Sri Lanka Reinstates Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) from October 15, 2025
From October 15, travelers must secure an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before arriving in Sri Lanka, as the eVisa system is scrapped following Supreme Court ruling.
Starting on October 15, all travelers heading to Sri Lanka will be required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) prior to arrival.
This major policy update, confirmed by a Supreme Court decision, reverses the eVisa system introduced earlier this year and reinstates the previous ETA framework. An official announcement was released by multiple Sri Lankan Embassies, including the Embassy in France.
Electronic Visa (e-Visa) Replaced by Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)
The ETA requirement was temporarily superseded by a new eVisa platform in April 2024. However, just four months later, the Supreme Court ordered the suspension of the eVisa system and a return to the ETA process. A key change is that all travelers must now secure their Electronic Travel Authorization before arrival—no ETA requests will be processed on arrival.
ETA Fees Waived for 40 Nationalities
Since July 2025, travelers from 40 countries no longer need to pay ETA fees. Regardless of exemption status, all travelers must still submit an online application before departure.
For further details on this exemption, see our recent article.
Traveler Advisory
To prevent delays during immigration processing, travelers are strongly urged to apply for their ETA online well in advance of their trip.
The ETA is now officially back as the standard entry requirement for tourists visiting Sri Lanka.
En tant que chargée de relation client, mes missions sont la gestion et le suivi des demandes de visas. Je reste informée des actualités concernant les nouvelles formalités de voyage ainsi que les spécificités des nouveaux visas.
