Apply for Sri Lanka Visa

Select Your Country

Visa Type Visa Cost (USD) Service Fee (USD) Number Of Entries Max Stay Validity Action
Tourist ETA 37.00 49.00 Double 30 days 180 days
Business ETA 40.00 49.00 Double 30 days 180 days
Tourist ETA

37.00

49.00

Tourist ETA

Double

30 days

180 days

Business ETA

40.00

49.00

Business ETA

Double

30 days

180 days

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan eVisa is one kind of the Sri Lankan Visa issued completely online by the Government of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan eVisa is provided for non-Sri Lankan visitors who want to travel to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka ETA, an Electronic Travel Authorization was launched in January 2012 to simplify the process of applying for the Sri Lanka Travel Authorization. The ETA for Sri Lanka allows eligible citizens to enter and travel around Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka ETA grants a stay of up to 30 days from the date of arrival. Passports must be valid for at least six (6) months from the arrival date.

All You Need to Know about Obtaining a Visa for Sri Lanka

If you are keen to visit Sri Lanka, obtaining a Sri Lanka visa or some travel permit is necessary to enter this utterly diverse country. Boasting a rich cultural heritage and a vast array of well-kept natural landscapes, including 26 national parks and 2 marine parks, the country offers a plethora of activities to tourists. Don’t miss out on the chance to visit this magical country. All you need is to obtain a visa, which isn’t a complicated process at all. In this guide, you will get to know everything about Sri Lanka visas.

 

Types of Sri Lanka Visas

There are four broad categories of Sri Lankan visas, which permit you to enter and stay in Sri Lanka for a specific timeframe.


Visit Visa

A visit visa allows a traveller to enter and stay in Sri Lanka for a brief period for various purposes. There are two sub-categories of Visit Visa in Sri Lanka, including Tourist Visit Visa and Business Visa.

Tourist Visit Visa: 

It is issued to bonafide travellers who want to visit Sri Lanka for holiday and leisurely purposes. Such as if you want to enter the country for excursions, sightseeing, visiting relatives, relaxation/rejuvenation, and yoga training, you’ll select this visa category.

General Guidelines

  • The traveller cannot engage in paid or unpaid employment and trading when visiting Sri Lanka on a Tourist Visit Visa.
  • They cannot indulge in business and media-related activities other than what they have specified in their visa application.
  • The visa has to be utilised before its expiration date, as mentioned on the visa.
  • The traveller cannot enter the country before the date of arrival indicated on the approved visa.
  • The Department will approve any extension required in the visa expiration date of Immigration and Emigration. Candidates have to apply directly to this department.

 Business Purpose Visa:

A Business Purpose Visa is applied for when the purpose of your travel to Sri Lanka is a short-term business and trade-related activity. This visa could be issued as single or multiple entries, and the traveller can stay in the country for up to 30 days.

General Guidelines

  • The visa must be utilised before the expiration date as mentioned on the visa.
  • Any extension request in the visa validity period will be made to the Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka.
  • Travellers cannot enter Sri Lankan premises before the indicated entry period.


Residence Visa

As the name suggests, a residence visa allows a non-Sri Lankan to gain a permit and legal authorisation to reside in Sri Lanka. This visa is issued under particular circumstances. There are several categories of residence visas, including the following:

  • Employment
  • Investment
  • Religious Activities
  • Studying and Education
  • Family Members of a Sri Lankan

Applicants need to contact the Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration for further guidance. 


Visa for Journalists

Media personnel and journalists need to obtain a visa before visiting Sri Lanka on an assignment, such as covering a sports event or cultural activity. Apart from the visa application form, they will have to submit a list of equipment they intend to use on their trip to Sri Lanka. Journalists must apply for this visa well in advance because the embassy will get clearance from concerned authorities in Colombo before issuing the visa.


Transit Visa

It refers to an entry permit granted to a foreign citizen to enter the territories of Sri Lanka and stay for a brief period. Transit Visa is issued to travellers intending to enter another country via Sri Lanka. The applicant must indicate the period of stay and return travel information while applying for a Transit Visa.


Gratis Visa

Also called a diplomatic or official visa, Gratis Visa is issued to holders of an Official or Diplomatic passport who need to visit the country on official assignment or duties. This visa is offered free of charge.

 

Who Needs a Visa for Sri Lanka?

Everyone needs a visa before travelling to Sri Lanka. Without a visa, you won’t be allowed to enter the country. Getting a Sri Lanka visa is a pretty straightforward process as you can apply online for Electronic Travel Authorization (ATA) or get a visa on arrival (VoA) at the airport. Few nationalities need to apply for a Sri Lanka visa at an embassy since they aren’t eligible to apply for the ETA or VoA.

 

Documents Required for Sri Lankan eVisa Online / Visa on arrival / ETA / Invite letters

1- A recent digital photograph of the applicant.

2- Scanned color copies of your passport with minimum validity of up to 6 months.

3-Nationals of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria must hold return or onward tickets.

The requirements include:

  • The maximum stay limit is for up to 30 days from the date of arrival in Sri Lanka.
  • Applicants who want to make a business trip to Sri Lanka can apply for Business visa.
  • The tourist visa is issued for double entry and the business visa is issued for multiple entries.
  • The details on your visa application will be verified by DI&E (Department of Immigration & Emigration) of Sri Lanka.
  • The applicant cannot obtain a new ETA while being in Sri Lanka irrespective of whether the ETA is valid or expired.
  • Citizens of the Republic of Singapore, the Republic of Maldives and the Republic of Seychelles can visit Sri Lanka without a visa.
  • A passport valid for six months starting from the date of your arrival in Sri Lanka.
  • Sufficient financial means to afford your stay in Sri Lanka.
  • Proof that you will leave the county before the expiration of your stay period, such as a return ticket.
  • Necessary document(s) to prove the purpose of your travel, such as a letter of invitation from a company if you are travelling for business purposes.
  • If you want to apply for a residence visa or any long-term visa, you must apply through an embassy because ETA and VoA both will allow you to stay in Sri Lanka for a short period.


Sri Lanka Visa Application

Depending on your nationality, there are three methods to apply for a Sri Lanka visa. These include:

 On Arrival- This is free of charge visa given to citizens of a selected few countries. You can obtain this visa at the airport in Sri Lanka.

Through a Website- You can fill out an online application form and obtain a digital visa, also called the Electronic Visa/ETA. 

Embassy or Consulate- You’ll have to apply for the relevant visa through the nearest embassy or consulate for a long-term stay in Sri Lanka.

  1. Applying for a Sri Lanka Visa on Arrival

Citizens of the following countries can obtain a visa on arrival from any designated port of entry in Sri Lanka without paying any fee or charges. 

  • Maldives (Visa on arrival is issued for 30 days and extendable to 150 days)
  • Seychelles (Visa on arrival is issued for 60 days and can be extended for a maximum of 90 days in a year)
  • Singapore (Visa on arrival is issued for 30 days and could be extended to 150 days)
  1. Applying for a Sri Lanka Electronic Travel Authorization – ETA

Except for the nationalities required to apply for a visa through an embassy, travellers can apply for an electronic visa to Sri Lanka, called Electronic Travel Authorization. You can submit the application form from the comfort of your home after filling out personal and travel-related details and paying the visa fees. 

You can obtain an ETA within a few hours. Use any credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express) to pay the visa fees when applying. Provide a valid email ID in your application form because the ETA will arrive in your email inbox, which you can get printed and keep in your luggage to show the border control officials.

However, if you are part of a diplomatic mission, you are entitled to apply for an ETA via the Sri Lankan embassy or consulate in your country of residence. This process is similar to obtaining a regular embassy visa.

When you arrive at the airport or any other port of entry in Sri Lanka, along with the ETA, you will have to show your passport, with the required validity date, a confirmed return ticket, and proof of sufficient funds to the border control officials. 

ETA is generally issued for tourism and business purposes, and it is a short-term visa. If you intend to stay in Sri Lanka for a long time, seek employment or study in the country, please consult the embassy or consulate for further guidance. 

  1. Applying for a Visa at an Embassy

Here is the list of countries the citizens of which must obtain a visa via an embassy/consulate as they are ineligible to apply for an ETA or VoA.

  • Afghanistan
  • Cameroon
  • Republic of the Congo
  • The Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Cote d’Ivoire
  • Gabon
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Kenya
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Myanmar
  • Nigeria
  • North Korea
  • Pakistan
  • Sierra Leone
  • Sudan
  • Syria
  • Uganda

Application process

You can apply through an embassy just as quickly as you would apply online, and the only difference is that you have to contact and visit your nearest Sri Lankan embassy or consulate. After booking an appointment and identifying the support documents you will have to submit with the visa application, all you have to do is visit the embassy with your passport and other required documents. Once there, you will fill out the application form, pay the visa fee and submit all the documents. 

Your application will be forwarded to the Sri Lankan Department of Immigration & Emigration (DI&E), and they will issue a reference number. The embassy, within three business days, will duly notify you about the status of your application. If your application is approved, revisit the embassy to receive the passport with the visa. 

The nature of stay, such as single, double, or multiple entries, is determined according to your visa validity. Generally, a visa is valid for three months. Just like the case with ETA, when travelling with a sticker visa, please keep the stamped visa, your passport, a confirmed return ticket and proof of sufficient funds, e.g. bank statement, with you to show them to the immigration officials after you arrive in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Visa Validity

  • A Sri Lanka ETA has an initial validity period of 30 days, but it can be extended to up to six months after you arrive in Sri Lanka.
  • A Sri Lanka embassy visa will have an initial validity of 3 months and allows single-, double, or multiple entries to the traveller.
  • A Sri Lanka transit visa will be issued for 2 days.

Sri Lanka Visa Extension

Sri Lanka visa can be extended easily by applying to the Sri Lankan Department of Immigration’s Visa Section before your current visa expires. Also, you need to have a solid and valid reason to seek an extension on your visa. The maximum period for which your visa can be extended is six months. Here’s what you will need to extend the Sri Lanka visa validity period:

  • A passport valid for at least another six months.
  • A recent passport-size picture (colored, 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm)
  • Proof of financial stability to support your stay in Sri Lanka.
  • Proof that you will leave Sri Lanka before the visa extension expires (e.g. a flight ticket)

Sri Lanka Visa Processing Fees

An online visa to Sri Lanka or ETA can be obtained for:

  • US$ …. for a single/double-entry visa
  • US$ …… for a multiple-entry visa

There are no charges for a transit visa.

The ETA price would be higher if you decided to get it at the airport. Here’s the cost of obtaining an ETA at the airport.

  • US$ …. for single/double-entry visa
  • US$ …. for multiple-entry visa.

For Sri Lanka, sticker visas issued by the embassy/consulate are subject to change from country to country.

Entry-Exit Requirements

In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic that has gripped every country in the world since 2020, Sri Lanka has imposed certain entry/exit guidelines for travellers. As per the recent changes to the entry/exit requirements, only fully vaccinated tourists can stay in any type of accommodation in Sri Lanka without taking an on-arrival PCR test.

If the traveller is not fully vaccinated, as per the latest health guidelines issued by the Sri Lanka Health Ministry, the traveller will have to reserve a safe and secure certified Level o1 hotel for quarantining. Then they will have to seek approval from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) for staying at the level o1 hotel.

Visitors from Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Ghana intending to apply for ETA can also apply through a Sri Lankan Sponsor from the Department of Immigration & Emigration, Sri Lanka’s head office.

 

FAQs about Sri Lankan eVisa


 For long-stay, employment, or other visa inquiries, please reach out to the following embassies