Visa Requirements for Sri Lankan Citizens

Visa requirements for nationals of Sri Lanka are entry restrictions that the authorities of other countries around the world have placed on Sri Lankan passport holders. These requirements differ depending on the destination country, the purpose of the travel and how long the visitor is planning to stay.

According to the Henley Passport Index, the Sri Lankan passport is currently the 99th most powerful in the world, ranked in terms of travel freedom. Passport holders from Sri Lanka can visit currently visit over 30 countries around the world without a visa or with a visa on arrival option.

The majority of the visa-exempt countries allow nationals of Sri Lanka to gain entry to their borders for short periods of stay, which can vary from 1 to 6 months, depending on the destination. Visa-free travel is usually permitted for purposes of tourism, business, or transit.

Some of the visa-free countries for citizens of Sri Lanka require travelers to pre-register an electronic travel authorization before departure, in order to pre-identify any so that any potential security or health risks.

If travelers from Sri Lanka are planning a trip to these same visa-exempt countries for longer periods of stay, or for other purposes such as to study or work, they will need a visa.

Likewise, Sri Lankan citizens wish to visit any non-visa-exempt country, they are required to obtain the relevant travel authorization, which can vary between an embassy visa, a visa on arrival, or an electronic visa through a simple online form.

List of Visa Countries for Sri Lankan Passport Holders in 2020

Holders of a Sri Lankan passport who are planning to travel to a territory not on the visa-exempt country list need to obtain the correct travel authorization to do so, no matter the purpose of the trip or the duration.

Visa requirements for nationals of Sri Lanka currently state that there are around 230 countries across the world for which it is necessary to obtain an approved visa to gain entry.

It is necessary to apply for an embassy visa for Sri Lankan travelers for over 180 countries, which must be obtained well in advance of the departure date, from the nearest government diplomatic office of the destination.

An additional 30 countries offer Sri Lankans the option to submit an electronic travel visa authorization application which will grant them an eVisa or online visa waiver before departure.

Around 20 countries also permit visitors from Sri Lanka to obtain a visa on arrival, although this often involves waiting in long queues at a border entry checkpoint. Some of these countries also offer an online eVisa form, which greatly expedites the application process.

Below you can find further information about the countries for which citizens of Sri Lanka require a visa to gain entry.

Electronic Travel Visa Authorization

Electronic Travel Visa Authorization systems allow Sri Lankans to apply for either an electronic visa waiver or an eVisa for their country of destination.

An electronic travel visa authorization permits visitors from Sri Lanka to obtain the correct travel authorization through an online application form, saving the traveler the need to apply in person at an embassy or wait in line at a border entry point.

Around 30 countries currently have an electronic application option for citizens of Sri Lanka.

An electronic travel visa authorization for citizens of Sri Lanka permits stays that vary between 28 days and 3 months, depending on the destination. It can be issued as either a single or multiple entry permit.

Most approved eVisas and electronic travel authorizations are electronically linked to the holder’s passport. Therefore, holders of an eVisa or online visa waiver are usually required to travel with the same passport they used to obtain the travel authorization.

A copy of the approved eVisa or authorization is also sent to the applicant’s email address in many cases. It may or may not be necessary to print a paper copy to present upon arrival, depending on the destination.

Find below a full list of the countries for which travelers from Sri Lanka need to obtain an electronic travel visa authorization.

Visa on Arrival

A Visa on arrival is a type of entry document that citizens of Sri Lanka can obtain at border immigration checkpoints of some countries once they arrive at their destination.

The list of visa on arrival countries for Sri Lankan passport holders currently includes around 20 territories, including a number of African nations.

This type of visa authorizes holders to spend between 7 to 90 days and can be issued as either a single or multiple entry document, depending on the country of destination.

Travelers from Sri Lanka who are arriving in one of these countries are able to go directly to an entry checkpoint so they can obtain a visa on arrival application form from an immigration officer. However, this may involve a substantial waiting time, as long queues may form at border control in many countries.

Once applicants complete a visa on arrival form with personal, passport and travel information,it is usually necessary to pay a fee in cash in the local currency.

It is important to note that several visa on arrival countries also offer the option to obtain an eVisa in advance of travel. This saves Sri Lankan citizens the need to wait in line at the border upon arrival, and also allows them to make a visa fee payment electronically.

See below for a list of countries that offer visas on arrival for nationals of Sri Lanka.

Embassy Visa Required

Embassy visas are a type of travel document which Sri Lankans need to obtain in advance of travel, from the nearest embassy or consulate of their destination in Sri Lanka.

At the moment there are over 180 countries for which an embassy visa is required for Sri Lankan nationals, regardless of the reason for the visit or the amount of time they plan to spend.

An embassy visa for Sri Lankan passport holders may be issued for a range of periods of permitted stay and for a variety of purposes, such as for tourism, business, transit, or to study or work.

Embassy visa requirements for citizens of Sri Lanka normally state that applicants need to make a consular appointment well in advance of their expected departure date, as the visa processing time may be over 2 weeks or more.

Sri Lankans are usually required to bring a completed embassy visa application form to their appointment, alongside with some additional supporting documentation that varies depending on the purpose of the intended stay.

Find below a complete list of the countries for which Sri Lankan passport holders are required to obtain an embassy visa.

Visa Not Required

Below you will find a complete list of countries for which a visa is not required for Sri Lankan passport holders for short stays, which can vary between 1 to 6 months, depending on the destination.

This list is currently made up of around 15 visa-free countries, including a number of Caribbean island nations and Southeast Asian territories.

Travelers arriving in visa-exempt countries are simply able to present a valid Sri Lankan passport to gain access to their borders.

Sri Lankan citizens are usually able to gain entry to visa not required countries for purposes of either tourism, business, or to transit to another country of final destination.

To visit these same countries for longer periods of time or for purposes such as to work or study, nationals of Sri Lanka will need to obtain an embassy visa from a diplomatic office of their destination before departure.

Browse the list below to check if you can travel from Sri Lanka without a visa to your country of destination.

Visa Requirements for Citizens of Sri Lanka