Obtaining a Sri Lanka visa on arrival is simple – ETA or E visa can be obtained before entering to Sri Lanka, maybe with the assistance of a well experienced tour operator or after you arrive in Sri Lanka by visiting the visa issuing counters in the Sri Lanka airport. Of course there are some important information you need to know before applying for an ETA, especially when getting an ETA on arrival to Sri Lanka, as it can sometimes be stressful if you do not have the right instructions with you.
It is important to mention that if you are an individual intending to travel to Sri Lanka, maybe for a short term business visit, holiday or for a transit, it is mandatory to apply and obtain an ETA before entering to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka E visa, also known as ETA, initially offers you a stay period of 30 days in Sri Lanka which can, fortunately, extended upto 270 days in three consecutive instances. Before going in for more details let’s find out more information about the ETA offered by Sri Lanka to all International travellers.
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Electronic Travel Authorization ( ETA ), official authorization issued electronically by the Immigration Office in Sri Lanka, for those who intend to visit Sri Lanka for a short term visit. Purpose of offering this ETA facility is to provide visitors of Sri Lanka with an efficient, solid and stress free service – If you are an ETA holder you are able to stay in Sri Lanka for a number of 30 days in Sri Lanka.
One point to be highlighted when obtaining an ETA to visit Sri Lanka is the fact that you can get an ETA if you are travelling to Sri Lanka for a short visit – So what is meant by a short term visit - Here let’s see what is actually meant by that
If you are a traveller visiting Sri Lanka for a short term for the below mentioned purposes you can opt to get an ETA before entering to Sri Lanka;
If you are transiting through Sri Lanka you can opt to get an ETA to enter to Sri Lanka.
Here are the types of ETA you can obtain when visiting Sri Lanka;
If you are opting for an ETA when visiting Sri Lanka here is how you can obtain the ETA – ETA is issued electronically and it is issued via an online system and to make things easy for travellers, you are not required to submit passport copies, financial documents or passport sized photographs. Also it is not necessary to get your ETA stamped on your passport.
All you got to do is – Once you arrive in Sri Lanka you have to present your passport to the immigration officer in charge at the entry point to get the necessary clearance.
Applying for an ETA is simple and it will only take a few steps – But first let’s see the options we have when applying for an ETA ;
When submitting an ETA application you can choose one of the below mentioned options and submit the ETA application electronically :
If you are hoping to visit Sri Lanka for short term you can submit your own ETA application electronically to the Department of Immigration and Emmigration – Below mentioned are the few steps you must follow;
Visit the official government authorized Sri Lanka ETA website – Click on the “ APPLY ” button
You will be navigated to a page where you can read the terms and conditions before filling the ETA application – Once you click “ I AGREE ” you will be navigated to a page where you will be introduced to the ETA application process
Once you fill the application with accurate details always make sure to review all your entered details before confirming
Next step would be the page which will include all information relevant to the procedures on how you must make the required payment for your ETA – Accepted payment methods include Visa, Master and American Express cards only. If you are unable to make your payment through electronic payment cards ( credit cards, E-commerce enabled debit cards ) you can choose another alternative option given
Once you complete your payment you can get a print out of the ETA confirmation.
If you want to check the status of your ETA application you can always log into the ETA government authorized website and click “ Check Status ”, give the required details ( Confirmation Code, Passport No and Nationality ). Or else you can contact the ETA call center number which is active 24/7 – 0094 71 99 67 888
If you are planning to take a short term visit to Sri Lanka you also have the option of getting an ETA with the assistance of a third party such as travel agents – Regardless of the country you come from, we, at Arabiers, are capable of offering you hassle free and reliable visa services in getting your Sri Lanka ETA application submitted successfully.
If you wish to visit Sri Lanka without a pre - received ETA approval you can obtain an ETA at the airport since a limited facility is provided there. Below mentioned are steps that you must follow to get an ETA at the airport – It’s important to note that an additional fee will be charged for this procedure;
Also all ETA holders must make sure to have the below mentioned documents in order to present them at the entry point of the Airport;
Is it possible for a traveller to request an extension for their short term visit ETA? – Fortunately the answer to this question is “Yes ”. If you wish to extend your short term visit ETA and stay in Sri Lanka for more than 30 days you can apply for an extension.
You can extend your short term visit visa maximum up to 270 days from the date of arrival and this can be done in three consecutive instances;
Visit the visa section at the Department of Immigration and Emigration ( Head Office ) in Colombo in order to submit your extension application - Or else you can request an extension online by visiting the visit visa extension portal and get an extension upto 6 months.
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