Entering Sri Lanka is only permitted with a valid visa. For tourist or business travel, you can apply for the Sri Lanka visa online. To be eligible for this online visa, you have to meet all the requirements mentioned on this page.

Requirements of the e-visa or ETA Sri Lanka

The information on this page relates to the electronic visa (e-visa) for Sri Lanka, which can be applied for online. This travel authorisation is also known as the ETA. Because of the simple application procedure and relatively low costs, it is the most popular visa type for Sri Lanka. Those who do not meet all the requirements mentioned on this page can often still travel to the country. In that case, another visa has to be applied for at the embassy.

Prepare your trip to Sri Lanka well

Nationality and passport

The first requirement of the Sri Lanka visa concerns the nationality of the traveller. Do you have the nationality of a country in the European Union, such as Ireland? In that case, you meet these requirements and are thus eligible for the Sri Lanka visa. This is also the case if you have the nationality of the United Kingdom, Switzerland or a country in North or South America. Do you have a different nationality? Check this page to see if you are still eligible with your nationality. If this is not the case, you can see here how you can obtain a travel authorisation in your situation.

To be able to travel to Sri Lanka, you must also have a passport that is valid for six more months upon arrival in the country. The passport you travel with must be the same one you used for the visa application. Is your passport not valid for long enough? In that case, first apply for a new passport before submitting your visa application. Children and babies also require their own passports and visas. For the visa application, a standard passport, an emergency passport or a German childrenʼs passport can be used.

Profession

In the application, the profession of each traveller must be filled in. Are you a diplomat, journalist, professional photographer or media producer? In that case, you cannot apply for your visa online, even if you are only travelling to Sri Lanka for a holiday. It does not matter what you are going to do in Sri Lanka. If you have one of these professions, you need to make an appointment at a consulate or embassy to apply for a special visa type.

Travel purpose

The ETA visa for Sri Lanka can only be used for the following travel purposes:

• Tourism
• Business
• Medical procedures (for example, Ayurvedic treatments)
• Transit

Recreational activities, such as visiting attractions, museums or beaches, participating in sports, music, or other events, visiting family or friends, or, for example, participating in yoga classes, all fall under the category “Tourism”. Attending meetings or conferences, participating in short training programs or entering into business negotiations fall under the category of “Business”.

For a transit in Sri Lanka where you are in the country for at least 48 hours, you can apply for a specific transit visa. You can do so by selecting “Transit” (not by cruise ship) under “Travel Purpose” in the application form. Are you making a cruise with a stopover in Sri Lanka? In that case, you always need to select a tourist travel purpose.

It is not allowed to enter into employment with an organisation in Sri Lanka with an e-visa; this includes volunteer work. It is also not allowed to engage in journalistic or political activities with the ETA or to make professional recordings (photo or video). Attending conferences or meetings around these subjects is also not allowed. Special visas must be obtained for all these activities.
I meet all the requirements and want to apply for the visa

Documents you need to show upon arrival in Sri Lanka
The immigration service checks all travellers who enter Sri Lanka. Upon arrival, you need to be able to hand over a valid passport and a visa or ETA. Furthermore, you are required to have booked a ticket for the return or onward journey from Sri Lanka. The immigration service can ask for a booking confirmation. Finally, you must be able to show you have sufficient financial resources to be able to finance your entire stay in Sri Lanka. You can do so, for example, by showing a recent bank statement or with your bank app. Make sure you keep all these documents in your carry-on luggage so you can always show them immediately, and you can start your holiday or business trip without any problems.

Do you not meet all the requirements?

Only travellers who meet all the mentioned requirements are eligible to apply for the online electronic visa for Sri Lanka. Those who do not meet the requirements have to apply for a different type of visa. Do you have doubts whether you meet all the requirements, or do you have other questions? In that case, check the frequently asked questions page.