Sri Lanka Introduces e-Visa System, Replacing ETA for Travelers

Since 17 April, Sri Lanka has rolled out a new electronic visa system for travellers, replacing the country’s long-standing ETA. Below are the key changes introduced by this reform as well as the step-by-step process for securing your e-Visa.

Replacing the ETA with the e-Visa

Previously, visitors were required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before arriving in Sri Lanka. Now they must apply for an e-Visa via the government’s official portal: www.srilankaevisa.lk.

Eligibility and availability

Applications are handled by VFS Global, an external service provider appointed by the Sri Lankan government to manage e-Visa processing and technology services.

Travelers of all eligible nationalities may apply via the portal for tourism, business or transit purposes. However, passport holders from Cameroon🇨🇲, North Korea🇰🇵, Côte d’Ivoire🇨🇮 and Ghana🇬🇭 are not covered by the new system and must still contact a Sri Lankan embassy or the Department of Immigration and Emigration to arrange their entry clearance.

The new Sri Lankan e-Visa portal interface

How to obtain your Sri Lankan e-Visa

The e-Visa application process is fully online and straightforward:

1. Visit the official portal srilankaevisa.lk;

2. Create a user account or log in if you already have one;

3. Complete the online application form;

4. Upload required documents (scanned passport, recent photo, etc.);

5. Pay the e-Visa fee using one of the available payment methods;

6. Once submitted and paid, wait for the Sri Lankan authorities to process your application.

Changes from the former ETA: the new form requires an active phone number for account creation and a passport-standard identity photograph.

The Sri Lankan authorities have confirmed that all ETAs issued before 17 April 2024 remain valid until they expire and can continue to be used for travel to Sri Lanka.

Types and fees for Sri Lankan e-Visas

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a reference number allowing you to track progress online. After approval, simply download and print your e-Visa to present to immigration on arrival. Validity periods and entry fees differ by visa type:

• Tourist Visa – Single Entry: 30 days valid on arrival for Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese, Malaysian, Russian and Thai citizens until 30 April 2024 only;

• Tourist Visa – Standard Visitor Visa: 6 months validity, two entries totalling 60 days, US$75 (processing fees of US$18.50 via VFS Global plus a US$7 bank charge applicable);

• Tourist Visa – 1 Year Multi-Entry: 12 months validity, up to 90 days per stay, US$200;

• Tourist Visa – 2 Years Multi-Entry: 24 months validity, up to 180 days per stay, US$300;

• Tourist Visa – 5 Years Multi-Entry: 60 months validity, up to 180 days per stay, US$500;

• Tourist Visa – 10 Years Multi-Entry: 120 months validity, up to 180 days per stay, US$1 000.

Citizens of SAARC countries receive a 50% discount on the Standard Visitor Visa fee. Additional service and bank charges (US$18.50 and US$7 respectively) are added to all applications as noted above. Critics, including opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, point to the higher cost as a potential barrier to tourism flows.

The government has also introduced a parallel e-Visa category for business travellers mirroring the tourism list (durations, fees, etc.) with the addition of a letter of invitation from a Sri Lankan sponsor to be uploaded with the application.

A number of exemptions are already in place: passport holders from Singapore, Maldives, Seychelles and the Czech Republic do not require a standard tourist visa for 6-month visits. The Ministry of Tourism is reportedly finalising a further waiver of visa fees for around 50 nationalities, with details to be released shortly.