Sri Lanka for Indians in 2026: the free ETA, step by step

In short: Indian citizens still need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before travelling to Sri Lanka, but since 25 May 2026 it is free for Indian nationals. It gives 30 days with a double-entry facility. You apply on the official website, eta.gov.lk, before you fly.

What changed

Sri Lanka's ETA site says that with effect from 25 May 2026, nationals of 40 countries, India among them, are eligible to obtain a tourist visa (ETA) free of charge for 30 days. The Department of Immigration and Emigration adds that all foreign nationals, including those 40 countries, must still obtain an ETA before arrival, and that ETA fees paid before 25 May 2026 are non-refundable. We found no end date for the free scheme on any official page.

What you get

• Stay: 30 days.
• Entry: double entry within the 30-day validity, counted from your first arrival.
• Cost: free of charge for Indian nationals.

Step by step

1. Go to the official site. Type eta.gov.lk yourself. The High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi links to the same ETA site.
2. Fill in the application. The immigration page lists one required document: a jpg image of your passport's data page.
3. Do not pay for it. For Indian nationals the ETA is processed free of charge. If a website asks for money, it is an agent, not the government (see our guide to official visa websites).
4. Save the approval on your phone and as a printout.
5. Check your dates. The 30 days count from the date of first arrival.

What the tourist ETA does not allow

The Department of Immigration's tourist page says tourists may not engage in business or trade activities, take part in meetings or conferences, or take up employment, paid or unpaid.

Staying longer than 30 days

Holders of a free visa who want to stay beyond 30 days can apply for a visa extension and pay the applicable visa fee. The immigration site links online extension services (one-month and six-month). The fee is not stated on the pages we read.

What we could not confirm

• The processing time for the ETA.
• The passport-validity rule for entry: the official pages do not state it.
• Whether the free scheme has an end date.

How we checked this

We read Sri Lanka's ETA site (Alert 01, effective 25 May 2026) and two Department of Immigration and Emigration pages on 10 November 2026. Rules change, so confirm on the ETA site before you apply. More on our Sri Lanka visa guide.