Not counting my recent trip to the Philippines and my not-so-recent trip to Kyrgyzstan last year, I finally got to visit a new amazing destination — Sri Lanka. With just a short 4.5-hour flight from the UAE and probably one of the easiest travel authorizations I’ve ever applied for, I honestly regret not visiting Sri Lanka sooner.
If you’re like me and love nature, beaches, culture, and maybe even a safari adventure, don’t postpone Sri Lanka any further!
And if you’re wondering how to apply for the Sri Lanka ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) for tourism or sightseeing, I’m here to walk you through the process step-by-step.
What is an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)?
Sri Lanka uses an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) for many short tourist visits. This is an online pre-travel authorization that you apply for before your trip.
If approved, ETA holders are granted a 30-day short-visit visa upon arrival in Sri Lanka, subject to immigration clearance at the port of entry.
🔗 If you’re researching other visa or entry processes too, you might also find my other guides helpful:
- Kyrgyzstan Tourist E-Visa – How to Apply Online (As of 2025)
- Kyrgyzstan Visa on Arrival (VoA) Experience for Philippine Passport Holders
- Israeli Entry Permit (FAQs about stamps and security checks)
- Uzbekistan E-Visa (Step-by-Step Application Process)
- Ugandan E-Visa Application Process & Visa Stamp in the Airport
- Applying for a Jordan Tourist Electronic Visa (for eligible Nationalities!)
- Applying for a Russian Tourist Visa as a Philippine Passport Holder in 2024
Do You Need a Sri Lanka ETA?
Most travelers visiting Sri Lanka for tourism are required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before arrival, unless they belong to an exempt nationality.
Some countries, such as Seychelles, the Maldives, and Singapore, are currently exempt from obtaining a Sri Lanka ETA.
Meanwhile, citizens of Belarus, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Russia are still required to apply for an ETA before travel, but the ETA fee is currently set to zero.
As of May 25, 2026, additional countries were added to the list of nationalities eligible to obtain a free ETA. See the official announcement below.
For many other nationalities, the Sri Lanka ETA is available for a fee and can be applied for online before arrival.
That said, visa rules and exemptions can change from time to time, so I highly recommend checking the official Sri Lanka ETA website before submitting your application.
Sri Lanka ETA Official Website: eta.gov.lk
💡Tip: Always use the official government website to avoid third-party processing fees.
Sri Lanka Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) Requirements:
As for the requirements, this is by far the easiest visa application I have ever experienced.
No passport copies, photos, hotel bookings, or travel insurance documents were required to be uploaded. Can you believe that?
I simply filled out the application form. Basic questions were asked, including my flight details and address in Sri Lanka (I provided the hotel address of our first destination), but that's really about it.
How to Apply for Sri Lanka ETA: (Step-by-Step Application Process)
For an overview of the Sri Lanka ETA application process, I've broken it down into four steps based on the actual stages you'll navigate on the website:
- Submit Application - Fill all mandatory fields and submit your ETA application
- Review Information - Review your application and confirm
- Payment Options - Select desired payment option
- ETA Confirmation - Print your ETA Confirmation
While the process is fairly self-explanatory, I've included screenshots of each stage for reference.
1. Submit Application - Fill all the mandatory fields and submit your ETA application
This is the first step and the part where you'll do all the legwork.
This is where I entered my personal information, current address, flight details, and address in Sri Lanka.
2. Review Information - Review your application and confirm
On this page, I simply reviewed all the information I had provided to ensure everything was correct, including spellings, passport details, and document numbers.
3. Payment Options - Select desired payment option
At the payment stage, you will be charged according to your nationality through the payment gateway.
Unfortunately, I don't have a screenshot of the actual payment page for my application. However, I do have a screenshot of the visa fee summary for my Russian boyfriend, who was eligible for the free ETA.
Here, you'll notice that the amount was set to zero. He was not redirected to the payment gateway page to enter any card details as well.
Unlike me, a Philippine passport holder, I still had to go through the payment stage and pay for my ETA.
No complaints though — it's still one of the easiest visa applications I've ever completed.
4. ETA Confirmation - Print your ETA Confirmation
After completing the payment stage, I was taken to the confirmation page containing my reference number. An email confirmation containing the same details was also sent to me.
Upon arrival, I simply presented my passport to the immigration officer at Colombo International Airport along with a printed copy of my ETA Approval Notice. That was it.
ETA Processing Fees & Time:
As a Philippine passport holder, the ETA cost me USD 52 (approximately AED 197.28), including foreign transaction charges from my bank.
I received the email confirmation of my application at 1:38 PM (Dubai time). By 1:44 PM, I had already received my ETA Approval Notice.
How awesome is that!?
Sri Lanka ETA or Visa on Arrival?
It is strongly recommended to apply for the ETA before departure. Just make sure to bring a printed copy of the ETA Approval Notice to present at passport control.
Based on our experience, while the visa-on-arrival queue wasn't particularly long, I'm pretty sure most of us would rather avoid additional paperwork and waiting after a long flight.
With an application process that only takes a few minutes online and approval that can arrive surprisingly fast, obtaining a Sri Lanka ETA before departure is absolutely more convenient than applying upon arrival.
Final Thoughts on the Sri Lanka ETA Application
Out of all the visas and travel authorizations I've applied for over the years, the Sri Lanka ETA was easily one of the most straightforward.
The entire process took only a few minutes to complete, required minimal information, and my approval arrived immediately. If you're planning a trip to Sri Lanka, I highly recommend applying for the ETA online. This will save you the extra step at the airport.
Now, the paperwork is finally out of the way. All that's left is to enjoy everything Sri Lanka has to offer. Happy travels, and I hope you enjoy Sri Lanka as much as I did!
