visa required[181] | ||
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Online Visa required[182] |
| |
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Visa required[184] | ||
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Visa required[185] | ||
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eVisa[186][187] | 90 days | |
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Visa required[188] |
| |
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Visa required[189] | ||
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Visa required[190] |
| |
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ETA / Online Visa[191][192] | 30 days / 3 months | |
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Free visa on arrival[196] | 30 days | |
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Visa required[197] | ||
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eVisa[198][199] | 60 days |
|
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Visa required[200] | ||
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Visa required[201] | ||
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Visa required[202] | ||
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Visa required[203] | ||
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Visa required[204] | ||
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eVisa[205][206] |
| |
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Visa required[207] |
| |
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Visa required[208] | ||
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Visa not required[209] | 30 days | |
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Visa not required[210] | 3 months | |
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Visa required[211] | ||
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Visa not required[212] | 3 month | |
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Visa not required[213] | 60 days | |
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Visa required[214] | ||
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eVisa[215][216] | ||
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Visa required[217] | ||
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Visa required[218] | ||
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Visa required[219] |
| |
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Electronic Border System[220][221] | 3 months |
|
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Free visa on arrival[222] | 30 days | |
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Visa not required[223] | 30 days | |
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Visa required[224] | ||
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Visa required[225] | ||
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Visa required[226] | ||
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Visa on arrival[227] | 30 days |
|
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Visa required[228] | ||
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eVisa[229][230] |
| |
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Visa required[231] | ||
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Visa required[232] | ||
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eVisa[233][234] | ||
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Visa required[235] | ||
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Visa required[236] | ||
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Visa required[237] | ||
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Visa not required[238][239] | 30 days | |
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Visa required[240] | ||
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Visa not required[241] | 60 days | |
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Visa on arrival[242] | 30 days | |
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eVisa[243][244] | 15 days | |
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Visa required[245] | ||
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Visa required[246] | ||
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Visa required[247] | ||
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Visa required[248] |
| |
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Visa required[249] | ||
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Visa on arrival[250] | 1 month | |
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eVisa[251][252] | 3 months | |
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Visa required[253] | ||
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Visa required[254] |
| |
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Visa required[256] | ||
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Visa required[257] | ||
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Visa required[258] | ||
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eVisa[259][260] | 30 days |
|
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Visa not required[262] | 30 days | |
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Visa required[263] | ||
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Visa not required[264] | 90 days |
|
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eVisa[265][266] |
| |
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Visa required[267] | ||
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eVisa[268][269] | 90 days | |
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eVisa[270][271] | 3 months |
Countries | Conditions of access | Notes |
---|---|---|
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Visa required[272] | |
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Visa required[273] | Do not need a visa—a holder of a valid biometric residence permit issued by one of the Schengen member states or a valid multi-entry Schengen Visa, a holder of a valid Laissez-Passer issued by United Nations Organizations, NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe or European Union a holder of a valid travel documents issued by EU Member and Schengen States, United States of America, Canada, Australia and Japan based on the 1951 Convention on Refugee Status or the 1954 Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons, as well as holders of valid travel documents for foreigners (maximum 15 days stay).[274] |
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Visa not required[275] | |
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Visa required[276] | Arrival by sea to Gaza Strip not allowed.[277] |
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Undefined visa regime in the Western Sahara controlled territory. | |
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Visa on arrival | 30 days for US$30, payable on arrival.[278][279] |
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Visa not required[280] | Multiple-entry visa to Russia and three-day prior notification are required to enter South Ossetia.[281][282] |
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Visa required[283][284] | |
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Visa not required[285] | Registration required after 24 hours.[286][287] |
Country | Conditions of access | Notes |
---|---|---|
China | ||
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eVisa[288] | |
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Visa required[289][290] | |
Denmark | ||
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Visa required | |
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Visa required | |
Netherlands | ||
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Visa required[291] | |
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Visa required[292] | Includes Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba |
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Visa required[293] | |
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Visa required[294] | |
France | ||
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Visa required[295] | |
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Visa required[296] | |
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Visa required[297] | Includes overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique and overseas collectivities of Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy |
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Visa required[298] | |
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Visa required[299] | |
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Visa required[300] | |
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Visa required[301] | |
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Visa required | |
New Zealand | ||
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Visa not required[302] | 31 days |
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Visa not required[303] | 30 days |
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Visa required[304] | |
United Kingdom | ||
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Visa required[305] | |
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Visa not required[306] | |
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Visa not required[307] | |
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Visa not required[308] | |
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Visa required[309] | |
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Visa required[310] | Visa exemptions for holders of a valid UK multiple-entry visa or EU family residence permit |
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Visa not required | |
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Visa required[311] | |
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Visa required[312] | |
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Visa not required[313] | |
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eVisa[314] |
Many countries require passport validity of no less than 6 months and one or two blank pages.[315]
Visitors holding an Israeli passport or any passports showing evidence of travelling to Israel are not allowed to enter some countries due to the Arab League boycott of Israel. Some Arab League countries refuse entry to travelers whose passport shows evidence of entry into Israel or hold an unused Israeli visa.
Some countries (e.g., Canada and the United States[316]) routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record.
Many countries require the passport presented to have a minimum number (generally one or two) blank pages.[317] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted toward the minimum number.
The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning their entry into that country. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity. Attempts to enter the Gaza Strip by sea may attract a 10-year ban on entering Israel.[318]
Several countries including Afghanistan, Argentina, Cambodia, China (applies for ages 14 to 70), Japan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan and the United States demand all passengers to be fingerprinted on arrival.[319][320][321][322][323][324][325]
Additionally, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar conduct iris scanning on arrival and on visitors that need to apply for a UAE visa.[326][327]
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