How to Get a Visa for Sri Lanka

Which Visa for Sri Lanka is for you?

Sri Lanka is one of our favorite countries we’ve visited, so we understand you wanting to go! The good news is that getting a tourist visa for Sri Lanka is relatively simple and can be booked online ahead of time as an electronic visa (ETA). This can either be done by yourself or by a third party. It is easiest to use an online booking service for speed and efficiency.

However, if you cannot do it this way for some reason, you can obtain the ETA visa on arrival at your port of entry in Sri Lanka. Keep in mind that additional fees may apply, as well as the minimal risk that your application may not be approved.

Choosing the correct visa

Before you do anything, you have to decide which visa suits your trip. The options you have are the following:

Tourist Visa Sri Lanka

The Tourist Visa is valid for a ‘short stay’ of a maximum of 30 days with a double entry. This means you may leave the country and come back once within those 30 days. Additionally, it’s possible to extend it up to 6 months. This is the most common one, and the one we got as well. Apply for your visa online here.

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Transit Visa

If you’re using Sri Lanka as a long layover/transit destination, you can apply for the Sri Lanka Transit Visa. This visa is valid for a period of 2 days with a single entry.

Other visas

For any other purposes, such as media/journalism, you have to apply for a visa through the right governmental channels. How to do that will have been communicated to you specifically.

How to apply for a Visa in Sri Lanka

Applying is as simple as filling out the form with your details (have your passport on hand). The approval will be sent directly to your email within 24 hours. When filling out the form, make sure you have your flight details and the address of your first night of accommodation ready. After that, you will receive your application within a few days.

Price of a Sri Lanka Visa

Depending on your country of residence, the price of a visa changes. But, on average, the price for a Sri Lankan Visa is the following:

• Tourist Visa – 85 USD
• Business Visa – 90 USD
• Transit Visa – Free

A quick reminder to check if you:

• Have a passport valid for a period of at least 6 months upon entering Sri Lanka. This is so important — you don’t want to land and be denied entry because of this!
• Have a confirmed return ticket or a ticket to your next destination.
• Make sure you’ve got sufficient funds to meet the expenses during your stay.

How to Get a Visa Extension

If you’re anything like us, there’s a high chance you may fall in love with Sri Lanka on your 30-day visa and want to extend your stay. Luckily, this is possible in most cases, with a maximum extension of 6 months. If you’d like to extend, follow these steps BEFORE your ETA is due to expire:

• Go to the Head Office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo.
• Bring with you:
  • A passport photo
  • Your passport
  • Evidence of a return air ticket (or onward travel)
  • The address and telephone number of your place of accommodation.
  • Cash/credit card to pay the extension fees (fees are dependent on varying factors such as nationality and/or additional services you may need. You can contact the department for more information on this here.)

Our experience when applying for a visa in Sri Lanka

We have been lucky enough to travel to Sri Lanka several times, and in every case, we applied for the ETA online via the form and got approved within a few days.

Disclaimer: This article is updated regularly, but the visa situation might change. Please always double-check with the local authorities.