Every tourist who is going on holiday to Sri Lanka must apply for a visa online (via the Internet) in advance. At the moment, this is a mandatory condition for registering a tourist of any age on a plane to Sri Lanka. With these step-by-step instructions and a sample application form, you can easily and quickly apply for a visa to Sri Lanka, even without knowing English.
What is a visa to Sri Lanka?
A tourist visa to Sri Lanka for Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and citizens of Kazakhstan, however, as for almost all countries in the world, must be issued in advance, via the Internet (online).
Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) - electronic travel authorization (in other words, visa ) is issued on the official website of the Immigration and Emigration Service of Sri Lanka - https://www.eta.gov.lk.
This site has one important drawback - the almost complete absence of the Russian language. The Russian language is on the first pages, but the translation there is so clumsy that it is better not to read it at all. The ETA visa application and payment process takes place in English .
To help you fill out everything correctly, this detailed step-by-step instructions .
An ETA is an electronic document and theoretically does not need to be printed, but experience shows that almost all airlines ask for an ETA when checking in for a flight to Sri Lanka. Therefore, be sure to print your ETA confirmation email .
Flights to Sri Lanka Tours from Russia Tours from Ukraine
Before proceeding with the instructions for filling out the application, I advise you to read the Rules for applying for a visa to Sri Lanka online.
Sri Lanka has opened its borders to tourists from January 2021, but there are a number of conditions. Read more in the article Holidays in Sri Lanka in 2021: rules, restrictions and opportunities.
These instructions for applying for a visa to Sri Lanka include the following steps:
- 1 | Selecting a language on the main page of the ETA website
- 2 | Study information on the principles of applying for a visa to Sri Lanka (ETA)
- 3 | Acceptance of the rules for obtaining an electronic visa to Sri Lanka (ETA)
- 4 | Selecting a visa type and application type
- 5 | Instructions and sample for filling out each form for a visa to Sri Lanka: 5.1. | Travel information - information about the trip
- 5.2. | Contact details - contact details
- 5.3. | Applicant information - information about the traveler
- 5.4. | Add a child who is included in the parent’s passport
- 5.5. | Declaration - traveler visa status
Applying for an electronic visa permit online
A regular visa to Sri Lanka for Russians in 2021 is issued electronically. This digital document is called ETA - Electronic Travel Authorization. The procedure is carried out through the website. This is a double-entry visa; you can use it to leave and enter the country. The permit gives the right to enter and stay in the country for 30 days. It is issued for three cases: tourism, business trips, transit. A significant advantage is the ability to apply for a visa for a group of tourists - this option is provided on the website.
Nine-arch bridge in Sri Lanka. The bridge is located in the village of Gotuwala; it was built during the colonization of the country by Great Britain. The bridge connects two railway stations - Ella and Demodara, and is the largest in Sri Lanka.
Ways to get an e-visa:
- via website ($45);
- after arrival (arrival) in the country immediately near the immigration department counter ($40);
- by visiting the offices of airlines or tour operators, where they will provide a sample form ($40);
- making a personal visit to the consular office of the state embassy in Moscow (from 31 to 64 dollars). The documents must bear the applicant's handwritten signature;
- by visiting the head office of the Immigration Department in Colombo (via a third party).
Thus, you can submit an application either yourself or with the help of a third party. Algorithm of actions on how to apply for a visa to Sri Lanka yourself:
- Go to the website to submit documents and click the “Submit” button. The resource has a Russian-language version, but the visa application form is filled out in English;
- Agree to the terms (I Agree);
- Select Tourist ETA / Apply for an Individual. That is, a tourist visa intended for individual applicants;
- Fill out the form (in English);
- Click on the “No” tab in the last section. Do this at all three points;
- It is necessary to check and confirm the correctness of the entered information, after which the amount that needs to be deposited will appear - $35. Payment must be made in US currency. This can be done with VISA, MasterCard, American Express cards.
If you are planning a group trip, then the described method has advantages, since the electronic form provides a registration option just for such a case.
The application is assigned a registration number to track the status - you must remember it. The digital designation is sent by email within 10–15 minutes. If it has not arrived, then the application is still being processed and you need to wait.
The rivers of Sri Lanka begin in the central highlands and flow in all directions, forming waterfalls in the mountains. The length of the rivers is approximately 100 - 150 km. They are of little use for shipping and are used for irrigation. On the banks of the Maha Oya River there is a nursery for wild Asian elephants.
The system sometimes does not accept Visa Electron and Maestro cards. It is advisable to check whether there are any restrictions on such transactions by calling the bank’s call center. In this case, the money will be returned to the card after 3-5 days, and the ETA will have to be obtained again. If you don’t have time for this, you can do it upon arrival at the airport at the immigration counter.
A natural question arises: is a visa needed for Sri Lanka if you can complete the entire procedure via the Internet, and this process resembles visa-free entry? Yes, it is needed, because upon entry, the border guard pastes a sticker with a QR code into the passport and affixes a stamp - this is a tourist visa.
Buddha statue. Temple in Sri Lanka. The temple is located on the top of a mountain, at an altitude of about 350 m above sea level. It was built in the 1st century BC. The temple halls are real (albeit man-made) caves.
1 | Selecting a language on the main page of the ETA website
On the main page of the official ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) website https://www.eta.gov.lk you will be asked to select a language. Your choice will not affect your visa application in any way. In any case, it will be in English - all fields will need to be filled out only in English.
Home page of the ETA website.
Visa validity period
The validity period of a visa has its own characteristics depending on its type. ETA (electronic travel) allows a foreigner to stay in the country for 30 days from the date of arrival. It must be used within 3 months. Please note that it prohibits you from engaging in commercial activities or working in Sri Lanka. A professional visa allows you to stay on the island for up to 5 years, a pension visa for 2 years, a student visa for 1 year, a work visa for 1 year, and a residence visa for 5 years.
In all cases, an extension can be made if certain conditions are met.
7 | Payment for e-visa to Sri Lanka
Choose which card you will use to pay for your visa: Visa or Master, or American Express, simply by clicking on the picture with the desired logo. After a few seconds, a payment window will open.
Until April 30, 2021, a tourist visa to Sri Lanka for Russians and Ukrainians is issued free of charge.
- Card Number — card number;
- Expiry date — card expiration date (for example: 03 2022)
- CVV2/CVC2 Number - the last three digits on the back of the card (where the cardholder’s signature is located);
- Name on Card - the name of the card owner (as written on the card);
- e-mail - not required to be filled in;
- Mobile Number —it is not necessary to fill in the mobile phone number;
- Word verification - in the field below, enter the numbers and letters from the “Word verification” line
- Check the entered data and click the “Pay” button.
Payment for e-visa to Sri Lanka.
Cost of visa application
Prices for various design options and delivery times:
- ETA (for application via the Internet independently by a citizen) – $35. The result of the application will be sent by email on the same day;
- through the consulate - from 30 to 61 dollars. The application is considered within 3 days;
- ETA after arrival in Sri Lanka is $40. The result will come within 24 hours;
- through travel agencies and airlines - $40. You need to wait up to 3 days for a response.
The cost of a visa for children under 12 years of age is zero and there is no fee for them. A transit permit for up to 2 days is also free.
Bandaranaike Airport. This is the main international airport in Sri Lanka. The airport is located 35 kilometers from Colombo, in the town of Katunayake. After passing through passport control, you can make purchases in duty-free stores. You can pay with currency or a plastic card. Customs inspection is organized in the form of green and red corridors. At the airport you can profitably change money to start your trip. The other major city closest to the airport is Negombo, which often becomes the first rest stop after a flight.
9 | Receiving an electronic visa to Sri Lanka by e-mail
Within 24 hours after payment, a letter with a visa or reason for refusal will be sent to the same e-mail. An unusual nuance - the visa arrives in the body of the letter, and not as an attached file. You need to print out the text of the letter .
A sample letter and visa can be seen in the article Rules for issuing an electronic visa to Sri Lanka.
If you have not received an email with a visa, then first of all you need to check your spam folder. If there is nothing there, then you can check the status of your application on the ETA website: https://eta.gov.lk/etaslvisa/pages/checkStatus.jsp and print out a browser window as confirmation of your receipt of a Sri Lanka visa.
If you want to quickly get from the airport to the hotel, order a transfer. Read more in the article How long does it take to get from Colombo airport to the hotel.
Required documents for visa
If you are planning a tourist trip or a simple visit to the country, an ETA is enough for this. In this case, there is no need to submit documents anywhere - their data is entered into the electronic application in a special form on the website.
When you open an e-visa for Sri Lanka at the airport, you must have the following documents:
- a foreign passport, which must be valid after the end of the trip for at least 6 months;
- return ticket with a specific departure date;
- tourist voucher for hotel services;
- migration card (filled out on the plane or in the arrival hall);
- ETA printouts;
- confirmation of sufficient money to ensure your stay in the country at the rate of 35–50 dollars per day (income certificate for a visa or bank statement).
Traditional fishermen at sunset near Galle in Sri Lanka.
The large city and port of Galle is located 115 km from Colombo, next to the popular resort of Unawatuna. A special feature of the resort are the famous fishermen who fish while sitting on poles. Here you can admire not only historical sites, but also beautiful sunsets over the Indian Ocean. If an electronic ETA visa is issued at a consulate, the following documents are required:
- application (Visa Form B) and additional form (they can be taken on site or downloaded from the official website);
- international passports valid for 6 months after the end of the trip and with two blank pages;
- 2 photos 3x4;
- confirmation of payment of the consular fee (carried out in dollars);
- copies of the passport page with personal data;
- confirmation of place of residence, air tickets and financial solvency (sometimes they require you to indicate your place of work).
Taxi here and there. Taxis in Sri Lanka are common in both big cities and small towns. Tourists use taxis to travel long distances, but for short trips they prefer to hire three-wheeled tuk-tuks.
Depending on the type of visa, additional paperwork may be required. For a labor permit, these will be documents from the investor bureau, a labor agreement, a request letter, enterprise registration papers, recommendations from the ministry or external resources department, and approval from the embassy. Prospective students may be asked for recommendations from the embassy, a petition from the educational institution and an account statement containing at least 1.5 thousand dollars.
When crossing the border, you must have standard travel documents: a passport and a migration card (filled out on the plane). Its form can be downloaded online and printed at home.
Buddha statues at Sima Melaka Temple. The temple is located on Breyer Lake south of Colombo and sits right on the water. The building was built for the meditation of monks, as well as for inaugurations. On the top of the structure there are numerous statues of Buddha sitting in different poses.
Visa extension and its nuances
Landscape of St. Clair Falls in Sri Lanka.
The waterfall originates from the Kotmale River, a tributary of the Mahaweli River, and flows downhill through tea plantations. The picturesque waterfall is one of the ten largest and most beautiful waterfalls in Sri Lanka and is called “little Niagara”. To extend your visa, you must contact the Department of Immigration and Emigration. ETAs for tourists can be extended a maximum of twice for 2 and 3 months. In this case, the total period of stay should not exceed six months. This is available even to those located in Sri Lanka. Extension of stay on a visa is done by the specified department of the country, where you need to provide the same set of documents that were submitted during the initial procedure. A special completed form is attached to the papers (it will be issued on the spot). After submitting the application, the citizen is given a deadline when he can come and pick up his renewed passport.
Features of entry into Sri Lanka in connection with coronavirus
- The minimum stay in Sri Lanka is 14 days.
- The hotels are divided into 3 levels. The first is intended for foreigners staying no more than 2 weeks in the country, the second - for those who will be on the island for more than 2 weeks, the third - for local residents.
- In the first two weeks of their stay in the country, tourists are allowed to stay only on the territory of a first-level hotel. After this period, you can move around the island and stay in second-level hotels.
- Persons who have been in or transit through the UK are not allowed into Sri Lanka.
- New rules for entry to Sri Lanka after coronavirus in 2021 make it mandatory to obtain a visa in advance of travel. Previously, it was possible to obtain a visa after arriving in Sri Lanka.
Entry for COVID-19 Vaccinated Persons to Sri Lanka
From March 19, 2021, Sri Lanka has special entry and stay rules for persons who have been vaccinated against coronavirus infection:
- Upon entry, you must have a vaccination certificate; you will also need a translation into English certified by a notary.
- Upon arrival, a PCR test for coronavirus is taken at the airport within 24 hours. While waiting for the test results, the foreigner is kept in an observatory.
- If the test is negative, the traveler goes to the hotel independently.
- 7 days after crossing the border, the PCR test is taken again.
Applying for a visa using Visasam
- Visasam Visa Center provides assistance in obtaining an electronic visa to enter Sri Lanka.
- Cost 1500 rubles + visa fee 37$
- Contact and write Tamara Kub (WhatsApp, Telegram)
Obtaining a visa for a child
For children, a separate visa application via the Internet is possible only if they have their own passport. If they are included in the parents’ passports (this is valid until they reach the age of 16), then a separate electronic permission is not required. The most important point is to include children in the ETA form in full compliance, as in the passport. There is no need to pay duties for them if they are less than 11 years old. You must remember that for each child you must fill out a migration card and have the appropriate amount for accommodation ($30-50 per day).
Tea plantations in Ella. Sri Lanka has six agro-climatic zones, and each of them produces tea with its own unique taste and high quality. Ella is a picturesque town located in the southern part of the island between two mountains. Ella is characterized by the lifestyle of a rural settlement with small vegetable gardens, green valleys and tea plantations. The largest tea factory is located here.
Possibility of visa refusal
The state is loyal to all foreign citizens. The failure rate is low. Access may be restricted if:
- repeatedly violated the visa regime;
- filled out the application incorrectly/provided incomplete documentation;
- the submitted papers have errors or inaccurate information;
- there are loan debts, unpaid fines (if issued in the Russian Federation);
- the consulate officer doubts your return to your homeland after the expiration of the available period;
- there are offenses/problems with the law recorded by the international visa regime framework;
- you already have a Sri Lanka visa;
- no/insufficient funds in the bank account.
Important: You have the right to an explanation of the reasons for the refusal, correct errors, resubmit documents and wait for the result.
