Indian Passport Holders Need Visa For Sri Lanka

Effective from the 10th of August 2015 all Indian Passport holders need a visa to visit Sri Lanka.

Effective Friday, February 15, Indian passport holders will need a visa to visit Sri Lanka. In a statement released yesterday by the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry, a group of countries including India and China will be affected by this change.

The Ministry of External Affairs & Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka has decided to introduce a new regulation for passport holders of certain countries. The ministry will now require Indian passport holders to obtain a visa prior to travelling to Sri Lanka if they have not been issued a Biometrical Passport (BPP).

Sri Lanka has now joined the list of countries requiring Indian passport holders to get a visa ahead of travelling, according to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Sri Lankan government has officially made it mandatory for Indian passport holders to obtain visas to visit the country. This policy is applicable starting June 12, 2018. Currently, a 25% surcharge is being levied on visa application fees for all Indian passport holders. Eventually, it will be fully rolled out and all tourists coming from India will be required to obtain Sri Lankan visas prior to their visit.

Indian Passport Holders Need Visa For Sri Lanka

Citizens of India planning a trip to Sri Lanka can apply online for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to avoid a lengthy in-person visa application.

The streamlined Sri Lanka ETA system allows you to authorize your visit quickly and easily from the comfort of your own home. Simply complete the short online application form and you will receive the Sri Lanka ETA for Indians by email.

Applicants must meet a few basic Sri Lanka ETA requirements for Indian citizens to apply.

What Is the Sri Lanka ETA for Indians?

The ETA for Sri Lanka for Indian citizens is an Electronic Travel Authorization introduced in 2012. It allows travelers from India to visit the country for the following purposes:

• Tourism
• Business
• Transit

The ETA functions as the equivalent of an online Sri Lanka visa for Indian citizens, although technically it is classified as a travel authorization rather than a visa.

You can apply for a Sri Lanka ETA from India exclusively online from the comfort of your own home in just a few minutes.

Indian nationals with an ETA do not need to apply for a Sri Lanka visa in advance of their trip or complete visa paperwork on arrival.

This is why the ETA is considered the quickest and most convenient way for Indian citizens to authorize their visit to Sri Lanka.

Is an ETA for Sri Lanka Obligatory for Indian Citizens?

The Sri Lankan visa policy states that ordinary Indian passport holders must have an approved ETA to visit Sri Lanka for short stays. The electronic travel authorization is available as either a:

• Tourist ETA – Allows Indians to visit Sri Lanka for a holiday, to visit friends or relatives,  or to participate in a sporting or cultural event or competition. It permits 2 entries to Sri Lanka, a stay of up to 30 days with each entry.
• Business ETA –Permits entry to Sri Lanka or business activities such as to participate in meetings or contract negotiations, attend conferences and seminars, or to complete short training courses. It is a multiple entry authorization which permits multiple stays of up to 30 days,
• Transit ETA- Mandatory for all Indian citizens who are planning to transit through Sri Lanka or more than 8 hours. It is a single entry authorization that allows a total stay of up to 2 days.

Regardless of which Sri Lankan ETA the applicant requires, an approved electronic travel authorization for Indian citizens is valid for 180 days (6 months) from the date of issue. 

Do I Need a Visa to Go to Sri Lanka from India?

Indian passport holders need a visa to enter Sri Lanka. The easiest way to visit the country for short-term stays is to apply for the ETA online before traveling.

ETA holders will be given a Sri Lanka visa on arrival for Indian citizens at border control and then will be allowed to enter the country.

Getting the ETA in advance means that Indian passengers can avoid the hassle of having to apply for a visa in person at an embassy or waste time filling out paperwork at the border.

To travel to Sri Lanka for longer consecutive stays than those permitted with an approved ETA, or to visit for purposes such as to work or study, Indian citizens are required to apply for a visa from an embassy or consulate of Sri Lanka in India.

Can Indian citizens get visa on arrival in Sri Lanka?

Indian travelers with a valid ETA will be issued with a visa on arrival at Sri Lankan border control. They must simply show the following documents, which are requirements for all international visitors:

• Valid passport (registered to the ETA)
• Return or onward ticket
• Proof of sufficient funds to support yourself during your trip (e.g. a bank statement)

You may also be asked to show a copy of the ETA confirmation, so it is advisable to print it when you receive the email.

As long as this documentation is in order, you will be given a Sri Lankan visa on arrival and you will be able to enter the country immediately.

Passengers who are unable to get an ETA in advance will have to spend a long time a border control, first standing in line to get the visa application form, then dealing with the paperwork, and finally joining the normal queue to clear immigration.

This is why the ETA is regarded as being far more convenient and is the preferred option for most Indian travelers.

Sri Lanka ETA Requirements for Citizens of India

In order to submit an online application for a Sri Lanka ETA from India, it is necessary to meet a few simple requirements for Indians. Applicants must have:

• An Indian passport with a minimum validity of  180 days (6 months) from the intended date of arrival in Sri Lanka
• A valid credit or debit card authorized for online transactions
• A current email address to which the ETA for Sri Lanka will be sent upon approval

The requirements for obtaining a Sri Lanka Tourist ETA are the same as those for the Business ETA and the Transit ETA. There is no need to supply any additional supporting documentation to apply for these ETA types.

Application Steps for the Sri Lanka ETA for Indian Citizens

You can complete an online application for a Sri Lanka ETA from India in a matter of minutes by using any device with an internet connection. You just need to follow these simple steps:

• Fill in the ETA form with basic personal, passport, and travel information
• Securely pay the Sri Lanka ETA fee using your valid credit or debit card details
• Double-check the data supplied for any errors in order to avoid unnecessary processing delays or the refusal of the application.

Once submitted, an electronic travel authorization application is usually processed within 2 business days. Applicants are advised to submit a Sri Lanka ETA application from India in good time before their intended date of arrival in the country to guarantee sufficient processing time.

Travel to Sri Lanka from India

Once an ETA for Sri Lanka for Indian nationals is successfully processed, a copy of the approved authorization is sent to the traveler by email. They should then make a printout to carry with them to present to Sri Lankan immigration authorities on arrival alongside their passport.

It is necessary to travel to Sri Lanka from India with the same passport you used to complete the ETA form online. This is because an approved ETA is electronically linked to one individual passport.