Sri Lanka Tourist Visa

What is Sri Lanka Tourist Visa?

Sri Lanka Tourist visa is an official document or endorsement that authorizes a foreign tourist to stay in Sri Lanka for a limited period of time. It is granted only to people who want to visit Sri Lanka for the purpose of leisure, tourism, yoga training or to meet friends and family staying there. The Sri Lanka Tourist visa is issued by the Department of Immigration & Emigration of Sri Lanka. The Department will grant this visa after the tourist’s arrival in Sri Lanka, which needs to be pasted on the traveller’s passport.

The Tourist visa is a variant of Short Visit Sri Lanka visa and therefore, is issued for a period of 30 or 90 days only. Moreover, this visa can be granted for either single entry or double entries. The duration and entries allowed to a Tourist visa holder are determined by the Immigration & Emigration Department of Sri Lanka.

All foreign tourists will get their Sri Lanka Tourist visa after their arrival in the country i.e. at the Sri Lankan airport. However, it is important for every foreigner travelling to Sri Lanka to obtain an ETA or Electronic Travel Authorization before arriving at the Sri Lankan airport.

ETA Sri Lanka

ETA or the Electronic Travel Authorization is an approval granted by the Sri Lankan Immigration & Emigration Department that allows foreign tourists to travel to Sri Lanka for a fixed period of time. It is mandatory for all every foreign nationals, including Indians, to obtain an ETA in order to apply for their Tourist visa for Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lanka ETA is issued with a maximum validity of 30 days. But the ETA holder can get it extended for a further duration of 6 months. The ETA can be obtained electronically at the entry port in Sri Lanka. However, a foreigner can also apply for an ETA online and obtain it before commencing his trip to Sri Lanka.

Unlike the Sri Lanka Tourist visa for Indians, the ETA does not have to be pasted in the passport of the foreigner. Instead, the tourist is supposed to carry a copy of his approved ETA with him during his Sri Lanka trip.

How to Apply for Sri Lanka Tourist Visa for Indians?

A Sri Lanka Tourist visa for Indians will be granted only after the traveller’s arrival in Sri Lanka. However, the traveller can apply for an ETA before commencing his trip to Sri Lanka. The procedure to apply for a Sri Lanka ETA is very easy. Follow the steps given below to apply for an ETA for Sri Lanka:

Apply for Sri Lanka Tourist ETA Online:

• Visit the official website of ‘Sri Lanka Visa/ Sri Lanka ETA system
• Go to ‘Apply’ on the menu bar
• Select the option through which you’ll apply for an ETA
• Fill in the ETA application form and submit it
• Pay the fees for ETA
• Keep the acknowledgement
• You will receive ETA approval. In case you receive a referral notice, then you need to contact the Department of Immigration & Emigration of Sri Lanka
• Download and print copies of your ETA approval

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Documents Required for Sri Lanka Tourist Visa for Indians

In order to obtain Sri Lanka Tourist visa for Indians, each applicant needs to submit certain documents. Following is a list of documents that every Tourist visa applicant needs to submit:

• An ETA Approval/ confirmation
• Valid passport with a minimum validity of 6 months from the date of arrival in Sri Lanka
• Confirmed booking of return tickets
• Financial means to afford the trip

Sri Lanka Tourist Visa Fee

Every applicant of Sri Lanka Tourist visa for Indians or ETA is required to pay a fee to obtain it. People who fail to pay the fees will not be issued a Tourist visa/ ETA unless exempted. At present, children below the age of 12 years are exempted from paying any visa/ ETA fee. Foreigners travelling to Sri Lanka on a diplomatic or official passport also do not have to pay any visa/ ETA fee. However, visa applications for such travellers need to be submitted by their respective Ministries, Statutory Bodies, Sri Lanka Overseas Mission, etc.

Moreover, Indian tourists arriving in Sri Lanka in January 2020 are also not required to pay their visa fees. This is because the Sri Lankan Government has exempted tourists from India and 47 other countries from paying the ETA fee if they are arriving in Sri Lanka for tourism purposes on or before January 31, 2020.

In order to know the fees for obtaining a Sri Lanka Tourist visa for Indians, refer to the table given below:

How to Track the Status of Sri Lanka Tourist Visa for Indians?

An ETA for Sri Lanka Tourist visa for Indians usually gets approved within 24 hours of submitting the application. Nonetheless, you can check the status of your Sri Lanka Tourist ETA by following the steps given below:

• Visit the official website of ‘Sri Lanka Electronic Visa Authorization System’
• Go to’ Check Status’ on the menu bar
• Enter the details required
• Check the status of your Sri Lanka Tourist ETA