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Sri Lanka

Visa Sri Lanka

Asie · Asie du Sud

In Sri Lanka, visas fall under the Department of Immigration and Emigration. The pages consulted on 2026-09-17 distinguish the visit visa, the residence visa, the transit visa and the gratis visa, and set out the fees in US dollars. They state that applications made in person are received at the department's head office in Battaramulla and that payment may be made by the applicant, by a third party, at a Sri Lankan mission, at the head office or on arrival.

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.

Machine-assisted draft, reviewed by a person on 23 September 2026. Only the authority cited is authoritative.

Published on 23 September 2026 · Reviewed by vg_admin on 23 September 2026 · Sources consulted on 17 September 2026

At a glance

Authority
Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka
Submission channel
In person at the department's head office, "Suhurupaya", Sri Subhuthipura Road, Battaramulla, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; the portal also refers to online services
Electronic visa
The portal refers to an electronic travel authorization system and to online extension services; those pages were not consulted
Portal language
English (version consulted), also Sinhala and Tamil

Do you need a visa?

Choose a nationality to see the recorded entry rule. No answer is shown until reviewed data exists.

Documented visa types

Tourist Visa
Sub-category of the visit visa according to the page consulted. The fees page mentions a double-entry tourist visa for 30 days. Official page (new tab)
Business Purpose Visa
Sub-category of the visit visa according to the page consulted. The fees page mentions a multiple-entry business visa for 30 days. Official page (new tab)
Residence Visa
The page consulted lists thirteen residence visa categories, including employment, investment, study, religious purposes, medical purposes and the "My Dream Home" program. Official page (new tab)
Transit Visa
According to the page consulted, this visa is valid for only 48 hours. The fees page states a single entry for two days, free of charge. Official page (new tab)
Resident Guest Visa Programme
Category named on the page consulted. Conditions and duration: not stated on the pages consulted. Official page (new tab)
Gratis Visa
Category named on the page consulted. Conditions and duration: not stated on the pages consulted. Official page (new tab)

Where and how to apply

The general information page states that applications made in person are received at the head office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration, "Suhurupaya", Sri Subhuthipura Road, Battaramulla, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The portal also refers to an electronic travel authorization system and to online visa extension services. Those pages were not consulted and their conditions are therefore not reproduced here.

The fees page states that payment may be made by the applicant, by a third party, at a Sri Lankan mission abroad, at the department's head office or on arrival at the point of entry in Sri Lanka.

Steps in the procedure

  1. Identify on the general information page the category matching the purpose of the stay: visit visa, residence visa, transit visa or gratis visa.
  2. Choose the submission channel: the online services to which the portal refers, or filing in person at the department's head office in Battaramulla.
  3. Assemble the file corresponding to the category: the pages consulted do not publish the list.
  4. Pay the fees by one of the arrangements provided for: by the applicant, by a third party, at a Sri Lankan mission, at the department's head office or on arrival at the point of entry.

Documents mentioned by the authority

The exact list depends on the visa type and on the situation; only the official page is authoritative.

Stated fees and processing times

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, the fees page states, for the visit visa: double-entry 30-day tourist visa, from 20 to 50 US dollars depending on the submission channel; multiple-entry 30-day business visa, from 30 to 55 US dollars; single-entry two-day transit visa, free of charge.

According to the same portal consulted on 2026-09-17, the fees page states for the residence visa: 200 US dollars a year for the first category, which covers in particular investors, employees, students, medical purposes and religious personnel; 200 dollars a year for the clergy category; 100 dollars a year for several other categories; free of charge for the foreign spouse of a Sri Lankan citizen; 500 dollars a year for the digital nomad category.

Processing times: not stated on the portal consulted.

After the decision

The decision rests with the Department of Immigration and Emigration. The pages consulted describe neither the notification nor avenues of appeal: not stated on the portal consulted.

The portal refers to online visa extension services, including a one-month extension service for the tourist visa. Those pages were not consulted.

Published procedures

No reviewed and published procedure for Sri Lanka to date. We prefer an empty page to an invented requirement.

Explore procedures

Frequently asked questions

Is a visa required to travel to Sri Lanka?

It depends on nationality and on the purpose of travel; the rule reviewed by VisaGuideline is shown with the nationality selector on this page. Always check with the authority.

Where is the application filed?

According to the page consulted, applications made in person are received at the department's head office in Battaramulla, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The portal also refers to online services, which were not consulted here.

Is there an electronic visa?

The portal refers to an electronic travel authorization system and to online extension services. As those pages were not consulted, their conditions are not described here.

What fees are stated?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17: double-entry 30-day tourist visa, from 20 to 50 US dollars depending on the channel; multiple-entry 30-day business visa, from 30 to 55 dollars; two-day transit visa, free of charge; residence visa, from free of charge to 500 dollars a year depending on the category.

How are the fees paid?

According to the fees page, payment may be made by the applicant, by a third party, at a Sri Lankan mission abroad, at the department's head office or on arrival at the point of entry in Sri Lanka.

What processing time does the authority announce?

Not stated on the portal consulted: the pages read on 2026-09-17 publish no processing time.

Consulted sources

Official pages read to write this guide, with the date they were read. A page may have changed since: check it before taking any step.

What this guide does not know yet

Points the official source does not specify and which this guide therefore left blank. Ask the competent authority about them before filing an application.

Prepare my case

This method is the same for every destination. It does not list any document as an official requirement: only the authority’s source is authoritative.

  1. Describe your situation

    Nationality, residence, purpose and dates. The checker tells covered routes apart from situations that are still unknown.

  2. Check at the source

    Open the destination’s official source and compare it with your situation before starting a procedure.

  3. Track what is left to do

    Your space keeps your answers and your declared checklist. A complete checklist does not announce a favorable decision.

Check my route Open my case

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.