Sri Lanka ETA for Indians in 2026: The Free 30-Day Tourist Visa, Step by Step
By Saanvi Iyer (Saanvi Iyer is a Southeast Asia travel writer for FlightGPT who has applied for — and helped friends apply for — most of the region's e-visas and visa-on-arrival schemes. She tracks ASEAN visa-policy changes for Indian passport holders and translates the official portals into plain, step-by-step English.) · Published · Last updated · 10 min read
Sri Lanka's tourist ETA is now free for Indians in 2026 — a 30-day, double-entry electronic travel authorisation you apply for at eta.gov.lk, usually approved in 24–48 hours. Here's exactly how to get it and what changed.
Quick answer
Indian passport holders need an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) for Sri Lanka, but as of 2026 the tourist ETA is free of charge for Indians. Under the expanded fee-waiver scheme, Indians get a 30-day, double-entry tourist ETA at no cost, applied for online at the official portal eta.gov.lk, with approval typically arriving by email in 24–48 hours. You still must apply before you fly (or risk a slow queue on arrival). Rules and fees can change — verify on the official site before travel. See our Sri Lanka visa page for the current snapshot.
Is the Sri Lanka ETA really free for Indians in 2026?
Yes — and this is the single most important thing to understand, because a lot of older articles and third-party sites still quote a USD 35–50 ETA fee. Sri Lanka first extended free ETA access to Indian nationals as part of a pilot in October 2023, and in 2026 it expanded and re-confirmed the fee-free 30-day tourist ETA for India and roughly 40 countries. For Indian tourists, the visa fee itself is currently zero.
What you get: a tourist ETA valid for a 30-day stay, with a double-entry facility inside the validity period (so you can pop over to, say, the Maldives or India and return once without a fresh ETA). The ETA still has to be obtained — "free" does not mean "no application". You apply online, get an approval emailed to you, and present it at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) in Colombo or Mattala (HRI).
Be careful here: because the policy was re-announced in 2026, always confirm the fee status for your travel month on the official eta.gov.lk portal before relying on "free". Government fee waivers are sometimes time-bound, and the honest position is that it is free now but could be revised. If you ever see a fee on the official portal at checkout, that is the real number — not the figure on a travel blog.
ETA at a glance — what Indians get
| Item | Detail (as of June 2026) |
|---|---|
| Document | Tourist ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) |
| Fee for Indians | Free (confirm on eta.gov.lk before travel) |
| Length of stay | 30 days from first arrival |
| Entries | Double entry within the validity period |
| Processing | Usually 24–48 hours by email |
| Official portal | eta.gov.lk (Dept. of Immigration & Emigration) |
| Passport validity | At least 6 months from arrival |
| Extension | Possible in Colombo, up to ~270 days total |
Compared with the rest of South and Southeast Asia, this is one of the easiest and cheapest entries available to an Indian passport — genuinely free, fast, and double-entry. It pairs naturally with a short, affordable hop: see our Chennai to Colombo route, or compare live fares in the FlightGPT chat before you book.
Step-by-step: applying on eta.gov.lk
The only official portal is eta.gov.lk. As with every popular visa, there are commercial lookalikes that charge a "service fee" on top of a free government process — avoid them. The application takes under 15 minutes:
- Open eta.gov.lk and choose Apply → Tourist ETA under individual applications.
- Enter passport details — name as printed, passport number, nationality (India), date of birth, and expiry.
- Enter travel details — intended arrival date, and a Sri Lankan accommodation address (your first hotel is fine).
- Submit — for Indian nationals there should be no fee at checkout under the current waiver. If a fee appears, that is the official charge for your travel date.
- Wait for the approval email — usually within 24–48 hours. Sometimes it is near-instant.
- Print the ETA approval and carry it with your return ticket.
Apply at least 3–5 days before travel to absorb any delay, although approvals are frequently fast. If you are island-hopping the South coast and hill country, our Sri Lanka 7-day itinerary and best month to visit Sri Lanka guides help you plan the trip itself.
Arriving in Sri Lanka — what immigration checks
Most Indians land at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) near Colombo; some charter and southern routes use Mattala (HRI). At immigration, have ready:
- Printed ETA approval (and the reference number)
- Passport with 6+ months validity
- Confirmed return or onward ticket
- Proof of accommodation for at least the first nights
- Proof of funds — a card and some cash; spot-checks happen but are not heavy for Indians
Sri Lanka is one of the few destinations where, even if you forget to apply online, you can usually still obtain the ETA on arrival — but the on-arrival queue can be slow and the fee position is less certain, so applying online beforehand is strongly preferred. Indian carriers (IndiGo, Air India, SriLankan Airlines) generally want to see your ETA at check-in in India, so do not board expecting to sort it out in Colombo.
Money, extensions and the practical stuff
A few India-specific logistics that smooth out a Sri Lanka trip in 2026:
- Currency — the Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) is different from the Indian rupee. Carry some USD to exchange on arrival, and use Visa/Mastercard widely accepted in Colombo, Kandy and the resort south. A zero-forex card (Niyo Global, Fi, Scapia) saves the markup on card spends.
- UPI — India and Sri Lanka have launched cross-border UPI acceptance at participating merchants, so your Indian UPI app may work at some outlets; do not rely on it as your only payment method yet.
- SIM — Dialog and Mobitel sell cheap tourist SIMs at CMB arrivals with generous data; passport needed.
- Extensions — if 30 days is not enough, you can extend at the Department of Immigration & Emigration in Colombo, reportedly up to around 270 days total for tourists, for a fee. Start the process well before your 30 days expire.
- Onward double-entry — because the ETA is double-entry, a Colombo–Malé–Colombo loop works on one ETA; check our Sri Lanka vs Bali comparison if you are still deciding the destination.
Common mistakes Indian travellers make
- Paying a third-party site a "service fee" when the official eta.gov.lk ETA is free for Indians.
- Assuming the old fee still applies — outdated articles quote USD 35–50; the current tourist ETA for Indians is free, but confirm at checkout.
- Not carrying a printed ETA — airlines in India ask for it at check-in.
- Overstaying the 30 days — extend in Colombo before expiry rather than risk overstay penalties on exit.
- Confusing LKR and INR — they are different currencies; budget accordingly.
- Booking a one-way ticket — immigration and airlines expect proof of onward travel within 30 days.
For the latest fee and validity snapshot, check the FlightGPT Sri Lanka visa page and the official portal before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for Sri Lanka in 2026?
Indians need an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), but as of 2026 the tourist ETA is free for Indian passport holders under an expanded fee-waiver scheme. You still apply online at eta.gov.lk before travel; the visa fee itself is currently zero.
How much does the Sri Lanka ETA cost for Indians?
As of June 2026, the tourist ETA is free for Indian nationals. Older sources quote USD 35–50, which no longer applies for Indian tourists. Always confirm the fee at checkout on the official eta.gov.lk portal, as waivers can be time-bound.
How long can I stay in Sri Lanka on the ETA?
The tourist ETA allows a 30-day stay from first arrival, with a double-entry facility inside the validity period. If you need longer, you can extend at the Department of Immigration & Emigration in Colombo, reportedly up to around 270 days total.
How long does the Sri Lanka ETA take to approve?
Approval usually arrives by email within 24–48 hours, and is sometimes near-instant. Apply at least 3–5 days before travel as a buffer. Carry a printed copy of the ETA approval — airlines in India ask for it at check-in.
Is the Sri Lanka ETA double-entry?
Yes. The tourist ETA for Indians is double-entry within its validity, so a loop such as Colombo–Malé–Colombo works on a single ETA. A third entry would need a fresh ETA. The 30-day stay limit applies from your first arrival.
Can I get the Sri Lanka ETA on arrival instead of online?
Usually yes — Sri Lanka still offers ETA on arrival at Bandaranaike (CMB) airport, but the queue can be slow and applying online beforehand at eta.gov.lk is strongly preferred. Indian airlines also typically want to see your ETA at check-in.