Sri Lanka
visa & passport guide

Everything Indian passport holders need to visit Sri Lanka — visa type, fees, processing time, documents, and the step-by-step application process.

Sri Lanka Visa for Indian Passport Holders

Indian passport holders need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for Sri Lanka, applied for online before departure at the official government portal. The tourist ETA is normally valid for a 30-day stay with double entry, and approval usually comes through within a day or two by email. Sri Lanka has run a fee-waiver scheme for Indian nationals during recent periods, so the amount payable can be zero or the standard tourist fee depending on the policy in force when you apply.

Visa Type

eVisa / Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) applied online before travel; visa on arrival counter available at Colombo and Mattala airports as a backup at a higher fee

Visa Fee

Typically USD 50 (approx ₹4,200) for the 30-day double-entry tourist ETA. Sri Lanka has periodically waived this fee entirely for Indian nationals, so the portal may show ₹0 at checkout. Visa on arrival, if used, costs more than the online ETA. Children under 12 are usually exempt from the fee.

Processing Time

Usually within 24 to 72 hours; many approvals arrive the same day. Apply at least a week before travel to allow for queries.

Stay Duration

30 days from date of arrival, double entry. Extendable in Colombo at the Department of Immigration and Emigration for up to 90 days in total (fee payable).

Passport Validity

Minimum 6 months valid from date of arrival, with at least 2 blank pages for stamps

Documents Required

Passport with at least 6 months validity from arrival date
Confirmed return or onward air ticket
Hotel booking or address of stay in Sri Lanka (homestay host details if staying with friends or family)
Recent passport-size photograph in digital form (some application routes ask for it)
Credit or debit card for the online fee payment where applicable
Printed or digital copy of the ETA approval notice to show at check-in and immigration
Proof of sufficient funds, such as recent bank statement or forex card, if asked at immigration

How to Apply

1Apply only on the official Sri Lanka ETA portal (eta.gov.lk / the government's official visa site). Many lookalike agent websites charge a heavy markup.
2Choose 'Tourist ETA' and fill passport details, travel dates, flight number and Sri Lanka address exactly as in your booking.
3Pay the fee online by card if a fee is applicable, or submit if the waiver is active for Indian nationals.
4Note down the application reference number and check status by email. Approval arrives as an ETA notice PDF.
5Carry a printout of the ETA notice along with return ticket and hotel voucher. Airlines at Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi check this at boarding.
6At Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo, present passport and ETA notice at immigration to get the 30-day entry stamp.

Good to Know

Apply through the official government portal only. Third-party sites charge ₹2,000 to ₹4,000 extra as 'service fees' for the same ETA.
The fee-waiver policy for Indians has been extended and revised more than once. Check the fee shown on the official portal at the time of applying rather than relying on older information.
Immigration officers at Colombo commonly ask for your return ticket and hotel confirmation, so keep both handy in print.
Indian rupees are not accepted for most payments. Carry USD or a forex card and change to Sri Lankan Rupees at the airport bank counters, which give better rates than city hotels.
Indian debit and credit cards work in Colombo, Kandy and Galle, but carry cash for Ella, Nuwara Eliya tuk-tuks, Dambulla and small guesthouses.
Best months are December to March for the west and south coast (Bentota, Mirissa, Galle) and May to September for the east coast (Trincomalee, Arugam Bay). The hill country around Nuwara Eliya stays 15 to 22 degrees Celsius through the year, so carry a light jacket.
Adam's Peak (Sri Pada) pilgrimage season runs December to May. Anuradhapura, Sigiriya and other sites in the Cultural Triangle charge separate USD-denominated entry tickets that are not part of most package prices.
If you plan to visit temples like the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, carry clothing that covers shoulders and knees, and avoid Buddha tattoos being visible as this has caused entry problems for travellers.
Extending your stay beyond 30 days must be done in person at the Immigration Department in Battaramulla, Colombo, before the ETA expires. Overstaying attracts fines at departure.
An Indian mobile number roaming pack is costlier than a local Dialog or Mobitel SIM bought at the Colombo airport arrivals hall for around ₹1,200 equivalent.