Is the free 30 day tourist ETA still valid for Germany and how do I avoid the fake sites
4 Answers from travellers
Yes. The government fast-tracked the free 30-day ETA for 40 countries specifically to counter the arrivals slump earlier this year, and Germany is on the eligible list. The fee is genuinely zero, but it is NOT visa-free: you still must apply and get approval online before you fly. Use ONLY the official government portal (the gov.lk ETA site). Approval usually lands within a day or two. The ETA gives 30 days and can be extended once inside the country at the immigration office in Colombo.
I applied last week and it was approved in about 18 hours with no fee. Take a screenshot of the approval and the ETA reference, the airline check-in desk asked to see it.
The scam to watch is the lookalike agency sites that rank high in search and charge 50 to 100 USD as a "service fee" for something that is free. If a site asks for payment, close it. The real one will show a 0 total at checkout for eligible nationalities.
You must be logged in to post an answer.
Log In to AnswerRelated questions
- Minimum income for Sri Lanka digital nomad visa 2026.2 answers
- Visa confusion is it visa free or do I still need an ETA and is it 30 or 60 days now4 answers
- Sri Lanka ETA vs visa on arrival - what is the difference and how do I apply correctly?2 answers
- How widely accepted are international credit cards?4 answers
- Sri Lanka digital nomad visa 2026 requirements and cost.3 answers
- Volunteering here without doing harm the ex NGO worker version of the question5 answers
Join a Crew
Kandy Perahera Live Tonight
Perahera Seats, Hotels & Roads
Dalada & Perahera Culture