Sri Lanka Visa and ETA: How to Apply

Use the official site, and only the official site

The Sri Lankan government issues ETAs through eta.gov.lk. That is the only official channel.

A large number of commercial sites rank highly in search results for "Sri Lanka visa" and look official. They are agents: they take your details, submit the same application, and charge two to four times the government fee for it. Some are simply scams. Others are legitimate but unnecessary.

Check the domain before entering passport details or paying. If it is not eta.gov.lk, you are paying someone to fill in a form you could complete in ten minutes.

Applying step by step

The process is straightforward and takes about ten minutes with your passport in front of you.

• —Go to eta.gov.lk and select the tourist ETA application.
• —Enter your personal details exactly as they appear in your passport — spelling, order of names and passport number must match precisely.
• —Enter your passport number, issue and expiry dates. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date.
• —Provide your arrival date, flight details if known, and an address in Sri Lanka — your first hotel is fine, and we supply this on confirmed bookings.
• —Pay the fee by card. Keep the confirmation email and reference number.
• —Wait for the approval email, usually within 24–48 hours. Print it or save it offline; some airlines ask to see it at check-in.

Cost, validity and extensions

Fees are set by the Sri Lankan government and have been revised several times in recent years, including periods when short-stay ETAs were waived for certain nationalities. Treat any figure quoted online — this page included — as indicative, and confirm the current fee on eta.gov.lk when you apply.

As a general guide, a 30-day tourist ETA has typically cost in the region of $35–$50, with children often charged less and some nationalities exempt. The standard tourist ETA allows double entry within 30 days of arrival.

Extensions beyond 30 days are handled at the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo, and can usually take a stay to 90 days. That is an in-country process, not something arranged before travel.

What goes wrong

Almost every ETA problem we see traces to one of a handful of avoidable errors.

• —Name mismatch — the ETA must match the passport exactly, including middle names and hyphenation. A mismatch can mean being refused boarding.
• —Passport validity under six months from arrival. Airlines check this and will deny boarding.
• —Applying through an agent site, then finding the confirmation never arrives or the reference does not work at immigration.
• —Leaving it to the last day. Approval is usually quick but not guaranteed to be instant, and there is no way to hurry it.
• —Assuming visa-on-arrival is available. It has been offered at times and withdrawn at others; do not plan around it.
• —Forgetting the return or onward ticket. Immigration can ask for proof of onward travel.

On arrival

Immigration at Bandaranaike International Airport is generally quick. You will need your passport, your ETA approval, and an address in Sri Lanka. Officers sometimes ask about your itinerary and proof of onward travel; having both to hand keeps it brief.

There is no requirement to show a printed ETA at immigration in most cases, since it is linked to your passport, but airlines at your departure airport may ask, so having a copy is sensible.

On our tours, a representative meets you inside arrivals with your name on a board, and we provide the hotel address and full itinerary for your application in advance.