Sri Lanka Tourist Visa: ETA Application and Entry

The ETA is an electronic visa required for most nationalities visiting Sri Lanka. It grants a 30-day stay with double entry. Citizens of Singapore, the Maldives, and the Seychelles are exempt from the ETA for stays up to 30 days. All other nationalities need the ETA approved before boarding their flight.

The standard ETA grants a 30-day double-entry stay and costs 50 USD for most nationalities. SAARC country nationals (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives) pay 25 USD. Children under 12 from all nationalities are free. A 6-month multiple-entry visa requires application at a Sri Lankan embassy.

Sri Lankan immigration rejects travelers whose passports expire within 6 months of arrival. Airlines check this before boarding and will deny you from the flight. If your passport expires within 8 months, consider renewing before booking your trip to avoid last-minute complications.

The official ETA website is eta.gov.lk. Third-party websites charge 2-5 times the official fee for the same service. The application takes 5-10 minutes. Have your passport, a credit or debit card, and your Sri Lanka accommodation address ready. The system supports Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.

The form asks for your full name (exactly as it appears on your passport), passport number, nationality, date of birth, occupation, accommodation in Sri Lanka, and travel dates. Double-check every field against your passport. A misspelled name or wrong passport number delays processing and may require a new application with a new fee.

The standard tourist ETA costs 50 USD for most nationalities. Payment is charged to your card in USD regardless of your home currency. Your bank may add a foreign transaction fee of 1-3%. Keep the payment confirmation email and reference number. Failed transactions are not always refunded immediately and can take 5-10 business days.

Most ETA applications are approved within 1-24 hours. Some applications are referred for manual review, which takes 2-3 business days. Check your spam folder if the approval does not arrive within 48 hours. The approval email contains a reference number and barcode. Print one copy. The ETA is valid for 6 months from the approval date.

Bandaranaike International Airport (Colombo) is the main international gateway. Immigration lines can extend to 45-60 minutes during peak arrivals between 10 PM and 2 AM when multiple international flights land simultaneously. The ETA is verified electronically, but officers ask to see the printed copy.

Arrival cards are distributed on the flight or available at counters before immigration. The form asks for your flight number, accommodation address, passport number, and duration of stay. Carry a pen and have your hotel booking confirmation accessible.

Duty-free allowances include 1.5 liters of spirits, 2 bottles of wine, and items for personal use up to 15,000 LKR in value. Sri Lanka prohibits importing tobacco products exceeding 200 cigarettes. Bringing in religious artifacts, antiquities, and firearms requires prior approval. Drug offenses carry the death penalty.

Visit the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo (Suhurupaya, Battaramulla) to extend your stay. The extension costs 12,500 LKR (approximately 40 USD) for the first month and 25,000 LKR per additional month, up to 90 days beyond your initial 30-day stay. Apply at least 1 week before your ETA expires. Bring your passport, two photos, proof of funds, and your return ticket.

Overstaying incurs a fine of 500 USD plus 100 USD per day of overstay. Overstayers are detained at the airport until the fine is paid and may face deportation proceedings. Extended overstays result in a ban on future entry. Exit immigration checks your entry stamp date against your departure date.

The airport bank counters offer better exchange rates than hotels and are on par with Colombo city rates. As of 2026, 1 USD equals approximately 310-320 LKR. ATMs are available at the airport and throughout major cities. Withdraw in larger amounts to minimize per-transaction fees charged by your home bank.

Dialog, Mobitel, and Airtel have kiosks at the airport arrival hall. A tourist SIM card with 20-40 GB of data costs 1,500-3,000 LKR (5-10 USD) for 30 days. Registration requires your passport. Data coverage is good along the coast and in major cities. Hill country areas around Ella and Nuwara Eliya may have patchy coverage.

PickMe is Sri Lanka's main ride-hailing app, similar to Uber. It works in Colombo, Kandy, Galle, and other major cities. Tuk-tuk rides through the app cost 50-100 LKR per kilometer with metered pricing. Without the app, negotiate tuk-tuk fares before getting in. Offline maps are useful outside major cities where data coverage drops.