Entry requirements for Sri Lanka depend primarily on the nationality of the passport you travel on. Most tourists are required to hold an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) issued by the Department of Immigration and Emigration before arrival, and with effect from 25 May 2026 nationals of 40 selected countries can obtain a 30-day tourist ETA free of charge, subject to the official conditions. Here is how the process works in practice. Last verified: 10 August 2026.
Important — always check the official source
Important: Sri Lankan visa and ETA requirements, eligibility and fees may change. Travelers should always verify the latest requirements with the Sri Lanka Department of Immigration & Emigration or the official ETA service before traveling.
The official sources are the Department of Immigration and Emigration (immigration.gov.lk) and the official ETA service (eta.gov.lk). Nothing in this article replaces the official notice that applies to your nationality on your travel date. Last verified: 10 August 2026.
Requirements depend on your passport nationality
There is no single rule that applies to everyone. Eligibility, the visa category available to you, the duration granted and any fee are determined by the nationality of your passport — not by where you live or work. Two people travelling together from the same city can face different requirements if they hold different passports.
Some nationalities fall under the free tourist ETA arrangement described below; others apply under the standard fee-paying arrangements; and separate bilateral arrangements apply to certain countries. Check your own passport nationality on eta.gov.lk before you assume anything.
Free 30-day tourist ETA for 40 countries (from 25 May 2026)
With effect from 25 May 2026, the Department of Immigration and Emigration lists 40 countries whose nationals are eligible for a tourist visa (ETA) free of charge for a period of 30 days, subject to the published conditions. The published list includes, among others, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, the UAE, the United Kingdom and the United States. The official notice, with the full list and its conditions, is published on immigration.gov.lk.
Being on the list does not remove the requirement to hold an ETA — eligible nationals still apply in advance, the fee is simply waived. The published list and its conditions can be revised at any time, so check the current notice on immigration.gov.lk before you apply.
If a fee applies to your nationality
There is no single universal ETA fee, and we deliberately do not quote one here. Charges depend on nationality, visa category, duration and application method, and they are revised from time to time.
Check the fee schedule published on eta.gov.lk for your own passport before paying anything. Third-party 'visa service' websites often rank highly in search results and add their own service charge on top of the official amount — applying directly on the government site avoids that markup.
Processing time
Many applicants report approval by email within a few hours, but processing time is not guaranteed and some applications are referred for manual checks that take longer.
Apply at least a week before departure so there is room to correct an error or respond to a query.
Common rejection and delay reasons
A passport with less than six months' validity remaining; a name spelled differently from the passport machine-readable zone; and applying under the wrong category — for example a transit ETA when you intend to leave the airport.
Double-check every field against your passport before submitting or paying.
The standard online ETA application normally does not require passport copies, documents or photographs. Travelers should follow any additional instructions issued by the Department of Immigration and Emigration.
On arrival
Save the ETA approval as a PDF and keep a printed copy — immigration officers sometimes ask for it even though the system is electronic. You will normally also be asked for an address in Sri Lanka (your first hotel is fine) and evidence of onward or return travel.
Extension of a short-visit ETA is handled by the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo; rules and fees for extensions are also subject to change.
Prices, fees and schedules — last verified August 2026
Last verified: August 2026. Entrance tickets, national park and safari fees, train fares and timetables, visa and ETA charges, opening hours, exchange rates and travel regulations in Sri Lanka are set by the relevant authorities and are revised from time to time.
Every price, duration and schedule in this guide is indicative and subject to change. Please confirm current details with the official source — the Department of Immigration and Emigration for visas and ETA, Sri Lanka Railways for train times and reservations, the Central Cultural Fund for heritage-site tickets and the Department of Wildlife Conservation for national parks — or message our team for an up-to-date quote.
Visa sorted? Message us and we'll pick you up at CMB with a name board and a cold bottle of water.
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