Sri Lanka Visa Guide for Tourists
How the Sri Lankan tourist visa (ETA) works: who needs one, what the free 30-day visa covers, what you must show on arrival, and how extensions work.
Most visitors to Sri Lanka need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before they arrive. Since 25 May 2026 the tourist ETA is free of charge for nationals of forty countries, valid for 30 days, and extendable. This guide explains how that works in practice. Requirements depend on your nationality and can change, so confirm your own situation on the official Department of Immigration and Emigration website before you book flights.
What an ETA is, and whether you need one
An Electronic Travel Authorization is prior approval to travel, obtained online before departure rather than on arrival. The Department of Immigration and Emigration requires foreign nationals to hold one before entering Sri Lanka. A tourist visa covers sightseeing and holidays, visiting friends and relatives, medical treatment, and taking part in art, music, dance or sporting events. Travelling for business is a separate visa category, so if your trip mixes leisure with meetings, check which one applies to you. Sri Lankan dual citizens are exempt, as are certain children under 21 with Sri Lankan parentage.
The free 30-day tourist visa, and who it covers
With effect from 25 May 2026, nationals of forty countries can obtain the tourist ETA free of charge for 30 days: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States. Under a bilateral agreement, Maldivian nationals receive 90 days. If your nationality is not on that list you can still apply — the visa is simply not free, and the fee is published on the official portal. ETA fees paid before 25 May 2026 are not refundable.
What you must be able to show on arrival
Holding an approved ETA is not by itself enough to enter. At the port of entry you must produce a passport valid for at least six months from your date of arrival, a confirmed return or onward ticket, and sufficient funds for your stay. The six-month passport rule catches people out more than any other requirement, because it is measured from your arrival date rather than your departure date — check it before you book, not the week before you fly.
How to apply
Apply through the official portal at eta.gov.lk. You can apply yourself with a credit or debit card, or have a third party apply for you — a travel agent, airline, friend or relative. Applications can also be made through a Sri Lankan overseas mission, at the Department of Immigration and Emigration head office in Colombo, or at Bandaranaike International Airport on arrival. Where an overseas mission handles the application, the Department states it will issue the ETA or short stay visa within three business days; it does not publish a processing time for online applications, so apply well ahead rather than relying on an assumed turnaround.
Validity, entries and extensions
The tourist ETA is valid for 30 days from your date of arrival and permits double entry within that window, so a short side trip and return does not need a second visa. If you want to stay longer, the visa can be extended up to a total of six months. Extensions are applied for online and are chargeable even if your original 30 days were free. Plan the extension before your 30 days run out rather than after.
Mistakes that cost travellers time
Four recur often. Applying through an unofficial site that adds a service charge on top of the government fee — always start at eta.gov.lk. Assuming a passport with five months left is acceptable, when the rule is six months from arrival. Booking a one-way ticket and planning to sort the return later, when a confirmed onward ticket is an entry condition. And treating a free visa as an open-ended one: 30 days is 30 days, and staying beyond it without an extension is an overstay.
How visa timing affects route planning
Thirty days is comfortable for almost any first trip to Sri Lanka. A one-week cultural loop, a ten-day island circuit and a two-week route with beach time all sit well inside it, so for most travellers the visa constrains nothing. It matters more if you are combining Sri Lanka with a neighbouring country and returning — that is where the double-entry allowance is useful — or if you are planning a long slow trip, where the six-month extension ceiling becomes the real limit.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa before I fly? Yes — the Department requires foreign nationals to obtain an ETA prior to arrival, although applications are also accepted at Bandaranaike International Airport. Is the tourist visa really free? For nationals of the forty listed countries, since 25 May 2026, yes — for 30 days. Can I leave and come back? Yes, the tourist ETA allows double entry within its 30-day validity. Can I stay longer than 30 days? Yes, up to six months in total, by applying for a paid extension online. What if my nationality is not listed? You can still apply; the visa is chargeable rather than free. Where is the official source? The Department of Immigration and Emigration, immigration.gov.lk, and its ETA portal, eta.gov.lk.
Official sources and a word of caution
This guide summarises information published by the Sri Lankan Department of Immigration and Emigration at https://www.immigration.gov.lk and its ETA portal at https://eta.gov.lk. It is not legal advice and it is not a substitute for checking your own nationality requirements. Visa policy in Sri Lanka changed on 25 May 2026 and can change again with little notice. We deliberately do not publish fee amounts or online processing times here, because those change more often than this page can track — read them on the official portal at the time you apply.
