In order to travel to Sri Lanka, the majority of foreign passport holders are required to submit a Sri Lanka ETA application or otherwise get a visa on arrival. The only visa-exempt countries are the Maldives, Seychelles, and Singapore. All other foreign citizens need a Sri Lankan visa relevant to the purpose and duration of their stay.
Citizens of 21 countries (including Egypt, Syria, and Uganda) are required to apply for a Sri Lankan visa in advance at an embassy or consulate in their country of residence.
All other foreign passport holders staying for up to 30 days should complete a Sri Lanka ETA application before travelling.
With a valid passport and approved official Sri Lanka Travel Authorization, foreign visitors are issued with a 30-day short-stay visa at the port of entry.
The Sri Lanka visa is valid for tourism or business, or a 2-day stay for transit purposes, and can also be extended after arrival in the country. The ETA for Sri Lanka has a total validity of 6 months from the date of issue.
In order to apply for ETA Sri Lanka, visitors must meet the Sri Lanka ETA requirements, which involve having:
Applicants can then fill out the simple online Sri Lankan ETA registration, which will only take minutes to complete. Those not eligible for the Sri Lanka online ETA application process are required to apply for a visa at a Sri Lankan Embassy or Consulate, whether for a Sri Lanka Tourist Visa, the Sri Lanka Business Visa, or another visa type.
In order to complete the online Sri Lankan ETA application form, it’s necessary to provida a range of personal and passport information including:
Applicants will also be asked to select the purpose of the trip to Sri Lanka and the intended date of entry.
Before submitting the Sri Lankan ETA application, it’s essential to double-check all the data entered on the form in order to avoid any delays in receiving the travel authorization for Sri Lanka or rejection of the visa on arrival. The passport number must match that of the document the applicant will later use to travel to Sri Lanka.
Applicants will then need to enter credit or debit card details and confirm payment of the ETA fee before the ETA application Sri Lanka can be submitted.
After completing the Sri Lanka ETA registration, it will take around 24 hours to process the travel authorization. However, the applicant should apply at least a couple of working days in advance of travel to allow for any delays in processing. Applicants will receive any notifications by email.
If the date of the intended travel is later than 6 months from the date of visa approval, then the Sri Lanka ETA will be sent prior to the trip taking into consideration the arrival date.
If the Sri Lanka Electronic Travel Authorisation application process is successful, the applicant will receive the approved ETA for Sri Lanka via email. The traveller should then print a copy of the Sri Lanka ETA to present at border control upon arrival and keep on their person while travelling in the country.
Upon arrival at the border, it’s also required to supply the passport and the following supporting documentation to guarantee entry into Sri Lanka:
Once in Sri Lanka, it’s possible for travellers to extend the visa by visiting the Department of Immigration offices.