Sri Lanka Travel Info: Complete Sri Lanka Tourist Visa Information

Looking for Visa Information and more details about the Sri Lanka Tourist Visa Egilibity and other visa-related issues? Here is the base information that will give you the answers to your question.

Any tourist visiting Sri Lanka from any country or territory except the exempted country must have to proceed with the Electronic Travel Authorization(ETA) prior to obtaining Sri Lanka Visa on Arrival. Travelers just need to hold the Passport with more than 6 months of validity and at least one blank page for visa stamp. Citizens of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, and Syria must hold the Return tickets as well.

Srilanka Free Visa on Arrival

Due to the reciprocal behaviors ( Reciprocity), the Government of Sri Lanka has exempt the following three countries from the requirement to obtain electronic Travel Authorization for Sri Lanka. They may obtain Sri Lanka Visa on arrival at any port to enter Sri Lanka without charges.

Country

On Arrival Visa Duration

ETA Requirement

Visa Fee

Visa Extension

Seychelles

60 Days

Not required

Free Visa

Up to 90 days in a single year

Maldives

30 Days

Not Required

Free Visa

Up to 150 days

Singapore

30 Days

Not Required

Free Visa

Up to 150 Days

Sri Lanka Electronic Travel Authorization

Nationals of any Countries require to obtain Visa in Advance or Visa On Arrival except the ETA exempted Countries must have to obtain Electronic Travel Authorization before getting Sri Lanka Tourist Visa. The travelers can also submit the online form at the airport but it is better to proceed early to avoid the long queue. Visa on arrival is valid for 30 days and extendable to up to 180 days.

Temporary ETA Fee Exemption

The government of Sri Lanka had announced the Visa Exemption to the citizen of some countries for a stay up to six months valid from 1st May 2019 and also planned to provide the facility to the SAARC countries as well as China Too. The program was suspended after the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter Bombing.

With few modified policies, the program was again implemented from August 1st, 2019 till April 30, 2020. The Citizens of the following Countries were exempt from the ETA processing fee;

  • European Union All European Union citizens
  •  Australia
  •  Cambodia
  •  Canada
  •  China
  •  Iceland
  •  India
  •  Indonesia
  •  Israel
  •  Japan
  •  Malaysia
  •  New Zealand
  •  Norway
  •  Philippines
  •  Russia
  •  Singapore*
  •  South Korea
  •  Switzerland
  •  Thailand
  •  Ukraine
  •  United Kingdom
  •  United States

Visa in Advance to Enter Sri Lanka

The nationals of the following nation must have to obtain Visa in Advance to approach Sri Lanka as a tourist. They have to obtain Visa In Advance(VIA) from the Sri Lankan Diplomatic Missions.

  •  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

Visa Requirement for Non-ordinary Passport

The holders of Non-Ordinary Passport; diplomatic, official, or service passports of the following countries can enter Sri Lanka without Visa.

Countries 

Diplomatic Passport

Official PAssport

Service Passport

Bangladesh

✔️

✔️

Belarus

✔️

✔️

Brazil

✔️

✔️

✔️

Chile

✔️

✔️

China

✔️

✔️

✔️

Cuba

✔️

Georgia

✔️

✔️

✔️

Hongkong

✔️

✔️

✔️

India

✔️

✔️

Indonesia

✔️

✔️

✔️

Iran

✔️

✔️

✔️

Kazakhstan

✔️

✔️

Kenya

✔️

✔️

Maldives

✔️

✔️

Myanmar

✔️

✔️

✔️

Nepal

✔️

✔️

Pakistan

✔️

✔️

Philippines

✔️

✔️

Romania

✔️

Russia

✔️

✔️

✔️

Seychelles

✔️

✔️

Singapore

✔️

✔️

Thailand

✔️

✔️

Vietnam

✔️

✔️

Remember, the government of Sri Lanka has done MOU with Ukraine to include Ukraine in the Exemption list for Diplomatic, or Official And Service Passports but is it still not implemented.

Sri Lanka Tourist Visa Fee

The Sri Lanka Tourist Visa Fees are variable for SAARCNAtional and Other nationals. For Saarc National the Tourist Visa Fee for either Single Entry up to 90 Days, Double entry for 30 Days, or Double Entry for 90 Days is US$20. While nationals Except SAARC have to pay US$35. The above fees apply to only those Electronic Travel Authorization applied in Srilankan Diplomatic Mission or before approaching Sri Lanka. If the ETA processed in the port of entry, the fee will be US$25 for SAARC National and US$40 for other Nationals 

Methods of ETA Processing

SAARC NAtionals

Other Nationals Except SAARC

By Applicant

US$20

US$35

By Third Party

US$20

US$35

At the Port of Entry

US$25

US$40

*Children of any Nationality under the age of 12 years are free of Visa Fee.