Sri Lanka Visa

All about the Sri Lanka ETA for Tourism, Business and Transit.

Over 97% Sri Lanka Electronic Travel Authorizations approved in less than a day

The Sri Lanka ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) was introduced to streamline the visa on arrival procedure. Most foreign citizens can now apply online for an ETA for Sri Lanka.

With an approved ETA, travellers can quickly obtain a Sri Lanka visa on arrival at the port of entry. As the traveller has provided all the required personal and passport details in advance, the visa can be granted without delay.

Sri Lanka ETA holders are issued with a 30-day short-stay visitor visa.

What is ETA for Sri Lanka?

The Sri Lanka ETA is an official Electronic Travel Authorisation. The ETA was introduced in 2012 to make the Sri Lanka visa on arrival process more efficient.

Eligible foreign passport holders coming for short stays are able to apply for the ETA for Sri Lanka through a simple online application. The form takes just a few minutes to complete and authorisations are often granted within minutes, some may take up to 48 hours.

The Sri Lanka ETA has a total validity of 6 months from the date of issue and allows a stay of up to 30 days in the country, for tourism, business or transit purposes. Those eligible for the ETA for Sri Lanka and who wish to stay longer have the option to renew the ETA for a stay of up to 6 months, once they are in the country and before the ETA Sri Lanka expires.

sri lanka visa

Who needs a visa or ETA for Sri Lanka?

Citizens of all countries travelling to Sri Lanka require a visa, with the exception of 3 visa-exempt countries (the Maldives, the Seychelles, and Singapore). Citizens of 21 countries are obliged to get a visa in advance from a Sri Lankan Embassy or Consulate in their country of residence, including Egypt, Syria, and Uganda.

All other foreign passport holders should apply for the Sri Lanka ETA online before travelling for tourism or business purposes. They will then be granted a visa at the port of entry.

Passport holders from all of the following countries are eligible to apply for the Sri Lanka ETA online:

sri lanka visa policy

United Kingdom
Germany
Japan
France
Bangladesh
India
United States
Norway
Denmark
United Arab Emirates
Italy
Pakistan
Netherlands
Australia
Canada
China
Russian Federation
Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire, St Eustatius & Saba
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Curacao
Czech Republic
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
Fiji
Finland
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Iran
Isle of Man
Israel
Jamaica
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Niue
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Oman
Palau
Palestinian Territory
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Cyprus
South Korea
Republic of Moldova
Reunion
Romania
Rwanda
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
St Kitts & Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
St Pierre & Miquelon
St Vincent & the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome & Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten (Dutch part)
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Spain
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard & Jan Mayen
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Thailand
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad & Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks & Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Republic of Tanzania
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands, British
Wallis & Futuna
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Travel to Sri Lanka with an ETA

Sri Lanka is a unique destination in South Asia: a tropical island with a rich cultural history and a huge range of both natural and man-made wonders to explore. In order to enjoy a stay in this diverse paradise, it’s first necessary for eligible passport holders to meet the Sri Lanka visa requirements before applying for the ETA.

These involve having a passport valid for 6 months upon entry to the country. A copy of the passport information page, a valid credit or debit card to pay the Sri Lanka ETA fee, and a current email address at which to receive the ETA for Sri Lanka are also all required.

To complete the ETA for Sri Lanka online form, applicants are required to provide basic personal information as well as the travel itinerary for the trip.

It’s important to double-check all the information entered on the Sri Lanka ETA form in order to avoid delays or rejection of the application. The entire application will only take minutes to complete, and upon approval, a copy of the Sri Lanka ETA should be printed and kept by the applicant to later present for entry at the Sri Lankan border.

During the application, it’s also necessary to select the purpose of the ETA for Sri Lanka, whether for a touristic, business or transit stay in the country.

Access to Sri Lanka ETA Application