Enlightening Sri Lanka ETA

Applying for a visa is the most hectic part while planning a trip to any foreign country and thus, requires plenty of time. In today’s world where internet is making everything easy to access, online visa industry has come out as a boom for travelers. Many countries have started the online visa system, wherein the travelers can fill up a form online, make a payment and get their visa. Sri Lanka is one of them.

Advantages to apply SL ETA through us:

Sri Lanka has also started an online visa application system known as Sri Lanka ETA. We as an individual agent help the applicants who apply with us for the SL ETA.

We provide a list of services which come in handy. Applying for a SL ETA with us is a much safer process than applying with the Govt. directly. It has been noticed that people make lots of mistakes while entering their passport details. On the govt. system for processing the SL ETA, once you submit the application, you cannot change or amended the same, but with us you can always call us on +44 203 475 8833 or email on customercare@srilanka.eta-affairs.com, and the application will be re-processed.

Also, before we process each application, we check the details and if an error is noted, we stop the application and inform the applicant about the same. The application is processed only after the correct details are received from the applicant. We have helped many applicants in saving their entire holiday by processing their applications with the correct information.

We also have an option for the applicants to apply and pay over the phone for their Sri Lanka ETA. If an applicant has a query and is not able to obtain the ETA online, we have a team of highly qualified and committed advisors who are there to answer the queries and help the applicants in applying for the Sri Lanka ETA over the phone.

Availing Sri Lanka ETA Visa

Image courtesy Sundayobserver.lk

Sri Lanka ETA visa is a ticket for travelers to enter the SL territory legally. Thus, every time you plan to visit SL, you have to apply for a visa. Once approved the ETA is valid for the period of 3 months and enables you to stay in the territory for 30 days per visit.  Applying for the visa is not time consuming, as many online websites are available over the web which can help you save your time and make it an easy process for you. These websites do charge you with some processing fees which is comparatively more than what you have to pay the government.

Requirements to apply ETA for Sri Lanka:

1.    Legal passport valid for not less than six months from the date of arrival in the country.
2.    Your visit must not exceed the time period of 30 days/visit.
3.    Evidence showing you are capable of supporting yourself financially in SL.
4.    Return or onward ticket.

Who can apply?

National of every country has to apply for a short-term ETA visa when willing to enter the Sri Lanka territory except the nationals of Maldives, Singapore and Seychelles. 

Categories of SL ETA VISA

The visa is categorized into three types:

Tourist Visa: Any traveler willing to descend to Sri Lanka for sightseeing, holidaying or to meet his/her relatives or friends need to apply for a tourist visa.

Business Visa: If your reason of visit is business meetings, conferences, seminars etc. then you must apply for Business Visa. Facility of applying for business visa online no longer exists, thus if you wish to avail the visa you must contact at the Head Office of the Department of Immigration & Emigration, the Sri Lankan Overseas Missions.

Transit Visa: Travelers who intend to stay in the territory for an abbreviated period and have an onward ticket from SL are required to apply for a Transit Visa.

Sri Lanka ETA Exemption and Refund policies

Every traveler visiting to Sri Lanka for short visit (30 days) must hold a valid SL ETA Visa.  Though, few nationals and categories are exempted from applying for an ETA-

Nationals:

•    The Republic of Singapore.
•    The Republic of Maldives.
•    The Republic of Seychelles.

Categories:

•    The Crew members of Flight/Ship.

Exemption from ETA processing Fee:

•    Children travelling under 12 years of age
•    Transit permitted only for 48 hours.

Extension of Short Visit Visa:

If you are planning to extend your stay in SL for more than 30 days, then you can submit a request application at the head office of the Department of Immigration & Emigration. Your SL ETA visa can be extended for up to 90 days from the date of arrival in the Sri Lanka territory.

Refund Policy:

The processing fee for SL ETA is non-refundable. If the application is processed and the payment has gone through, the fee would remain non-refundable and the changes on the application would not be permitted. Therefore, to reapply the applicant will have to submit a new application with a new fee for the same.