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Visitors to Sri Lanka must obtain a visa, either on arrival to Sri Lanka or in advance, unless they are a citizen of one of the visa-exempt countries. Most visitors entering for tourism purposes are required to obtain a visa on arrival, unless they are exempt from obtaining one. [1] However, citizens of some countries must obtain a visa in advance before being allowed to enter Sri Lanka. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months. [2]
In 2012, Sri Lanka launched an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, created and operated by Mobitel, a state-owned enterprise. [3] Sri Lanka Guardian described the ETA system as having operated "flawlessly" when it was in operation from 2012 to 2024. [3]
On 17 April 2024, Sri Lanka replaced its previous Electronic Travel Authorisation system with a new e-Visa system, [4] operated by VFS Global. [5] [3] However, the new e-Visa system's increased fees were criticised by Sri Lankan opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, who claimed that Russian airline Red Wings Airlines had ceased operating flights to Sri Lanka due in part to the increased visa fees, and warned that the tourism industry could be brought to a "standstill". [5]
On 2 August 2024, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka issued an interim order, which suspended the e-Visa system operated by VFS Global and ordered the restoration of the previous ETA system operated by Mobitel; [6] Sajith Premadasa welcomed the court order. [6] On 4 August 2024, Ada Derana reported that the Ministry of Public Security would make a final decision the next day, and noted that the suspension of the e-Visa system meant that tourists needed to obtain their visas on arrival. [7]
On 5 August 2024, the Department of Immigration and Emigration notified the Sri Lankan diplomatic missions around the world of the discontinuation of the e-Visa system. [8] According to Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles, the old ETA system has yet to be reinstated due to changes made to the Department of Immigration and Emigration's computer system. [9]
Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Sri Lanka, for stays up to the duration listed below: [10]
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Alternatively, nationals of visa-exempt countries who instead choose to apply for a "Standard tourist visa" online are exempt from paying visa fees. [4]
On August 21, 2024, a cabinet decision was made to allow visa-free travel to 35 countries, including the USA, UK, Canada, Russia, Thailand, and Indonesia, from October 1, 2024. This pilot program to last for 6 months. [12] [13]
Holders of diplomatic, official, service or special passports of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Sri Lanka, for stays up to the duration listed below: [10] [14] [15]
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D - Diplomatic passports
O - Official passports
S - Service passports
Sp - Special passports
PA - Passports endorsed for "public affairs".
1 - 90 days
2 - 30 days
3 - 60 days, 90 days within any 1 year-period.
4 - 90 days within any 180-day period.
5 - 30 days within any 60-day period.
Visa-waiver agreement for holders of Diplomatic, Official and Service Passports was signed with Benin in January 2024, however they have it is yet to come into force. [16]
Citizens of all other countries except the visa-exempt countries and countries whose citizens require a visa in advance may obtain a visa on arrival which is good for double entry for tourist or good for multiple entries for business, valid for a maximum stay of 30 days. Visas obtained on arrival are generally discouraged as such visas are not automatically approved for entry into Sri Lanka. [17]
Due to the discontinuation of the e-Visa system, citizens of the following 7 countries may obtain a gratis visa (single entry) upon arrival in Sri Lanka for tourism purposes only, valid for a maximum stay of 30 days. [8]
Citizens of all other countries except the countries whose citizens either require a visa obtained on arrival or in advance may also obtain an e-Visa online. [1]
Prospective visitors can apply for the following types of tourism/business e-Visas (unless otherwise noted):
Validity | Number of entry | Duration of stay* | Visa fee | Note |
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30 days | Single | up to 30 days | Gratis | Only tourists who are citizens of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia or Thailand may obtain this type of visa. For more details see below. |
6 months | Double | up to 60 days | 35 or 75 USD | SAARC member states: 35 USD Non-SAARC member states: 75 USD |
1 year | Multiple | up to 90 days | 200 USD | People who engage diplomatic or consular activities may get visa fee waived. |
2 years | Multiple | up to 180 days | 300 USD | |
5 years | Multiple | up to 180 days | 500 USD | |
10 years | Multiple | up to 180 days | 1000 USD |
* - Duration of stay demonstrates how many days visitor may stay in each entry.
Moreover, a US$18.50 service fee [5] as well as a US$5 "convenience fee" is charged by VFS Global for each visa application, regardless of the type of e-Visa. [18]
Citizens of Taiwan must select "China (Special Administrative Region of China)" as their nationality when applying for an e-Visa. |
Citizens of the following countries are ineligible to apply for both an e-Visa and a visa on arrival independently, [2] and thus must obtain a visa in advance from one of the Sri Lankan diplomatic missions around the world: [19]
When obtaining a visa at a Sri Lankan diplomatic mission, they must present the following documents: [19]
Citizens of the following countries must present a yellow fever vaccination certificate upon arrival in order to enter Sri Lanka: [19]
Most visitors arriving in Sri Lanka on a short-term basis were from the following countries: [20] [21]
Country | 7/2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 225,641 | 302,844 | 123,004 | 56,268 | 89,357 | 355,002 | 424,887 |
![]() | 118,682 | 197,498 | 91,272 | 16,984 | 49,397 | 86,549 | 64,497 |
![]() | 110,189 | 130,088 | 85,187 | 16,646 | 55,455 | 198,776 | 254,176 |
![]() | 80,688 | 102,539 | 55,542 | 12,442 | 34,507 | 134,899 | 156,888 |
![]() | 76,856 | 68,789 | 4,715 | 2,417 | 26,147 | 167,863 | 265,965 |
![]() | 58,745 | 56,251 | 35,482 | 6,549 | 24,838 | 87,623 | 106,449 |
![]() | 48,117 | 67,436 | 30,924 | 4,421 | 20,283 | 92,674 | 110,928 |
![]() | 37,679 | 46,344 | 22,230 | 6,124 | 16,842 | 68,832 | 75,308 |
![]() | 30,897 | 29,056 | 11,987 | 2,422 | 8,656 | 38,993 | 57,160 |
![]() | 27,044 | 43,944 | 26,845 | 5,079 | 12,346 | 48,729 | 52,681 |
![]() | 26,900 | 37,298 | 18,880 | 6,272 | 9,407 | 60,278 | 76,108 |
![]() | 26,153 | 17,946 | 15,195 | 2,110 | 11,908 | 20,896 | 20,378 |
![]() | 18,643 | 23,556 | 13,260 | 2,974 | 6,389 | 29,981 | 33,965 |
![]() | 17,858 | 22,242 | 7,449 | 1,309 | 8,603 | 36,147 | 38,379 |
![]() | 16,586 | 23,905 | 12,895 | 2,015 | 3,385 | 24,489 | 29,208 |
![]() | 14,632 | 19,583 | 3,087 | 392 | 6,644 | 30,079 | 49,450 |
![]() | 14,125 | 19,517 | 9,326 | 1,724 | 3,556 | 14,770 | 13,833 |
![]() | 13,576 | 12,056 | 7,350 | 1,864 | 7,599 | 19,204 | 17,600 |
![]() | 10,528 | 10,940 | 2,779 | 323 | 3,494 | 16,861 | 22,808 |
![]() | 10,292 | 10,346 | 7,278 | 1,302 | 4,905 | 16,869 | 19,223 |
![]() | 10,225 | 10,667 | 6,164 | 1,283 | 3,371 | 14,948 | 17,519 |
![]() | 10,173 | 10,594 | 5,541 | 1,502 | 4,300 | 14,713 | 19,320 |
![]() | 8,779 | 5,130 | 8,068 | 5,754 | 2,333 | 2,399 | 2,721 |
![]() | 8,178 | 10,744 | 6,260 | 7,520 | 3,065 | 14,655 | 19,116 |
![]() | 7,767 | 8,747 | 5,983 | 1,141 | 3,019 | 13,446 | 17,217 |
![]() | 7,254 | 8,643 | 5,097 | 1,601 | 7,061 | 22,464 | 28,267 |
![]() | 7,216 | 10,969 | 3,621 | 646 | 2,638 | 4,796 | 4,621 |
![]() | 6,741 | 9,551 | 3,770 | 557 | 2,545 | 13,871 | 19,861 |
![]() | 6,559 | 10,322 | 4,301 | 397 | 648 | 3,249 | 5,720 |
![]() | 6,164 | 7,298 | 1,843 | 389 | 2,499 | 12,195 | 15,748 |
![]() | 5,981 | 7,913 | 2,866 | 325 | 2,324 | 12,463 | 13,825 |
![]() | 5,593 | 4,999 | 363 | 42 | 1,985 | 7,127 | 8,187 |
![]() | 5,228 | 5,136 | 3,056 | 559 | 2,294 | 8,254 | 10,830 |
![]() | 4,645 | 5,082 | 14,917 | 7,037 | 17,169 | 35,051 | 36,515 |
![]() | 4,552 | 2,722 | 2,115 | 383 | 1,054 | 2,793 | 3,386 |
![]() | 4,413 | 4,922 | 1,725 | 247 | 1,880 | 9,861 | 9,178 |
![]() | 4,277 | 4,464 | 2,432 | 664 | 1,513 | 4,944 | 5,289 |
![]() | 4,125 | 3,786 | 2,324 | 445 | 1,588 | 4,091 | 4,514 |
![]() | 4,032 | 3,739 | 1,514 | 309 | 2,121 | 4,972 | 4,262 |
![]() | 3,990 | 6,797 | 5,952 | 1,596 | 4,755 | 15,707 | 34,703 |
![]() | 3,689 | 4,092 | 3,313 | 820 | 1,724 | 5,463 | 5,931 |
![]() | 3,287 | 3,943 | 1,906 | 372 | 1,602 | 5,193 | 5,933 |
![]() | 3,114 | 4,164 | 1,961 | 529 | 4,249 | 14,590 | 19,303 |
![]() | 2,799 | 1,808 | 978 | 376 | 1,185 | 2,516 | 2,744 |
![]() | 2,590 | 4,750 | 1,065 | 325 | 1,384 | 5,414 | 5,302 |
![]() | 2,581 | 3,444 | 1,502 | 272 | 1,364 | 7,132 | 7,416 |
![]() | 2,488 | 2,287 | 1,500 | 341 | 2,298 | 7,028 | 8,888 |
![]() | 2,343 | 3,091 | 2,340 | 400 | 956 | 3,708 | 3,854 |
![]() | 2,168 | 3,347 | 1,606 | 547 | 483 | 4,304 | 5,521 |
![]() | 1,996 | 1,927 | 602 | 91 | 800 | 2,926 | 3,902 |
Total | 1,198,059 | 1,487,303 | 719,978 | 194,495 | 507,704 | 1,913,702 | 2,333,796 |
The visa policy of Australia deals with the requirements that a foreign national wishing to enter Australia must meet to obtain a visa, which is a permit to travel, to enter and remain in the country. A visa may also entitle the visa holder to other privileges, such as a right to work, study, etc. and may be subject to conditions.
Visitors to Mongolia must obtain a visa from one of the Mongolian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries, or citizens who may obtain a visa on arrival, or citizens eligible for an e-Visa.
The visa policy of the Philippines is governed by Commonwealth Act No. 613, also known as the Philippine Immigration Act, and by subsequent legislation amending it.
The visa policy of the Kingdom of Bhutan is strictly regulated under the policy of "High Value, Low Volume" tourism, in order to minimize the effect on the country's unique society and environment. Bhutanese policy ensures that only an acceptable number of tourists enter the country at a time, preventing the country from being overwhelmed by mass tourism and consequently changing its character, and that tourists who do arrive get the best experience and value from their visit.
Visitors to Mauritius must obtain a visa in advance, unless they are a citizen of a visa-exempt country or are eligible to obtain a visa on arrival.
Visitors to India must obtain a visa unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries. Nationals of certain countries may obtain a visa on arrival or an e-Visa online, while others must obtain a visa from an Indian diplomatic mission.
Most visitors to Iran must obtain an electronic visa (e-Visa) prior to their arrival in Iran, unless they are a citizen of one of the visa-exempt countries or countries that are ineligible for an e-Visa, in which case they must obtain a visa in advance from one of the Iranian diplomatic missions around the world.
Visitors to Chile must obtain a visa from one of the Chilean diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.
Visitors to Pakistan typically must obtain a visa online or in certain cases from one of the Pakistani diplomatic missions.
As of 1 May 2023, most visitors wishing to enter Suriname can stay without a visa for up to 90 days. However, visitors from some countries must first obtain a visa before being allowed into the country. Surinamese visas are documents issued with the stated goal of regulating and facilitating migratory flows. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.
Papua New Guinea Visitors must obtain a visa on arrival or e-Visa to enter the country. Visitors can also apply for a visa from the PNG diplomatic missions. All visitors must have a passport valid for 6 months.
Visitors to East Timor must obtain a visa, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.
Kenya has abolished visa requirements for all foreign visitors from 1 January 2024, and instead implemented an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) system.
Mozambique allows most countries that are not visa exempt to obtain a visa on arrival. However, nationals of certain countries must obtain a visa online or from one of the Mozambican diplomatic missions around the world before being allowed into the country.
Visitors to Saudi Arabia must obtain a visa, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.
Visitors to Laos must obtain a visa from one of the Laotian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries or citizens eligible for a visa on arrival or an e-Visa. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.
Visitors to Nicaragua must obtain a visa from one of the Nicaraguan diplomatic missions, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or countries that can obtain a visa on arrival. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.
All visitors to Djibouti must obtain either a visa on arrival to Djibouti, an electronic visa online or a visa from one of the Djiboutian diplomatic missions prior to arrival in Djibouti, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries mentioned below.
Visitors to Egypt must obtain a visa from one of the Egyptian diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or countries that are eligible for visa on arrival.
An electronic visa (E-Visa) and an electronic travel authorization are digital travel permits commonly required in conjunction with a valid passport for entry into specific jurisdictions. These electronic travel documents have gained prominence in the modern era of digital connectivity and streamlined travel processes.