Sri Lanka's ETA Portal Is Back: Apply Online Before You Travel
From 26 September 2024, tourists and business travellers can apply for Sri Lankan visas online instead of at borders or embassies.
As of 26 September 2024, Sri Lanka has reactivated its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) online portal, restoring a simpler visa path for international visitors. The system allows tourists and business travellers to apply online from home and receive approval before boarding their flights—no embassy visits, no arrival-hall queues.
The ETA covers standard tourist and business visits. Applications are processed faster than traditional embassy routes, and approval arrives by email. Keep your passport number, travel dates, and accommodation details ready—the form takes 15 minutes. Costs vary by stay length and visa type, but the cost is lower than an embassy visit and the time saved is real.
For Sri Lankan expatriates and diaspora planning holidays, this is straightforward: apply online, get approval, travel. If you're sponsoring family or planning a group, each person applies separately. The portal is official and secure—use only the government's legitimate ETA site, not third-party agents offering the 'same service' at markup.
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