Sri Lanka ETA for Indians 2026: Free Visa, Rules and How to Apply

Published 2026-10-24 · 7 min read · By the Travlys visa team

The Sri Lanka tourist ETA is free for Indians in 2026, but you still have to apply online before you fly. Here is how to apply on the official site, what to carry, and a classic 7-night route.

Yes, Indians need a Sri Lanka ETA in 2026, but the tourist ETA is free. Since 25 May 2026, Indian nationals get a free 30-day, double-entry tourist ETA under a scheme covering 40 countries. You must still apply online at eta.gov.lk before you arrive, and carry the approval with you.

At a glance: Cost for Indian tourists: free, since 25 May 2026. No end date has been published by Sri Lanka's Immigration Department. Stay: 30 days from first arrival, two entries allowed within those 30 days. Apply: online at eta.gov.lk, before you travel. Passport: valid at least 6 months from arrival. Carry: ETA approval, confirmed return ticket, enough funds. Extension: paid, through the Department of Immigration and Emigration. Business ETA: not free, USD 30 for South Asian nationals.

Do Indians need an ETA for Sri Lanka in 2026?

Yes. The Department of Immigration and Emigration's notice for the free visa scheme says that all foreign nationals, including nationals of the 40 eligible countries, must get an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before they arrive. Free does not mean you can skip the application. It only means you pay no fee.

Earlier in 2026, posts on social media said Indians were exempt from both visas and ETAs. When fact-checkers asked, the Immigration Department said an online ETA is still mandatory. The May 2026 notice settles it: apply before you fly.

How much does the Sri Lanka ETA cost for Indians?

Under the scheme that started on 25 May 2026, a tourist ETA for Indian nationals is free of charge for 30 days. India is one of 40 countries on the list, along with China, Japan, the UK, the US and others. The scheme covers holders of ordinary, diplomatic, official and service passports. Indians had already been getting free tourist visas under earlier pilot arrangements, and this scheme continues that.

A few things are not free. A business ETA costs USD 30 for South Asian nationals. Extensions beyond 30 days are charged. ETA fees paid before 25 May 2026 are not refunded. Separately, children under 12 of any nationality get a free tourist ETA for up to 30 days.

How long will the free ETA last?

We could not confirm an end date from an official source. The Immigration Department's notice gives a start date of 25 May 2026 and no end date. News reports from May 2026 say Parliament approved the regulations on 7 May for one year, with a review after six months. An April 2026 government announcement had described a six-month programme. If the scheme ends, the standard published fee for a South Asian tourist ETA is USD 20. The fee shown on eta.gov.lk when you apply is the one that counts.

How to apply on eta.gov.lk

• Step 1: Type www.eta.gov.lk into your browser yourself. Do not click a search ad.
• Step 2: Choose a tourist ETA and fill in your details exactly as they appear in your passport, along with your travel dates and where you will stay.
• Step 3: Submit. You get an acknowledgement, followed by an approval notice or a referral notice.
• Step 4: Check your status on the ETA site or through the Department's 24-hour call centre on +94 71 99 67 888.
• Step 5: Save or print the approval and carry it to show at immigration.

The official site does not publish a fixed processing time for online applications. It says Sri Lankan missions abroad issue ETAs within three business days. Apply at least a week before you fly. Do not apply too early: the official application page says you must enter Sri Lanka within three months of the ETA being issued.

Watch out for look-alike sites

The only official sites are eta.gov.lk and immigration.gov.lk. Sri Lanka's Controller General of Immigration and Emigration has warned about misleading websites that charge high fees for Sri Lanka ETAs, and the High Commission of India in Colombo has issued a similar advisory. These sites often use "Sri Lanka visa" in their name and charge a processing fee. While the free scheme runs, the tourist ETA for Indians costs nothing. If a site asks for card details for it, close the page.

How long can you stay, and can you extend?

The free tourist ETA lets you stay 30 days from the date you first arrive, with two entries allowed. Both entries must fall inside those 30 days, and the second visit only uses the days left over. For example, if you combine Sri Lanka with the Maldives and fly back to Colombo, your return must be within the original 30 days.

To stay longer, apply for an extension and pay the applicable fee. You can apply through the Department's online e-visa extension portal at eservices.immigration.gov.lk, or at the visa section of its head office in Battaramulla. The ETA site's extension page describes stages of 60, 90 and 90 days, up to a total of 270 days from arrival. Another official page mentions a maximum of six months, so check the current limit when you apply. Apply before your 30 days run out.

What to carry when you land

• Passport valid for at least six months from your arrival date.
• A copy of your ETA approval, printed or on your phone.
• A confirmed return or onward ticket.
• Enough money for your stay.
• Hotel bookings, in case the officer asks where you are staying.

The tourist ETA covers sightseeing and holidays, visiting friends and relatives, medical treatment including Ayurveda and yoga, and taking part in sporting or cultural events. Work trips need a business ETA.

Best time to visit Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka gets two monsoons, so the best months depend on where you go. The west coast, south coast and hill country are usually driest from December to March. The south-west monsoon brings heavy rain to that side of the island roughly from May to September. The east coast, around Trincomalee and Arugam Bay, is at its best during those same months and is wetter from October to December. October and November can bring rain to much of the island. Weather varies from year to year, so stay flexible.

For the classic route below, December to March is the best window.

A classic 7-night Sri Lanka route

• Nights 1-2: Kandy. Drive up from Bandaranaike International Airport. Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, walk around Kandy Lake and see the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya.
• Nights 3-4: Nuwara Eliya. Drive or take the scenic hill-country train to the tea country. Visit a tea estate and factory, and enjoy the cool weather.
• Nights 5-6: South coast. Head down to the beaches at Bentota or near Galle. Walk the ramparts of Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Night 7: Colombo. Shop, eat and walk along Galle Face Green, then fly home the next day from the airport north of the city.

Roads in the hill country are narrow and winding, so a private car with a driver is the easiest way to cover this route. If you have more days, add Sigiriya and Dambulla before Kandy, or Ella after Nuwara Eliya.

How Travlys helps with Sri Lanka

Travlys plans complete Sri Lanka holiday packages from Ahmedabad. We book your hotels, arrange a private car and driver, and build a day-by-day route that suits the season. We also walk you through the free ETA on the official site, so you never pay a look-alike website. WhatsApp us on +91 82009 18967 to plan your trip.

Last checked: We checked these rules on 24 October 2026 against Sri Lanka's Department of Immigration and Emigration, the official ETA site and the other sources listed below. Rules and the free-ETA scheme can change at short notice, so confirm on eta.gov.lk before you apply.