Region: South Asia

Pandemic Travel Alert

OPEN: to international leisure travel

Most recent update: 2022-01-01 - Starting 1 January 2022, COVID 19 Local Insurance Cover is mandatory

Entry

General Policy

Starting 7 October 2021, the On-Arrival Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) counters at Bandaranayake International Airport and Mattala International Airport have reopened for travellers who are unable to obtain ETA online before arrival. On-Arrival ETA service is limited to fully vaccinated tourists only.
Starting 1 June 2021, passengers are again permitted to arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport, after suspension since 21 April 2020.
Starting 1 June 2021, international tourism has fully resumed, after 9-month suspension followed by limited reopening and brief reclosure.

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COVID-19 Related Entry Requirements

Visa

For entry, all travellers must have Electronic Travel Authorization, obtained online before arrival.
Starting 7 October 2021, travellers who are unable to obtain Electronic Travel Authorization online before arrival may be able obtain it on arrival at the airport. On-Arrival service is limited to fully vaccinated tourists only.
The ETA is initially limited to 30 days validity from the date of arrival although it may be extended for up to six months.

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Vaccination

Travellers who have completed 14 days after the recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccination and arriving with a negative COVID-19 PCR test report obtained within 72 hours of embarkation will be considered as fully vaccinated travellers. At the airport, traveller must produce the original vaccination certificate/card (together with a certified copy of English language translation if the certificate/card is not in English, or if relevant data are not indicated in English).
All vaccines approved by the World Health Organization or the relevant authority of the country you receive the vaccination from are accepted in Sri Lanka.
Travellers who have not received COVID-19 vaccination, nor completed the recommended doses of vaccination (not fully vaccinated) and/or departed from abroad within less than 2 weeks of completion of recommended doses of vaccination will be considered as unvaccinated or not-fully-vaccinated travellers.

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Testing

All travellers must have a negative COVID-19 PCR report (English) taken within 72 hours prior to embarkation. No on-arrival PCR test for fully vaccinated travellers. No second test for fully vaccinated travellers.
Unvaccinated and not-fully-vaccinated travellers must undergo on-arrival (Day 1) COVID-19 PCR tests at pre-booked hotels. Unvaccinated travellers must perform an Exit PCR/Rapid Antigen test on Day 7. Travellers who are vaccinated, yet not completed 2 weeks from the recommended doses of vaccination, will undergo the Exit PCR/Rapid Antigen test on the completion of 14 days from the recommended doses of vaccination or 7 days after arrival (whichever comes first will apply).

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Data Collection

Starting 1 January 2022, all travellers arriving in Sri Lanka via airports must fill the Online Health Declaration Form individually and upload the relevant documents (Vaccination record, Predeparture COVID- 19 negative test report, Data page of the Passport etc.) prior to boarding. They should arrive with the QR code (in mobile phone/hard copy) issued to them.

(Source: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, “Health Protocol for Arrivals to Sri Lanka: Fully Vaccinated Travellers” [PDF download] )

Movement Restrictions

Fully vaccinated travellers can stay at any type of accommodation, no quarantine required.
Unvaccinated and not-fully-vaccinated travellers are restricted to a pre-booked Level 1 'Safe & Secure Certified' hotel and approved tourist sites, and released after verification of the negative Exit PCR/Rapid Antigen test results.

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Insurance

Mandatory COVID 19 Insurance of 12 USD with one month cover of 50,000 USD required for all travellers (whether fully vaccinated or not)

(Source: Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau )

Exit

No info

Other

No info

Pre-pandemic visa rules

Requirements

Passport Validity

6 months

Electronic Visa

Website: Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), Department of Immigration & Emigration
All Holiday or Business travelers to Sri Lanka must have a valid Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to enter.
Travellers using the following passports are exempt from this requirement: Maldives, Singapore, Seychelles.
For last-minute travelers who travel to Sri Lanka for tourist/transit purposes without prior ETA approval, a limited facility to obtain the ETA is available at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, for an additional fee.
The ETA is initially limited to 30 days validity from the date of arrival although it may be extended for up to six (06) months.
To stay more than 30 days for tourism purposes, apply for a long-term multiple entry tourist visa at the nearest Sri Lankan diplomatic mission.

Other Documents

(1) Minimum visa requirements: Issuing authority must be satisfied that traveller has adequate funds for stay and for the payment of return passage to the country which issued passport. (2) Traveller must have return air ticket to the country of domicile or a visa to the next destination.

Transit

- Holders of confirmed onward tickets are permitted transit without visa in international transit area for up to 8 hours.

Dual Nationality

U.S. policy on dual nationality can be found here.