Sri Lanka e-Visa or ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) system was introduced in 2012 to make visiting Sri Lanka easier.
An e-Visa for Sri Lanka comes in three types, all available for eligible travellers online after completing the intuitive application process.
Travellers can use their approved Sri Lanka e-Visa to visit Sri Lanka for up to 30 days for either leisure or business reasons, or for a short 2-day transit stay if they plan on taking a layover through Vietnam.
The e-Visa application should be submitted no later than 3 business days to allow for the needed processing time. Once approved by the Sri Lankan Immigration and Emigration Department, the issued e-Visa will be delivered to the applicant’s email inbox in PDF form.
Who needs an e-Visa for Sri Lanka
Travellers from the following countries may submit a Sri Lanka e-Visa application:
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla (UK)
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba (NL)
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Virgin Islands (UK)
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands (UK)
Central African Republic
Chad
Channel Islands (UK)
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini (Swaziland)
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands (Malvinas) (DK)
Fiji
Finland
France
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Gibraltar (UK)
Glorioso Islands (FR)
Greece
Greenland (DK)
Grenada
Guadeloupe (FR)
Guam (US)
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong (SAR)
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man (UK)
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Jan Mayen (NO)
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kiribati
Korea, South
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau (SAR)
Macedonia (North)
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique (FR)
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte (FR)
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat (UK)
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Navassa Island (US)
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles (NL)
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Niue (NZ)
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paracel Islands (CN)
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands (UK)
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico (US)
Qatar
Reunion (FR)
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Helena (UK)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
Suriname
Svalbard (NL)
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau (NZ)
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands (UK)
Tuvalu
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City (Holy See)
Venezuela
Vietnam
Wake Island (US)
Wallis and Futuna (FR)
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Check if your home country is listed above before starting the Sri Lanka e-Visa application process.
Types of Sri Lanka e-Visa
Sri Lanka e-Visa comes in three types that differ in terms of the purpose of the visit and the length of stay allowed.
Eligible travellers can choose from:
a tourist e-Visa
a business e-Visa
a transit e-Visa
The tourist and business Sri Lanka e-Visa operates as a double-entry travel authorization that allows a total of 30 days spent in Sri Lanka, while the transit e-Visa is issued as a 2-day travel authorization for layover purposes.
Sri Lanka e-Visa Requirements
The only document required for completing the Sri Lanka e-Visa application process is a valid passport.
Please note that your passport must remain valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of entering Sri Lanka for your e-Visa application to get approved.
Check the validity of your document before applying for the Sri Lanka e-Visa online and renew it if necessary.
Validity of Sri Lanka e-Visa
Sri Lanka e-Visa stays effective for six months from the day it’s been issued.
The validity period is six months long, no matter the Sri Lanka e-Visa type selected.
Please note! The length of the stay allowed differs between the tourist/business and transit Sri Lanka e-Visa. The tourist and business e-Visa allow its holders to visit Sri Lanka for a total of 30 days, while the transit e-Visa makes it possible to take a 2-day layover visit.
How to apply online for the Sri Lanka e-Visa
Applying for the Sri Lanka e-Visa consists of three simple steps, all taking place online. Now, with your valid passport on hand, complete the application process by:
Providing the required details into the online application form – fill out the application form with the needed information, such as your basic personal details, contact information, passport data, and details of the planned stay in Sri Lanka.
Covering the Sri Lanka e-Visa issuing fee – choose any preferred method of online payment to cover the Sri Lanka e-Visa fees.
Checking your email inbox for the approved document – the processed e-Visa for Sri Lanka will get delivered directly to your email inbox in the form of a PDF file.
TIP! The best way to avoid any delays or issues with approval is to double-check the completed application form before submitting it for processing since all the details provided must be correct.
How to Use Your e-Visa in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka e-Visa, once approved, links directly to the traveller’s passport, meaning that it does not need to be printed out for the planned trip.
The approved document allows a stay of either 30 or 2 days in Sri Lanka while travellers can choose between a visits relating to:
leisure – taking vacation, exploring the Sri Lankan tourist attractions, making friends and family visits
business – taking a business trip to Sri Lanka, attending business meetings, events, trade fairs, seminars, and conferences
transit – taking a layover trip through Sri Lanka while reaching another country
