Travel Advisory – April 7, 2022
Reconsider travel to Sri Lanka due to COVID-19 and fuel and medicine shortages. Exercise increased caution in Sri Lanka due to terrorism.
Read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page before you plan any international travel. Visit the Embassy’s COVID-19 page for more information on COVID-19 and related restrictions and conditions in Sri Lanka.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice for Sri Lanka due to COVID-19, indicating a high level of COVID-19 in the country. Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized vaccine. Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC’s specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.
Sri Lanka is experiencing shortages of fuel and cooking gas as well as some medicines and essential food items, due to the ongoing economic situation in country. There have recently been protests over the economic situation and queues at gas stations, grocery stores, and some pharmacies. Protests have occurred throughout the country and have mostly been peaceful. In some instances, police have used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters. There have also been daily planned power outages across the island, as well as some unplanned power outages, as fuel for backup generators is increasingly scarce. Public transportation in some instances has been limited or curtailed. Travelers should monitor local media for updates on the ongoing situation.
Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, hospitals, and other public areas.
The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in remote areas.
Read the country information page.
If you decide to travel to Sri Lanka:
- See the U.S. Embassy’s web page regarding COVID-19.
- Visit the CDC’s webpage on Travel and COVID-19.
- Be aware of your surroundings when traveling to tourist locations and crowded public venues.
- Follow the instructions of local authorities.
- Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
- Review the Crime and Safety Report for Sri Lanka.
- U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
Last Update: Reissued with updates to fuel and medicine shortage information.
