Guide · visa
Sri Lanka Visa and Entry Requirements
Short answerMost visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) or a visa obtained before arrival, issued by Sri Lanka's Department of Immigration and Emigration. Entry rules change: always confirm on the official ETA site and your own government's travel advice within two weeks of travel.
Quick answer
What international visitors need to enter Sri Lanka, and how to check the current position rather than trusting an old blog post.
Start with the official source
The ETA is administered by the Sri Lanka government. Requirements, fees and eligible nationalities change without much notice, and third-party sites charge for handling the same application. Apply through the official portal and keep the approval email with your documents.
Check your own government's advice too
The UK, Australian and other foreign offices publish entry requirements for their nationals, and they occasionally differ in detail from the general ETA rules — passport validity, onward tickets and proof of funds being the usual points.
Documents to carry
A passport valid for the period your airline states, your ETA approval, a return or onward ticket, and evidence of where you are staying for the first nights.
- Passport with blank pages
- ETA approval printed or saved offline
- Onward/return ticket
- First hotel or address
Keep this page fresh
Entry rules sit in the shortest review cycle on this site — we re-check them against official sources every 90 days and record the date at the top of the page. If you spot a change before we do, use the correction form.