With effect from 25 May 2026, nationals of forty countries can obtain a Sri Lankan tourist visa free of charge, valid for 30 days and allowing double entry from the date of first arrival. The list includes the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, China, India, Japan, Russia and most of the EU.
What to do, in order
- Check your passport has at least six months validity beyond your arrival date.
- Apply for the ETA online before you travel, through the official government portal rather than an agency reselling it.
- Carry a printout or screenshot of the approval. Connectivity at immigration is not something to rely on.
- If you want to stay longer than 30 days, you can extend in-country on payment of the applicable fee; plan for it rather than discovering it.
A few special cases are worth knowing. Maldivian nationals get 90 days under a reciprocal arrangement. Citizens of the Maldives, Seychelles and Singapore now have to use the ETA system even though they were previously exempt, though it is processed free. And ETA fees paid before 25 May 2026 were not refunded.
If you are travelling with us, we will remind you about this at the right moment and check that everyone in the party has theirs before departure. We cannot apply on your behalf and we would be suspicious of anyone who offered to.
Last reviewed 2026-08-22. Fees and policy change, so tell us if you find something out of date.
Still not sure how this applies to your dates?
Tell us the month you are coming and who is coming, and we will say plainly which version of the island is open to you.