Visa on arrival for UK, US, and EU passports — how many days, cost, and can I extend?
Planning a 5-week trip to Sri Lanka and trying to sort out the visa situation before I fly. I'm Irish (EU passport). A few things I can't find a clear answer to:
1. Is visa on arrival still available at BIA, or do I need to apply online before travelling?
2. How many days does the tourist visa allow — I've seen 30 and 90 mentioned on different sites?
3. What is the current cost in USD?
4. Can I extend it in-country if I want to stay longer?
5. Do I need an onward ticket when I arrive?
I'd love answers from people who have actually done this recently rather than blog posts from 2022.
3 Answers
Updated answer based on the current situation as of early 2025:
ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) — required before you fly
Sri Lanka no longer offers genuine "visa on arrival" for most nationalities. You must apply online via the official ETA system before departure: eta.gov.lk. The process takes 15–30 minutes and approval usually comes within 24–72 hours.
Details:
- Tourist visa: 30 days on arrival, extendable
- Cost: USD 35 per person (online application)
- Passport validity required: minimum 6 months beyond entry date
- Onward ticket: technically required but rarely checked — have it just in case
Extension (if you want to stay longer):
You can extend at the Department of Immigration in Battaramulla, Colombo. Extension gives you another 30 days (double visa = 60 days total). Cost is approximately LKR 5,000. You can only extend once on a tourist visa. The process takes a few hours — go on a weekday morning.
Ireland (EU) specifically: Covered under the same standard tourist ETA. No differences from UK or US process.
Apply at eta.gov.lk — do not use third-party sites that charge extra fees. The official site is straightforward.
Small warning: if you search "Sri Lanka ETA" on Google you will see multiple paid third-party sites at the top of results charging USD 50–80. These are not scams exactly — they do process legitimate ETAs — but they're completely unnecessary middlemen. The official site eta.gov.lk charges USD 35 and is just as easy. Bookmark that URL directly.
One thing to add: I applied 3 days before my flight and got approval in about 6 hours. Irish passport, no issues at all. At the airport immigration queue I just showed the email confirmation on my phone — no printing needed. Total time at immigration was under 10 minutes.
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