How Long Does It Take To Get A Visa For Sri Lanka
So you’re planning a vacation to Sri Lanka and need to know how long it takes to get a visa. There are three types of visas for Sri Lanka, either Single Entry, Double Entry or Multiple Entries. Each one comes with its own set of regulations and requirements but all have the same basic rules for application The Sri Lankan Consulate in Toronto has implemented a new Electronic Visa (eVisa) program. The eVisa facility is available to citizens of 153 countries and opens up Sri Lanka for travel for most visitors. We explore the eVisa facility to find out more.
How Long Does It Take To Get A Visa For Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a beautiful island, filled with colorful people, exotic scenery, and amazing food. The island’s climate can be hot in the day, but nice and cool at night. The beach resorts are really nice, but if you want cheaper alternatives you can stay at, check out these budget hotels with great reviews on TripAdvisor. There are also some very budget-friendly jungle lodges where you can experience the wildlife, too!
Explanation about the visa
Need a visa? All travellers going to Sri Lanka are required to possess a visa. Sri Lankaʼs visas are divided into three categories: visas for business trips, visas for tourism and visas for transits. Applying for the right visa is very easy. This is done by filling in the application form before departure, making the required payment, and finally waiting until the visa is automatically sent to you by e-mail. Are you in a rush because you are travelling to Sri Lanka soon? Select an urgent delivery. Urgent applications are completed on average within 23 minutes.
What is meant with the “Sri Lanka Visa”, the “e-visa Sri Lanka” and the “ETA Sri Lanka”? Most travellers do not stay in Sri Lanka for longer than 30 days. These travellers can apply for a digital variant of the visa, also known as the e-visa or ETA. The benefit of this digital version is that the traveller can apply for it online. If you wish to stay in Sri Lanka for less than 30 days, you do not need to file a visa application at the embassy. You can submit the application entirely online. Apply for the Sri Lanka visa now.
Do you want to stay in Sri Lanka for longer than 30 days? Then you can still apply for the 30-day valid visa on this website. After arriving in Sri Lanka, you then go to the Immigration Services Centre (No. 330, Galle Road, Colombo 03 Sri Lanka, +94-727-591-591). There, you can have it extended up to a maximum of 90 days.
Validity and requirements
To travel to Sri Lanka, each traveller needs to possess a valid visa (ETA). This ETA is valid for six months, allowing for a single entry into the country, with a maximum stay of 30 days. At the time of applying, no flight ticket needs to have been booked yet. However, a return ticket is required at the time of your trip to Sri Lanka. The traveller also has to be able to prove that they possess sufficient financial means to pay for the stay in Sri Lanka. Finally, the traveller is required to hold a passport that is valid for at least six more months at the time of arrival in Sri Lanka.
So for a trip to Sri Lanka, each traveller is required to possess:
- A passport which is valid for at least 6 more months at the time of arrival
- A flight ticket for a return flight or transit
- Sufficient financial means to pay for the stay in Sri Lanka
Do you want to work in Sri Lanka? If it concerns a business trip, you are allowed to apply for a business visa on this website. If you want to enter into employment with an organisation located in Sri Lanka, or want to live or study there, you need to apply for a specific visa which you can only get at the embassy.
Apply for visa
You can submit your application for the visa 24 hours a day through this website. This can be done for yourself, but also for an entire group of travellers at once, which saves you a lot of time. You can also submit an application for someone else; you need the passport information of the traveller to do that. In the form, you indicate whether it concerns a business trip, a holiday or a transit in Sri Lanka. A Sri Lanka visa costs £49.95 per person. For the business visa, an additional fee of £10.00 is charged. Payment can be made in various ways, such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express or PayPal.
Urgent Sri Lanka visa
Travellers without a valid visa are not allowed to enter Sri Lanka. That is why it is recommended applying for a visa well in advance, so you can be certain that the visa will be granted on time. If you expect to arrive within 72 hours, submit an urgent application; these are approved on average within 23 minutes. To do this, fill in the normal application form and check the “Urgent delivery” box. The application will be processed immediately. Unfortunately, it is not possible to offer any guarantees on the delivery times for Sri Lanka visas, even when urgent.
Trip to Sri Lanka
After you have received the e-mail confirmation that your visa application has been approved, you can go on your trip to Sri Lanka. On the plane, you will be handed a so-called Disembarkation Card. This is a small paper form on which you fill in some information, including your travel details and travel purpose. After arrival in Sri Lanka, you will go through the passport check where you show your passport, along with the filled-in Disembarkation Card. Generally, you will not be asked for the visa, as the immigration service can tell by your passport number whether a visa has been granted. Make sure to print the visa (ETA) and take it with you, so you can show it in exceptional cases.
Get to work on your visa application
Start the application for the Sri Lanka visa today by filling in the application form. Do you have questions about the procedure or the document itself? Read the frequently asked questions. Should you be unable to find the answer to your question there, you can contact our customer service.
Summary
| Purpose | Tourism, business, transits |
|---|---|
| Validity | Starts on arrival |
| Stay | 30 days (after extension 90 days) |
| Delivery time | On average 72 hours (urgent: 23 minutes) |
| Cost | £49.95 per visa |
| Apply | Only online, apply now |