Visa policy of Sri Lanka
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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]
Visa policy map
[edit]
Visa exemption
[edit]Ordinary passports
[edit]Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Sri Lanka, for stays up to the duration listed below:[3]
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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.[5]
- Planned pilot visa-free program
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.[6][7] On 1 October 2024 it was announced that the plan did not come into effect and that it needs to go through parliamentary approval process which needs to await for the new parliament to convene.[8]
Non-ordinary passports
[edit]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:[3][9][10]
|
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.[11]
Visa on arrival
[edit]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.[12]
Gratis visa on arrival
[edit]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.[13]
Electronic Visa
[edit]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] The system was suspended in mid-2024 but restarted in September 2024.[14]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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[15] as well as a US$5 "convenience fee" is charged by VFS Global for each visa application, regardless of the type of e-Visa.[16]
e-Visa restrictions
[edit]| Citizens of Taiwan must select "China (Special Administrative Region of China)" as their nationality when applying for an e-Visa. |
Visa required in advance
[edit]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:[17]
When obtaining a visa at a Sri Lankan diplomatic mission, they must present the following documents:[17]
- Police clearance report
- If the applicant is coming from another country after staying for more than 6 months, are required to provide Police clearance from that country and copy of the Visa
- Certificate from a Sri Lankan guarantor & a photocopy of the guarantors NIC
- Affidavit from a Sri Lankan JP (justice of peace) or a Lawyer
- Accommodation information (place of stay)
Entry restrictions
[edit]Mandatory yellow fever vaccination
[edit]Citizens of the following countries must present a yellow fever vaccination certificate upon arrival in order to enter Sri Lanka:[17]
History
In 2012, Sri Lanka launched an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, created and operated by Mobitel, a state-owned enterprise.[18]
On 17 April 2024, Sri Lanka replaced its previous Electronic Travel Authorisation system with a new e-Visa system,[5] operated by VFS Global.[15][18]
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.[19]
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.[20]
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.[13] 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.[21]
On 2 September 2024, Sri Lanka decided to implement visa-free access for citizens of 38 countries, including India, China, Thailand, the UK, the USA, and Indonesia. Although it was initially planned to be implemented on 1 October 2024, the decision was advanced due to the inconvenience caused to tourists at the visa-on-arrival counters, where overcrowding was a significant issue.[22]
Visitor statistics
[edit]Most visitors arriving in Sri Lanka on a short-term basis were from the following countries:[23][24]
| Country | 9/2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 India
|
286,556 | 302,844 | 123,004 | 56,268 | 89,357 | 355,002 | 424,887 |
 United Kingdom
|
136,464 | 130,088 | 85,187 | 16,646 | 55,455 | 198,776 | 254,176 |
 Russia
|
127,232 | 197,498 | 91,272 | 16,984 | 49,397 | 86,549 | 64,497 |
 Germany
|
99,571 | 102,539 | 55,542 | 12,442 | 34,507 | 134,899 | 156,888 |
 China[25]
|
97,267 | 68,789 | 4,715 | 2,417 | 26,147 | 167,863 | 265,965 |
 France
|
71,090 | 56,251 | 35,482 | 6,549 | 24,838 | 87,623 | 106,449 |
 Australia
|
62,004 | 67,436 | 30,924 | 4,421 | 20,283 | 92,674 | 110,928 |
 United States
|
43,678 | 46,344 | 22,230 | 6,124 | 16,842 | 68,832 | 75,308 |
 Netherlands
|
39,977 | 29,056 | 11,987 | 2,422 | 8,656 | 38,993 | 57,160 |
 Maldives
|
34,457 | 37,298 | 18,880 | 6,272 | 9,407 | 60,278 | 76,108 |
 Canada
|
33,007 | 43,944 | 26,845 | 5,079 | 12,346 | 48,729 | 52,681 |
 Poland
|
30,636 | 17,946 | 15,195 | 2,110 | 11,908 | 20,896 | 20,378 |
 Italy
|
29,346 | 22,242 | 7,449 | 1,309 | 8,603 | 36,147 | 38,379 |
 Spain
|
28,014 | 23,905 | 12,895 | 2,015 | 3,385 | 24,489 | 29,208 |
 Switzerland
|
22,277 | 23,556 | 13,260 | 2,974 | 6,389 | 29,981 | 33,965 |
 Japan
|
22,260 | 19,583 | 3,087 | 392 | 6,644 | 30,079 | 49,450 |
 Israel
|
20,515 | 19,517 | 9,326 | 1,724 | 3,556 | 14,770 | 13,833 |
 Czech Republic
|
14,894 | 12,056 | 7,350 | 1,864 | 7,599 | 19,204 | 17,600 |
 Malaysia
|
14,053 | 10,940 | 2,779 | 323 | 3,494 | 16,861 | 22,808 |
 Belgium
|
13,645 | 10,667 | 6,164 | 1,283 | 3,371 | 14,948 | 17,519 |
 Austria
|
12,080 | 10,594 | 5,541 | 1,502 | 4,300 | 14,713 | 19,320 |
 Denmark
|
11,464 | 10,346 | 7,278 | 1,302 | 4,905 | 16,869 | 19,223 |
 Pakistan
|
9,774 | 10,744 | 6,260 | 7,520 | 3,065 | 14,655 | 19,116 |
 Kazakhstan
|
8,949 | 5,130 | 8,068 | 5,754 | 2,333 | 2,399 | 2,721 |
 Norway
|
8,696 | 8,747 | 5,983 | 1,141 | 3,019 | 13,446 | 17,217 |
 Iran
|
8,669 | 10,322 | 4,301 | 397 | 648 | 3,249 | 5,720 |
 Singapore
|
8,666 | 9,551 | 3,770 | 557 | 2,545 | 13,871 | 19,861 |
 New Zealand
|
8,025 | 7,913 | 2,866 | 325 | 2,324 | 12,463 | 13,825 |
 Sweden
|
7,889 | 8,643 | 5,097 | 1,601 | 7,061 | 22,464 | 28,267 |
 Belarus
|
7,592 | 10,969 | 3,621 | 646 | 2,638 | 4,796 | 4,621 |
 South Korea
|
7,470 | 7,298 | 1,843 | 389 | 2,499 | 12,195 | 15,748 |
 Taiwan
|
6,955 | 4,999 | 363 | 42 | 1,985 | 7,127 | 8,187 |
 Ireland
|
6,248 | 5,136 | 3,056 | 559 | 2,294 | 8,254 | 10,830 |
 Thailand
|
5,395 | 4,922 | 1,725 | 247 | 1,880 | 9,861 | 9,178 |
 Ukraine
|
5,039 | 5,082 | 14,917 | 7,037 | 17,169 | 35,051 | 36,515 |
 Turkey
|
4,841 | 3,739 | 1,514 | 309 | 2,121 | 4,972 | 4,262 |
 Slovakia
|
4,822 | 4,464 | 2,432 | 664 | 1,513 | 4,944 | 5,289 |
 Lithuania
|
4,755 | 2,722 | 2,115 | 383 | 1,054 | 2,793 | 3,386 |
 Saudi Arabia
|
4,639 | 6,797 | 5,952 | 1,596 | 4,755 | 15,707 | 34,703 |
 Hungary
|
4,523 | 3,786 | 2,324 | 445 | 1,588 | 4,091 | 4,514 |
 Portugal
|
4,364 | 3,943 | 1,906 | 372 | 1,602 | 5,193 | 5,933 |
 Romania
|
4,279 | 4,092 | 3,313 | 820 | 1,724 | 5,463 | 5,931 |
 Philippines
|
3,977 | 4,164 | 1,961 | 529 | 4,249 | 14,590 | 19,303 |
 South Africa
|
3,204 | 3,444 | 1,502 | 272 | 1,364 | 7,132 | 7,416 |
 Nepal
|
3,076 | 4,750 | 1,065 | 325 | 1,384 | 5,414 | 5,302 |
 Estonia
|
2,859 | 1,808 | 978 | 376 | 1,185 | 2,516 | 2,744 |
 Egypt
|
2,840 | 3,091 | 2,340 | 400 | 956 | 3,708 | 3,854 |
 Finland
|
2,753 | 2,287 | 1,500 | 341 | 2,298 | 7,028 | 8,888 |
 Lebanon
|
2,575 | 3,347 | 1,606 | 547 | 483 | 4,304 | 5,521 |
 Slovenia
|
2,370 | 1,927 | 602 | 91 | 800 | 2,926 | 3,902 |
| Total | 1,484,808 | 1,487,303 | 719,978 | 194,495 | 507,704 | 1,913,702 | 2,333,796 |
See also
[edit]
- Visa requirements for Sri Lankan citizens
- Tourism in Sri Lanka
- Foreign relations of Sri Lanka
- Sri Lankan passport
References
[edit]- ^ a b "SL eVisa".
- ^ a b "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
- ^ a b "Visa exemption list" (PDF).
- ^ "Sri Lanka - Travel Page". www.mfa.gov.sg. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore). 4 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Sri Lanka implements new online visa system from today". Travel Trade Journal. 17 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Sri Lanka approves visa-free facility for citizens of 35 countries". Ada derana. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ Sri Lanka to allow visa free access to 35 countries: Harin
- ^ Sri Lanka: no free visas, ETA still necessary and chargeable
- ^ "Visa fee".
- ^ "Diplomatic & Official Visits".
- ^ [https://mfa.gov.lk/mou-on-visa-exemption-between-sl-benin/ MoU on Visa Exemption for Holders of Diplomatic, Official and Service Passports between Sri Lanka and Benin signed in Kampala]
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions".
- ^ a b Samath, Feizal (6 August 2024). "Sri Lanka reverts to old visa scheme". TTG Asia. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ [1]
- ^ a b "Sri Lanka opposition leader questions visa fee hike". EconomyNext. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ Srinivasan, Meera (6 May 2024). "Tourism-reliant Sri Lanka faces backlash over new visa system". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ a b c "Information".
- ^ a b Pethiyagoda, Rohan David (4 August 2024). "The VFS Visa Fraud in Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka Guardian". slguardian.org. Sri Lanka Guardian. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ Padmanabhan, Keshav (3 August 2024). "Sri Lankan Supreme Court suspends controversial e-visa scheme run by consortium including Indian firm". ThePrint. ThePrint.
- ^ "Sri Lankan e-visa issuance suspended; final decision tomorrow". www.adaderana.lk. Ada Derana. 4 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "Sri Lanka online tourist e-visa resumption date uncertain: Minister". EconomyNext. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Sri Lanka to implement "One Chop" visa-free system for 38 countries". NewsWire. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ "TOURIST ARRIVALS BY COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE 2016" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
- ^ "Tourist Arrivals by Region – December 2016 & December October 2018" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 November 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
- ^ Including Hong Kong and Macau.