Sri Lanka ETA: Complete Guide to Requirements, Cost and How to Apply

Planning a trip to Sri Lanka means adding one item to your pre-travel checklist: an Electronic Travel Authorization, or ETA. It's a digital entry permit for short visits. You don't need an embassy appointment or a paper visa sticker in your passport.

You apply online, pay a fee, and get approval by email, usually within a couple of days.

This guide covers exactly what the Sri Lanka ETA is, who needs one, what it costs right now, and how to apply without getting burned by unofficial websites. You'll also find what happens at the border and what to do if your application is refused. One important note first: this article is general information, not professional legal or immigration advice.

Requirements change often, so check official sources before you travel.

We've written this for travellers in a hurry. Read the quick answer above, scan the headings, and you'll be prepared. For the details, keep going.

What is the Sri Lanka ETA?

The Sri Lanka ETA is an online travel authorization introduced in January 2012. It replaced the old visa-on-arrival system for most travellers. Once approved, your ETA is linked electronically to your passport number.

You don't need to carry a separate document, although printing the approval email is smart.

The standard tourist ETA allows a stay of up to 30 days per visit. It is valid for 180 days from the date of approval, and it permits double entry. So you could visit, pop over to the Maldives for a weekend, and come back — as long as the stays fit within the rules.

Technically, this is not a visa. It's an electronic travel authorization. Immigration officers still decide whether to admit you when you arrive.

An approved ETA is permission to travel and request entry — not a guaranteed right to enter.

Do I need a Sri Lanka ETA?

In short: almost certainly yes. Citizens of most countries, including the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the EU and Schengen area, require an ETA for tourism, business, or transiting through Sri Lanka.

Only a small number of nationalities are exempt under bilateral agreements: Singapore citizens, Maldives citizens, and Seychelles citizens have visa-free access for short stays without an ETA. Holders of diplomatic or official passports also follow different rules.

There's an important nuance. In August 2024 Sri Lanka introduced a pilot “free visa” scheme covering dozens of countries — including the UK, the US, India, China and much of Europe. The scheme waives the ETA fee, but it does not waive the requirement to apply.

You still need an approved ETA (or e-visa) before you travel. The scheme has been extended and paused repeatedly, so check the current status on the official portal before assuming your visit is free.

Sri Lanka ETA types explained

Sri Lanka offers three main ETA categories, and picking the right one matters. Applying for the wrong type can mean a wasted fee or a shorter entry stamp than you expected.

If you're connecting through Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) and staying airside, you still need a transit ETA. Sri Lanka does not waive the requirement for passengers who simply change planes. That catches a lot of travellers off guard.

The tourist ETA is the right choice for nearly everyone visiting on holiday. If you're doing paid work, volunteering, or staying longer, neither the tourist nor business ETA is appropriate — you would need to contact the Department of Immigration and Emigration or the nearest Sri Lankan embassy.

How much does the Sri Lanka ETA cost?

Here's where you need to pay attention. Fees have changed a lot since 2024, and the official price is not always what you'll see advertised on Google.

Historically, the tourist ETA cost US $20 and then rose to about $35 in 2019. In September 2024, Sri Lanka switched to a new e-visa platform run by a private contractor, with tourist visas priced around $50 plus service fees. The Supreme Court suspended that arrangement in October 2024, and the government reverted to the older ETA system.

Then the free-visa pilot complicated things further.

The practical takeaway: at the time of writing, a standard tourist ETA has been priced roughly in the $35–$50 range depending on the current system, plus a small online service charge. Always check the official Sri Lanka ETA portal for the exact fee before you pay.

Watch out for third-party websites. Many sites rank highly on Google and charge $60–$100 for the same application you can submit yourself for the official fee. They may offer “assistance” or “priority processing.” There is no official priority queue worth paying for.

Use the official government portal and avoid the markup.

Why do the costs keep changing?

Sri Lanka has been experimenting with visa policy since 2024 to boost tourism. Between a free visa pilot, a privatised e-visa system, court rulings, and fee reversals, the rules are genuinely in flux.

This is why written guides go out of date quickly. A fee quoted as “official” in a blog post from March 2024 may be completely wrong by the time you read it. The only reliable approach is to open the official portal, check the current fee schedule, and then decide.

That advice matters for your wallet. Pay the fee that the government portal shows you. If you're covered by the free visa scheme, the portal should show zero.

If it doesn't, either the scheme has lapsed or your nationality is not covered.

How to apply for a Sri Lanka ETA (step by step)

The application itself is straightforward. Here is the full process, from opening the browser to receiving your approval email.

1. Go to the official portal at eta.gov.lk. Check for the lock icon and the .gov.lk domain — lookalike sites use .com addresses.
2. Choose your application type: Tourist ETA, Business ETA, or Transit ETA.
3. Select your country of citizenship and your preferred payment method.
4. Fill in your personal and passport details exactly as they appear on your passport. Full name, date of birth, passport number, expiry date, and nationality must match character for character.
5. Provide your travel details: expected date of arrival, flight number, and accommodation in Sri Lanka if you have it.
6. Enter your contact email address. Double-check this — the approval is sent here.
7. Pay the fee using a credit or debit card. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted; some cards incur a foreign transaction fee from your bank.
8. Submit and wait for the confirmation screen and email. The application number they give you is worth keeping.
9. Check your inbox (and spam folder) for the approval email with your ETA reference.
10. Save or print the confirmation to show at airline check-in and to immigration officers on arrival.

A quick note on photos: the standard ETA application does not require you to upload a passport photo. You only provide passport details and personal information. If a website asks you to upload photos and pay extra for “photo verification,” you are probably on a third-party site.

How long does the Sri Lanka ETA take to process?

Most ETA applications are approved within 24 hours. Many come back within minutes.

But don't plan on minutes. The official guidance has historically recommended applying at least two days before travel. Give yourself 72 hours of buffer where possible.

Applications submitted on weekends or around Sri Lankan public holidays can take longer, and peak holiday periods in Europe slow things down too.

Apply as soon as your travel dates are locked in. An ETA is valid for 180 days, so an early application costs you nothing and removes the risk completely.

What documents do you need?

The ETA application itself only requires your passport and a payment card. But bring the following to the airport and to the border, because immigration officers can ask for them.

• Passport with at least six months' validity from your date of arrival.
• At least one blank passport page for the entry stamp.
• A return or onward ticket showing you plan to leave Sri Lanka.
• Proof of accommodation, such as a hotel confirmation or an invitation letter from a host.
• Evidence of funds — cash, cards, or bank statements showing you can cover your stay.
• A printed or digital copy of your ETA approval email.

These last items are rarely checked thoroughly for short tourist visits, but they are asked for often enough that you should not risk it. If you arrive without proof of onward travel, the airline can refuse to board you long before immigration gets a say.

What happens at the border?

You'll land at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, or one of the smaller international airports. Head to passport control with your passport and printed ETA confirmation.

The immigration officer will scan your passport, check the ETA against their system, and usually ask a couple of quick questions: how long are you staying, where are you going, what's your job. Answer briefly and honestly.

On approval, your passport gets an entry stamp showing the date by which you must leave. Check that stamp before you walk away. If the dates look wrong, ask the officer to correct it while you're still at the desk.

Fixing a bad stamp later is far harder.

The decision to admit you rests with the immigration officer. An ETA is not a guarantee of entry. If you have a criminal record, a previous overstay in Sri Lanka, or an issue with your passport, the officer can refuse you at the border.

That's the same basic principle as the UK's “leave to enter” system — the document gets you to the border, but the officer grants the actual entry.

What if your ETA is refused?

Refusals happen, but they're not common. The main reasons are typos in your passport details, an expired passport, a mismatch between your name and your passport, or a previous overstay in Sri Lanka.

If your application is refused, you'll usually receive an email explaining the reason. You can reapply carefully, correcting the mistake. If the refusal relates to your immigration history, contact the Sri Lankan embassy or the Department of Immigration and Emigration directly rather than repeatedly submitting new applications and paying fees each time.

Don't silently board a plane if your ETA is refused, hoping to sort it out on arrival. Without an approved ETA you risk being sent home at your own expense. Sort it out before you fly.

Common ETA mistakes travellers make

As a rule, the mistakes below cause most of the problems travellers report. Avoid them and your trip runs smoothly.

• Using unofficial websites that charge inflated fees — always use the official portal.
• Typing passport details incorrectly — one wrong digit in your passport number is enough for a refusal.
• Assuming you don't need an ETA for a connecting flight through Colombo — you do, even airside.
• Applying the night before an early morning flight — give yourself days, not hours.
• Overstaying the 30-day limit and hoping nobody notices — overstayers are fined at the airport and can be banned from returning.
• Ignoring the free visa scheme's expiry date — a scheme that was live when your friend travelled may no longer exist.

Tips for a smooth ETA application

You can reduce your chances of a refusal to near zero with a little care. Use the passport you intend to travel with, and copy every detail from the machine-readable zone at the bottom of the photo page.

Use a reliable internet connection. Submitting a half-loaded form twice means paying twice. And use an email address you check regularly — the approval link and reference number go there.

Pay with a card that works for international transactions. Some UK bank cards block payments to Sri Lankan processors by default, and a failed payment can look like a failed application. Contact your bank beforehand if you're unsure.

Can you extend your stay in Sri Lanka?

Yes, but you must apply before your current entry period ends. Visitors who want more than 30 days can visit the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo, or one of its regional offices, and request an extension.

Extensions are typically granted in 30-day increments. The maximum total stay depends on the rules in force at the time. Expect to pay a fee, and note that the fee per extension can be higher than the original ETA.

If you overstay without an extension, the penalties are real. You'll be fined at the airport when you leave, in cash. In serious cases, overstayers can be detained and banned from returning.

Set a reminder on your phone for day 25 of your stay.

Do children need their own Sri Lanka ETA?

Yes. Every traveller, including infants and children, needs their own approved ETA linked to their own passport. There is no family application and no “child on parent's passport” option.

If you're travelling with kids, apply for each child using their own passport details. The fee is the same as for an adult. Parents or guardians fill in the form on the child's behalf — you do not need to create a separate account.

This question trips up a lot of families. A newborn travelling on a parent's ETA is not a thing in Sri Lanka's system. Separate passport, separate ETA, full stop.

How to check your ETA status

Need to confirm your ETA is approved before you book flights? The official portal has a status-check feature. You'll need your application reference number, which is in the confirmation email you received after applying.

If you can't find the reference, search your email for the confirmation message. Check spam and junk folders first. If you applied through a third-party site, contact them — and be prepared to be charged again if they don't respond.

Once approved, your ETA is linked to your passport number. When the airline checks you in, they'll see the approval in the system. That's why a passport typo is so damaging — the link fails even though the ETA exists.

Transit through Sri Lanka — the rules in full

Connecting through Colombo? Here's the detail that matters. Sri Lanka requires a transit ETA even for passengers who don't leave the airport transit zone.

The transit ETA is single entry and allows up to 48 hours. It's meant for passengers connecting onward flights. If you want to leave the airport and see Colombo during a long layover, you need a tourist ETA instead, not a transit ETA.

Airlines usually check this at departure. If you show up without a transit ETA for a Colombo connection, the check-in agent at your first airport may refuse to issue the boarding pass. This is genuinely common, so check before you book.

Sri Lanka ETA for UK citizens

British passport holders need a Sri Lanka ETA, and the rules are the same as for other nationalities: up to 30-day stay, double entry, valid for 180 days. The UK was included in the 2024 free visa pilot, but that scheme has been on and off since.

The reverse direction is different. Sri Lankan citizens need a Standard Visitor visa to enter the UK — Sri Lanka is not yet part of the UK's own ETA programme. Those two systems are separate, and eligibility never carries across automatically.

British travellers should also remember the passport rules. Your British passport must have at least six months' validity for Sri Lanka. If you hold dual nationality, use the passport you booked your flights with — immigration compares your ETA against the passport in your hand.

Sri Lanka ETA vs e-visa — what changed in 2024

You may have seen “e-visa” mentioned in news about Sri Lanka. In September 2024 the country launched a new e-visa platform operated by a private firm, which replaced the ETA system. Higher fees caused an uproar, and the Supreme Court issued an interim suspension in October 2024.

After the court ruling, Sri Lanka reverted to the earlier ETA process. The official portal remained eta.gov.lk throughout. The government later announced plans to restart the e-visa project under a new arrangement.

In practical terms, travellers should check which system is live when they apply.

The label matters less than the result. Whether it's called an ETA or an e-visa, the process is the same: apply online, pay, receive approval, travel. The official government portal will always show the current system.

How does the Sri Lanka ETA compare to other ETAs?

Sri Lanka is one of several countries using electronic travel authorizations. If you travel widely, you've probably already met the others. The systems share a basic logic: apply online, pay a fee, get linked to your passport, show it at the border.

Canada runs a similar scheme, the eTA, for visa-exempt travellers flying into the country. If you're planning a North American leg, our complete guide to the canada eta walks through who qualifies and what it costs. British passport holders have their own set of rules — see our breakdown of the canada eta for uk citizens.

Australia's version is called the eVisitor or the ETA (subclass 601), depending on your passport. UK travellers use the eVisitor system; our guide to the australia eta visa for uk citizens explains the difference. And if you're heading to the US, the visa waiver program page covers ESTA in depth.

The pattern is the same everywhere: small fee, fast processing, and a strictly electronic result. The practical skills you learn with one transfer to the others, but the details — fees, validity, conditions — never carry over. Check each country's official portal separately.

Frequently asked questions

Do UK citizens need a Sri Lanka ETA?

Yes. British passport holders need an approved Sri Lanka ETA before travel, whether they're visiting for tourism, business, or transiting through Colombo. The UK was included in the 2024 free visa pilot, but that scheme has been repeatedly paused and extended, so check the official portal for the current fee.

Can I get a Sri Lanka ETA on arrival at the airport?

You should not rely on it. Sri Lanka moved away from visa-on-arrival for most nationalities in 2012, and while officers may issue an ETA at the border in limited circumstances, the official guidance strongly recommends applying online in advance. Show up without an approved ETA and you risk being refused boarding at your departure airport.

How long can I stay in Sri Lanka on an ETA?

The standard tourist ETA allows a stay of up to 30 days per visit, with double entry, and is valid for 180 days from approval. If you want to stay longer, you can apply for an extension at the Department of Immigration and Emigration before your 30 days end.

Do children need a separate Sri Lanka ETA?

Yes. Every traveller, including infants and children, needs their own ETA linked to their own passport. There is no family application and no option to add a child to a parent's ETA.

Is the Sri Lanka ETA free for some countries?

Under the pilot scheme introduced in August 2024, citizens of dozens of countries — including the UK, US, India and China — could apply for a free 30-day tourist visa. The scheme has been extended and suspended several times, so the fee shown on the official portal at the time of your application is the only reliable answer.

Key takeaways

• Most travellers need a Sri Lanka ETA, including UK, US, EU, Australian and Canadian citizens — apply online before you fly.
• The official fee changes frequently and has ranged from free (under the pilot scheme) to around $50; always check the current fee on eta.gov.lk.
• Apply at least 48–72 hours before departure and use the official portal, not third-party sites that charge inflated prices.
• The tourist ETA allows up to 30 days per visit, is double entry, and stays valid for 180 days.
• Even airside transit passengers connecting through Colombo need a transit ETA.
• An ETA is not a guarantee of entry — the immigration officer makes the final decision at the border.

See also: the multiple-entry Schengen visa