A Visit Visa is an entry permit signifying the consent of the Sri Lankan Government for the admission of a foreign national to the country. The Visa contains details of the period of time and the condition/s of the stay.
There are two sub-categories which come under visit visas
Tourist Visit Visa
A Tourist Visa is issued to bona fide tourists who are travelling to Sri Lanka for one or several of the following purposes for a short period of time;
- Sightseeing, holidaying, excursions & relaxation
- Visiting relatives and friends
- Medical treatment including Ayurvedic treatment and yoga training
- Participating in art, music and dancing events
- Participating in sport events
General Conditions of a Tourist Visit Visa
- Applicant should not engage in any form of employment, paid or unpaid, or in any trade, media or business other than that specified in the visa during the period of your stay in Sri Lanka.
- Applicant must be utilized visa before the date of expiry noted on the visa.
- Validity of visa is subject to entry into Sri Lanka during the indicated entry period.
- Applications for the extension of all visas should be made to the Department of Immigration and Emigration
There are two categories of tourist Visa as follows
A) Short-term Tourist Visa
If the length of stay in Sri Lanka is less than 30 days, the applicant or a third party on his/her behalf can apply for a Tourist visa with double entries through Official Website of the ETA. (https://eta.gov.lk/slvisa/)
The ETA is initially limited to 30 days stay in Sri Lanka from the date of arrival, although it may be extended for up to three months from the Department of Immigration & Emigration, in Sri Lanka by paying the relevant extension fee.
All applicants, except children below 12 years of age, must pay an ETA processing fee online. The online payment must be paid with a valid debit or credit card. Any payments made to other websites or agencies are not valid to process the ETA. Therefore, please ensure that the payment is made on Official Website of the ETA to avoid having to pay again at the port of entry to Sri Lanka.
ETA application status can be checked by login to the Check Status_Official Website of the ETA (https://eta.gov.lk/etaslvisa/pages/checkStatus.jsp) and on the home page you can check your visa status through the “Check Status” ( https://eservices.immigration.gov.lk/InfOVA/captcha.xhtml) or contact the DI&E 24/7 dedicated ETA call centre on 0094 71 99 67 888
It is advised to keep a copy of the ETA approval notice with the traveller to be produced at the port of entry in Sri Lanka. You are advised to take a printout of the approved referral note.
For last-minute travellers who travel to Sri Lanka for tourist/transit purposes without prior ETA approval, a limited facility to obtain the ETA is available at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo. An additional fee of US$ 5 will apply.
If you wish the Embassy to submit your ETA online application on your behalf or if you are unable to submit the online application through the Official Website of the ETA due to technical reasons, the duly completed application can be forwarded to this Embassy together with the below-mentioned documents for applying online ETA approval.
Applying Short- Term Tourist Visa through the Sri Lanka Embassy in Muscat
Required Documents
- Duly completed Short- Term Tourist Visa ETA application form (Download form ST_ETA)
- Original Passport- The validity of the passports must be at least 06 months beyond the date of entry into Sri Lanka
- Two recent passport-size photographs (Colur, 3.5cm x 4.5cm or 2” x 2’)
- Return Air ticket
- Proof of hotel accommodation or an invitation form hosts in Sri Lanka
Processing Time
2-4 working days
B) Long-term Tourist Visa
If you wish to stay more than 30 days in Sri Lanka for tourism purposes, an application must be forwarded to this Embassy to obtain a long-term single/double entry tourist visa to Sri Lanka.
Applying Long- Term Tourist Visa through the Sri Lanka Embassy in Muscat
Required Documents
- Long- Term Tourist Visa ETA application form (Download form LT_ETA)
- Original Passport – The validity of the passport must be at least six months beyond the date of entry into Sri Lanka
- Two recent passport-size photographs (Colur, 3.5cm x 4.5cm or 2” x 2’)
- Return Air ticket
- Proof of hotel accommodation or an invitation form hosts in Sri Lanka
- A letter explaining the requirement of a long stay visa
Processing Time
3-7 working days
Extension of Tourist Visa
Every bonafide tourist who enters Sri Lanka within the period of the landing endorsement granted by the authorized officers at the port of entry can apply for a visa extension before the expiry of such visa.
Two (02) months extension beyond 30 days shall be granted at the Department of Immigration and Emigration (Head Office) or online through https://eservices.immigration.gov.lk/vs/home.php. However, further extension shall only be considered with valid reasons. This restriction will not be applicable to ex-Sri Lankans.
Required Documents
- Return air ticket
- Address and the telephone number of the place of accommodation
- The application along with the photograph of the applicant
- Valid Passport
- Application for extension of visit visa
The applicant who will submit applications for extending the tourist visa should be present at the Department of Immigration and Emigration (Head Office).
Online Tourist Visa Extension
Register yourself by providing the requested details through the online system.