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Sri Lanka visa regime news
- Attention! Starting from October 30, 2025, information appeared in local media that the requirement to mandatory fill out the electronic form on the ETA website in advance before entering the country, previously introduced from October 15, 2025, has been canceled again. Nevertheless, we still recommend filling it out before the trip in case the authorities suddenly decide to reintroduce it. If you forget to fill out this form at home, you can do it from your smartphone even at the airport upon arrival by connecting to the free airport WiFi.
We constantly try to monitor any changes in the visa regime and promptly add the most reliable information to this page. However, we do not guarantee that the information provided corresponds to the rapidly changing visa rules of individual countries, accordingly, the information on this page is for reference. To get the most up-to-date information about entry and visa to Sri Lanka, you can join our Sri Lanka chat.
Briefly: Sri Lanka visa in 2025
- For Russian citizens: Visa is NOT NEEDED for up to 30 days. A stamp is placed upon arrival.
- Mandatory: Fill out the free electronic ETA form before departure.
- Passport: Must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry.
- For other citizens: Visa (ETA) required, cost from $50.
Is a visa needed for Sri Lanka for tourists from Russia?
- For tourists from Russia, a visa to Sri Lanka is not needed. Now Russians at passport control automatically receive a free stamp in their passport for a stay of 30 days without additional formalities and checks. I.e., obtaining an electronic visa or visa on arrival is no longer required for tourists from Russia. But before arrival, you need to fill out the free electronic form on the website https://eta.gov.lk/, since without it you may not be allowed to board the flight.
- Your passport must be valid for 6 months after the date of entry.
- You must have a ticket out of the country back home or to any other country, as confirmation that you will not stay here longer than allowed.
Is a visa needed for Sri Lanka for other tourists?
This depends on your citizenship. In short, citizens of Russia, China, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan do not need a visa for up to 30 days. Citizens of all other countries must apply for an ETA visa online in advance and pay its cost on the official website.
From October 15, 2025, according to official information, visas on arrival will no longer be issued, and all tourists are required to apply for ETA in advance on the website online.
The electronic visa eVisa or ETA is issued strictly on the official website https://eta.gov.lk/ with online payment by bank card (from $50 + fees, price varies depending on the type of visa, see cost below). Visa processing for children under 12 is free. Permits issued and paid for through other websites are invalid.
The stay in the country on the simplest tourist visa is 30 days. The permit is DOUBLE ENTRY, i.e. you can enter, exit and enter again during the visa validity period.
Each ETA has a validity period in addition to the permitted stay period. The cheapest tourist visa is valid for six months after receipt, but do not confuse this with the stay period. The validity period means that you can use the visa to enter the country within six months (180 days) after receiving it, not stay in the country for that period.
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How to apply for eVisa (ETA) for Sri Lanka?
Attention! To apply for eVisa (visa) you DO NOT NECESSARILY need to have an air ticket, including a return one. The presence of a return ticket is checked only when entering the country, and even then not always, so you can safely apply for eVisa, and then buy tickets.
The eVisa permit is applied for in advance before the trip on the website https://eta.gov.lk/, and is paid for there by bank card. All processing is done in English interface. Here is a detailed instruction with screenshots, how to apply for electronic visa to Sri Lanka online.
After filling in all the necessary information and submitting the application, you will need to pay for it using a bank card (free for Russian citizens) and wait for the visa by email. Confirmation most often comes in a day or two, but there may be delays, and in the happiest cases the response comes literally within minutes.
At the same time, judging by reviews on the Internet, due to poor website performance, there are cases of not receiving a response at all, double charges (at different times) and other similar troubles. So carefully monitor and check charges from your card, contact the Department of Immigration and Emigration (through the form in the "Contact us" section on the website https://eta.gov.lk/).
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How much does a Sri Lanka visa cost?
The cost of a Sri Lanka visa depends on its type, length of stay and its validity period. It is important to understand the differences between the terms validity period and length of stay:
- Visa validity period – this is how long after receipt the visa will be valid for entry, i.e. the period during which you can enter with it. For example, if on January 1, 2026 you received a visa with a validity period of 6 months, you can enter Sri Lanka with it at any time until June 2026.
- Length of stay under eVisa – this is the time during which after entering the country you can stay there.
Here are the visa prices. But they may change, check on the official ETA website.
- Tourist visa for a stay of up to 30 days with double entry, validity period after issuance 30 days - 50 US dollars / approximately 50 USD;
- Tourist visa for a stay of up to 90 days with single entry, validity period after issuance 180 days - 50 US dollars / approximately 50 USD;
- Tourist visa for a stay of up to 90 days with double entry, validity period after issuance 180 days - 50 US dollars / approximately 50 USD;
- Business visa for up to 30/90 days with single or multiple entry, validity period after issuance 180 days - 55 US dollars / approximately 55 USD;
- Transit visa up to 2 days with single entry: free;
Procedure for passing control at the airport: what to do and where to go upon arrival
The algorithm upon arrival in Sri Lanka is the same as in any other international airport: you enter the international area, then passport control, baggage claim and customs control. Here is a detailed step-by-step instruction on what to do and where to go, and a little below there is also a photo instruction for Colombo airport:
- After disembarking, go where everyone else goes following the signs Arrival / Immigration / Passport Control.
- Proceed to passport control (Passport Control) and queue at the document check counters.
- At passport control, present your passport, nothing else is needed. Additionally, they may request the boarding pass for the flight you arrived on and a return ticket, but this is rare.
- After that, you enter the baggage claim area, look for the baggage carousel with your flight.
- After receiving your baggage, you go through customs (Customs). Here you don't need to show anything to anyone on your own initiative, just go through the "green channel". If you interest the customs officers, they will approach you themselves and ask to present your baggage for inspection and check your documents. Read our instruction about Sri Lanka customs for customs requirements and what can and cannot be imported.
- After passing through customs, you enter the arrival hall, where there are exchange offices with good rates, SIM card sales, taxi counters, hotel booking and everything else. If you arrived on a tour, representatives of the tour operator will be waiting for you here with a sign.
- From the arrival hall, you immediately go outside to the taxi parking, and can go wherever you want.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Can I pay for Sri Lanka visa with Mir card?
No, Russian Mir cards are not accepted on the website https://eta.gov.lk/, and all Mastercard and Visa from Russian banks are under sanctions. Therefore, as an option, you can try to apply for a virtual Mastercard or Visa card from one of the non-sanctioned payment systems or UnionPay in a Russian bank, and pay for the visa with this card. If this option doesn't work either, then you can simply go to the country and get a visa on arrival, paying for it in cash at the airport. But we remind you that you will need to pay for the visa only if your passport is not Russian.
What are the requirements and passport validity period for entry to Sri Lanka?
- Passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry.
- Return ticket or ticket to a third country, as well as visa to a third country if required for its visit.
- Sufficient funds to cover expenses during the visit.
The first and second points are obvious, the third point is very difficult to check and is usually not checked.
The Internet often contains information that a hotel must be booked for entry, and border guards at passport control require presenting hotel vouchers. In fact, there is no requirement to have a booked hotel when entering Sri Lanka. Information about the hotel and your stay address is necessary to fill out the immigration card, so it is enough to simply indicate the hotel where you plan to stay and indicate its address (at least the city). As a last resort, if you are very worried and don't want to book a hotel in Sri Lanka in advance, you can make a reservation, print the voucher, and then cancel the reservation.
You can find and book a hotel in Sri Lanka on these websites:
- 🛌 Search for hotels in Sri Lanka on Trip.com (👍 Mir cards work)
- 🛌 Search for hotels in Sri Lanka on Yandex.Travel
- 🛌 Search for hotels on Ostrovok.ru
No vouchers from tour operators, etc. are required for entry to Sri Lanka either. All such requirements are initiatives of travel companies to profit from tourists.
Is a visa needed for transit?
If you plan to stay in Sri Lanka for no more than 48 hours, i.e. you are in transit, you must also apply for a free transit visa (ETA) on the website or upon arrival.
Keep in mind that you must have tickets for departure within the specified period.
How to extend a visa in Sri Lanka?
If you need to stay in Sri Lanka longer than the visa is valid, you can extend the visa while in the country for up to 90 days. I.e., 60 days will be added to the validity period of your visa (not 90). Don't confuse, we are talking about adding 60 days to your 30 days, and the total validity period of the visa will become 90 days.
Extension is done online on the website https://eservices.immigration.gov.lk/vs/home.php or at the main immigration office in Colombo (Department of Immigration & Emigration, Colombo) at the address:
41, Ananda Rajakaruna Mw, Punchi Borella, Colombo 10
Embassy contacts
Embassy of Russia in Sri Lanka:
Embassy of the Russian Federation,
62 Sir Ernest de Silva Mawatha, Colombo-7, Sri-Lanka
Phone: (8-10-94 11) 257 4959, 257 3555 Fax: (8-10-94 11) 257 4957, 68-6864
E-mail: rusemb@itmin.net
www.sri-lanka.mid.ru
Russian Cultural Center
Russian Cultural Center
10, Independence Avenue, Colombo 7
Phone (8-10-94-11) 268 5440, 268 5429 Fax (8-10-94 11) 268 6084
Embassy of Sri Lanka in Moscow:
129090, Russia, Moscow, Shchepkina st., 24
Phone: (+7 495) 688 1620, 688 1651 Fax: (+7 495) 688 1757
E-mail: moscow@srilankaembassy.org,
Tourism Department tourism@srilankaembassy.org
www.srilankaembassy.org