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Visa rules for Sri Lanka

Of the 198 other passports, 142 get a visa on arrival. 51 need an e-Visa or online approval before they travel and 5 need an embassy visa or can’t visit at the moment.

Visa-free0
Visa on arrival142
e-Visa or online51
Embassy visa or no entry5
Official siteSri Lanka ETA
DataDataset 17 Feb 2026 · checked 17 Oct 2026

Detailed guide for South Africans

Which passports can visit Sri Lanka

Each country is coloured by what its passport holders need to visit Sri Lanka. Hover over or tap a country for details.

What’s changed

Free ETA for 40 countries

Since 25 May 2026, Sri Lanka’s tourist ETA is free for nationals of 40 selected countries. Everyone else pays the normal fee.

Every passport, by entry type

Visa on arrival 142 passports

Europe

Middle East

East Asia

Southeast Asia

South Asia

Central Asia and the Caucasus

North America

Central America

Caribbean

South America

Oceania

e-Visa or online authorisation 51 passports

Southern Africa

East Africa

West Africa

Central Africa

North Africa

  • Algeria · online authorisation
  • Egypt · online authorisation
  • Libya · online authorisation
  • Morocco · online authorisation
  • Sudan · online authorisation
  • Tunisia · online authorisation

Indian Ocean islands

Atlantic islands

Middle East

Embassy visa, or not possible now 5 passports

West Africa

Central Africa

East Asia

Before you go

  • Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after your trip, with 2 blank pages.
  • Carry a return or onward ticket, your accommodation details and proof you can pay for your stay.
  • Apply only on the official site: Sri Lanka ETA. Copycat sites charge extra.
  • Check whether you need a yellow fever certificate, especially if you travel from or through Africa or South America.
  • Airlines decide boarding with Timatic: check your route on the IATA Travel Centre.

Sources and checks

How current is this? Entry types come from an open visa dataset updated 17 Feb 2026, corrected where newer official notices show a change (checked 17 Oct 2026). Notes on this page were checked against the sources below. Rules change without notice: confirm with the embassy or official immigration site, and check your route on the IATA Travel Centre before you book.

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