How to apply for a Sri Lanka e-Visa (ETA)
Step-by-step walkthrough of the official ETA: free tourist visas for 40 countries from 25 May 2026, documents, fees, and how to avoid fake portals.
Almost every visitor to Sri Lanka must hold an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) — often called an e-Visa — before boarding. From 25 May 2026 the government waived the tourist ETA fee for nationals of 40 countries for stays of up to 30 days, but the online application itself remains mandatory for everyone (including Maldives, Seychelles and Singapore). Apply only on the official portal at eta.gov.lk. Third-party lookalike sites charge mark-ups and can delay or invalidate your approval.
Who gets a free tourist ETA (30 days, double entry)
- 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
- UAE
- United Kingdom
- United States
Maldives nationals receive 90 days free under a bilateral arrangement; Seychelles and Singapore are also fee-free for the standard tourist ETA window. Children under 12 of any nationality typically receive a free tourist ETA for up to 30 days — confirm the current fee table on the portal when you apply.
Everyone else still pays the published ETA processing fee (amounts differ for SAARC vs other nationalities, and for tourist vs business). Fees paid before 25 May 2026 are not refundable even if your nationality later became fee-free. Transit ETAs (about two days) are generally free — use them only if you are genuinely in transit.
Walkthrough: before you open the form
- Passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, with blank pages for stamps
- Exact passport number, nationality and date of birth as printed in the document — typos force you to pay again on arrival
- A round-trip or onward air ticket (immigration can ask at the border)
- Evidence of funds and accommodation address for your first nights
- A Visa, Mastercard or American Express card for any payable fee
Walkthrough: on eta.gov.lk
Choose tourist (or business/transit) ETA, enter biographic details exactly as in your passport, upload any requested scans, pay if prompted, and submit. You should receive an acknowledgement email quickly, then an approval or referral notice. Save the PDF/QR on your phone and print one copy. An approved ETA is typically valid for entry within three months of issue; the stay clock (usually 30 days) starts on your first arrival. Double entry within that window is allowed for the free tourist scheme — confirm your notice.
Restricted nationalities (including Cameroon, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Afghanistan, and some others such as Syria, Taiwan-China and Kosovo in specific cases) may need a Sri Lankan sponsor and in-person processing at Immigration HQ in Battaramulla rather than a simple online ETA. If you hold one of these passports, start with the Department of Immigration & Emigration guidance weeks before travel.
At Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), present the same passport used for the ETA, your approval, and boarding/return proof if asked. Immigration stamps your permitted stay. If you want more than ~30 days, plan an extension before you overstay — see our extension walkthrough. Never rely on a blog screenshot of fees; re-check eta.gov.lk and immigration.gov.lk a few days before you pay.
