Sri Lanka ranks 35th in global Welcoming Ranking

Passport Reports’ September data place Sri Lanka 35th among 199 countries in the Welcoming Ranking, while the Sri Lankan passport is ranked 170th globally (Sri Lanka Passport Ranking). Passport Reports, which prepares and publishes passport reports for 199 countries in 34 languages, records a Mobility Score of 53 and global access of 26.8% for Sri Lankan passport holders.

Of the 53 destinations counted in the mobility score, 16 are visa-free, 33 fall under visa-on-arrival or facilitated-entry arrangements, and 4 are in the eTA category. The report lists 145 destinations as visa required, and the three accessible categories together account for the Mobility Score of 53.

Within Asia, Sri Lanka ranks 40th among 50 passports and has 24.5% total access across the region, comprising 3 visa-free destinations and 9 in the arrival or facilitated category, while 37 Asian destinations require a visa. Among the regional breakdowns, the Caribbean records the highest total access at 50%, followed by Africa at 46.3%, Oceania at 42.9% and Central Asia at 40%. Europe, the Gulf countries and the Middle East each show 0.0% total access, with visas required for all 47 European, 6 Gulf and 17 Middle Eastern destinations in those groupings.

Visa-free destinations include Barbados and Dominica with stays of 180 days, Vanuatu at 120 days, and the Bahamas, Gambia, Grenada, Haiti, Kiribati, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Venezuela at 90 days. Singapore is listed as visa-free for 30 days with an arrival card, while Thailand is visa-free for 60 days with an arrival card. Micronesia, Rwanda and Tajikistan are listed at 30 days.

In the arrival or facilitated-entry category, India, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Burundi and Uzbekistan are among the destinations where eVisa is also available, with 30-day stays recorded for each. Nepal is listed at 150 days with eVisa also available, Vietnam at 90 days, the Maldives at 30 days and Mauritius at 60 days.

The four destinations in the eTA category are Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Seychelles. The report notes pre-registration for Côte d’Ivoire and tourist registration for Seychelles, with 90-day stays recorded for all four destinations.

For foreign passport holders entering Sri Lanka, the report’s visa requirements for entering Sri Lanka are reflected in a Welcoming Ranking of 35th among 199 countries. Reciprocity signals identify 135 countries whose passport holders can enter Sri Lanka visa-free, with electronic permission or on arrival while Sri Lankan passport holders require a visa for those countries. The reverse pattern is shown for five countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Nigeria, Uzbekistan and Tanzania.

Other contextual rankings place Sri Lanka 2nd of 2 in the Tamil official-language grouping, 15th of 16 among semi-presidential republics, 152nd of 159 WTO members, 53rd of 56 Commonwealth countries and 114th of 132 G77 countries.

Taken together, the September figures show a numerical contrast between inbound openness and outbound mobility: Sri Lanka is 35th in the Welcoming Ranking, while its passport is 170th globally with access to 53 destinations across the three mobility categories and 145 destinations requiring a visa.

Passport Reports ranks passports first by Mobility Score. Mobility Score is the total number of destinations accessible visa-free, through visa on arrival or other facilitated entry arrangements in the same access category, and through eTA. When Mobility Scores are equal, passports are compared first by Visa-Free access, then eTA, and then the On Arrival or corresponding facilitated-entry category. If all four values are identical, the passports share the same rank. (Source: Passport Reports)