All visitors to Sri Lanka must obtain a visa, either on arrival to Sri Lanka or in advance. Most visitors entering for tourism purposes are required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) in order to receive a visa on arrival, unless they are exempt from obtaining one.[1] However, nationals of some countries must obtain a visa in advance instead of an ETA before being allowed to enter Sri Lanka. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.[2]

Visa policy map

Visa policy of Sri Lanka
  Sri Lanka
  Gratis visa on arrival - 60 days (maximum 90 days within any 1 year)
  Gratis visa on arrival - 30 days
  Gratis electronic travel authorization - 30 days
  Electronic travel authorization (visa on arrival) - 30 days
  Visa on arrival - 30 days
  Visa required in advance
  Admission refused

Gratis visa

On the basis of reciprocity, citizens of the following countries need neither a prior visa nor an ETA to enter Sri Lanka, as a gratis visa is granted automatically upon arrival for up to the duration listed below:[1][3]

  •  Maldives (30 days, extendable up to 180 days)
  •  Seychelles (60 days, up to 90 days per calendar year)
  •  Singapore (30 days, extendable up to 180 days)[4]

Gratis electronic travel authorization

From 24 October 2023 to 31 March 2024, citizens of the following seven countries are eligible for a gratis visa for tourism purposes only, valid for a maximum stay of 30 days.[5]

To qualify for the gratis visa, they must apply for a free electronic travel authorization, either on arrival or online.[6][7]

Non-ordinary passports

Holders of diplomatic, official, service or special passports of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Sri Lanka, as they are automatically granted a gratis visa upon arrival in Sri Lanka for the following period, depending on nationality:[3][8]

D — diplomatic passports
O — official passports
S — service passports
Sp — special passports
PA — passports endorsed for "public affairs"
1 - 90 days.
2 - 30 days.
3 - 60 days during one trip, but no more than 90 days within any 1 year-period.
4 - 90 days within any 180-day period.
5 - 30 days within any 60-day period.

Electronic travel authorization

Citizens of most other countries except the ETA-exempt countries and countries whose citizens require a visa in advance may obtain an ETA either on arrival to Sri Lanka or online;[1] however, visitors are encouraged to obtain the ETA online in order to avoid lengthy delays at the port of entry.[9] Holders of an ETA can then obtain a visa on arrival by presenting their ETA and passport to a Sri Lankan immigration officer.[1] A visa obtained on arrival is valid for 30 days, but can be extended up to 180 days.[1] Business purpose ETAs can only be obtained from one of the Sri Lankan diplomatic missions around the world, as well as the head office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration.[1][2]

ETA restrictions

ETA applications lodged by citizens of  Pakistan are required to be subject to additional processing by the Department of Immigration and Emigration.[10]

Visa on arrival

Citizens of the following countries and territories are ineligible to obtain an electronic travel authorization, but may obtain a visa on arrival in Sri Lanka.[2] When obtaining a visa on arrival, they must provide a passport photo and fill in additional paperwork, such as a "Declaration of Identity for Visa Purpose", in order to be granted the visa.[11]

Visa required in advance

Citizens of the following 6 countries are ineligible to apply for both an ETA and a visa on arrival independently,[2] and thus must obtain a visa in advance from one of the Sri Lankan diplomatic missions around the world:[10]

* - May apply for an ETA at the head office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration through a Sri Lankan sponsor.[10]

Entry restrictions

Citizens of the following 7 countries are specifically required to hold return or onward tickets in order to enter Sri Lanka:[2]

North Korea

In addition, citizens of  North Korea are refused entry and transit, unless they have been approved or cleared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to enter or transit in Sri Lanka.[2]

Statistics

Most visitors arriving to Sri Lanka on a short-term basis in 2018 were from the following countries:[13][14]
Rank Country 2016 2017 2018
1 India356,729 384,628424,887
2 China[15]271,577 268,952265,965
3 United Kingdom188,159 201,879254,176
4 Germany133,275 130,227156,888
5 Australia74,496 81,281110,928
6 France96,440 97,282106,449
7 Maldives95,167 79,37176,108
8 United States54,254 57,47975,308
9 Russia58,176 59,19165,497
10 Netherlands41,373 51,14857,160
Total Foreign Arrivals2,050,832 2,116,4072,333,796

See also

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Sri Lanka.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Online Visa Application". www.eta.gov.lk. Department of Immigration and Emigration. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Visa fee".
  4. ↑ "Sri Lanka - Travel Page". www.mfa.gov.sg.
  5. ↑ "Free Tourist Visa for Seven Nationals".
  6. ↑ "Free visa to be rolled out to boost tourist arrivals".
  7. ↑ "Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka Twitter".
  8. ↑ "Diplomatic & Official Visits".
  9. ↑ "Sri Lanka". travel.state.gov. Archived from the original on 2014-03-30.
  10. 1 2 3 "Applicant Information". eta.gov.lk. Department of Immigration and Emigration. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  11. ↑ "外交部領事事務局全球資訊網". 外交部領事事務局 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan). 10 July 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  12. ↑ See below in entry restrictions (North Korea)
  13. ↑ TOURIST ARRIVALS BY COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE 2016
  14. ↑ Tourist Arrivals by Region - December 2016 & December October 2018
  15. ↑ Including Hong Kong and Macau.


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