Applying for Sri Lanka visa; a short cut!

So now your mind is on your upcoming trip to that tropical little island with its ever smiling people, with all its cultural attractions and awesome natural wonders. Or it may be just a brief stop where you get out and get in. Whatever it is, you need to gain necessary permission to enter Sri Lanka by some delay-free method that is convenient for you.

Here in this article we elaborate on such method; the ETA.

ETA stands for Electronic Travel Authorization. It is a web based visa granting system implemented by Department of Immigration and Emigration which functions under the executive arm of the Sri Lankan Government. The department itself is established under the provisions of Immigrants and Emigrants Act no 20 of 1948.

An ETA can be obtained for six months stay in Sri Lanka for the purpose of tour visit or transit. But for business purposes including media and journalist activities, ETA can only be obtained only from Sri Lanka Overseas Missions nearest to you. An ETA is initially limited to 30 days validity from the date of arrival, but it can be extended up to six months.

Foreign nationals who intends to visit Sri Lanka on Diplomatic or Official purposes should forward their ETA applications to the Department of Immigration & Emigration through relevant Ministries / Agencies of Sri Lankan Government, or Sri Lanka Overseas Missions.

Sri Lankan Nationals, Nationals in Singapore, Maldives and Seychelles, crew members of flight or ship, children under 12 years of age are exempted from obtaining ETA.

For those who do not come under the above categories an ETA application can be submitted online by the applicant himself or by a third party. A third party can be a travel agent, airline service, friend or relative.

Payments can be made by credit card through the secure payment gateway available in the official website of the Department of Immigration and Emigration. Visa, Master and Amex cards are accepted.

Rather than depending on himself and a PC, a visitor can also submit his/her ETA application at Sri Lanka Overseas Missions, at the Head Office of Department of Immigration and Emigration, or on arrival at the port of entry in Sri Lanka.

He/she may first receive an acknowledgement regarding the ETA submitted and then within a reasonable time period he/she would receive ETA approval or a referral notice. A referral notice means that the officials have met with some kind of issue regarding the application.

Whatever may be the outcome the payment applicant made for processing the ETA cannot be refunded back to him/her.

At the port of entry all ETA holders should have a passport valid for not less than six months from the date of arrival, a confirmed return ticket and sufficient financial means to bear the expenses during the stay.  

Reading this article you still might not have found the answer to the problem in your mind. In that case we are happy to direct you to the official web site of Department of Immigration and Emigration (eta.gov.lk). From there you can apply for an ETA too.