Sri Lanka eases quarantine rules for fully vaccinated travellers

The Director General of Health Services has issued a new set of quarantine measures for travellers arriving in the country from overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic.Accordingly Fully vaccinated travelers can now visit Sri Lanka from Thursday (July 8) with only one-day in quarantine until on-arrival PCR tests are cleared.

According to the circular published Wednesday (7), Sri Lankan Citizens, including Sri Lankan Seafarers arriving by air or Dual Citizens (if using the Sri Lankan passport to arrive), do not need to get the prior approval from the Foreign Ministry and Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka to arrive in Sri Lanka. 

Upon arrival, passengers have the option to request a quarantine hotel or a government-run quarantine facility.

However all travellers arriving in Sri Lanka should mandatorily carry a negative COVID-19 PCR test report in English language done within 72 hours prior to embarkation. 

Travellers who have received the recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccine are required to carry the original vaccination certificate / card or a verifiable evidence of vaccination.

If the recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccination are completed and departs from abroad two weeks after completion of vaccination, they will be considered as “Fully Vaccinated”. 

No further quarantine is necessary for fully vaccinated travellers if the On Arrival (Day One) PCR test report is negative, the DG of Health Services said.  But they have to conduct a PCR test on Day 7 after arriving in Sri Lanka from a Ministry of Health approved laboratory.

Quarantine measures for travellers who have not received COVID-19 vaccination or have not completed the recommended doses of vaccination or have departed from abroad within less than two weeks of completion of recommended doses of vaccination have to mandatorily quarantine until completion of 14 days after arrival in Sri Lanka, if the On Arrival (Day One) PCR report is negative.

Folowing is the circular issued by the Ministry of Health