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.