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Sri Lanka ETA Application: Step-by-Step Guide for Travel Agents 2026

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ruchika@vismora.com

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How to Apply for Sri Lanka ETA for Indian Clients: Step-by-Step Guide 2026

The Sri Lanka ETA application on eta.gov.lk is the simplest government visa portal in the region for Indian travel agents. No account creation required, no yellow fever certificates, no financial documents to upload. This guide walks through every field and every screen so your client’s application goes through clean, first time.

For the full overview of Sri Lanka ETA requirements, fees, and types, see the complete Sri Lanka ETA guide for Indian travel agents. For the documents you’ll need to gather before starting, see the Sri Lanka ETA documents checklist.

Before You Start: Gather These Documents

  • ✅ Client’s Indian passport — valid 6+ months beyond Sri Lanka entry date, 2 blank pages
  • ✅ Passport-size digital photo — white background, JPEG, recent (within 6 months)
  • ✅ Passport bio-data page scan — PDF or JPEG, all 4 corners visible, no glare
  • ✅ Confirmed arrival and departure dates — from the flight PNR
  • ✅ First-night accommodation address — hotel name and address only (no booking document needed)
  • ✅ International payment card — Visa/Mastercard/Amex with international transactions enabled

That’s it — no return ticket upload, no financial statements, no yellow fever certificate. For detailed photo specifications and what not to submit, see the Sri Lanka ETA documents guide.

Step-by-Step: Sri Lanka ETA Application on eta.gov.lk

Step 1: Go to eta.gov.lk and Start the Application

Open eta.gov.lk in a browser. On the homepage, click “Apply for ETA”.

Important: Do not use any third-party website that claims to offer Sri Lanka ETA services. Many charge significantly more than the government fee and submit to the same portal on your behalf — sometimes with errors. Always use eta.gov.lk directly, or Vismora for managed agency applications.

Unlike Kenya’s e-Visa portal, Sri Lanka does not require account creation. The application is session-based — fill in all details in one sitting and submit. Do not close the browser mid-application or you will lose progress.

Step 2: Select Visa Type

On the visa selection screen, choose:

Your client’s purpose Select
Holiday, beach, sightseeing, honeymoon Short Visit – Tourist
Business meetings, conferences Short Visit – Business
Transiting through Colombo airport (exiting) Transit

For nearly all Indian leisure clients: Short Visit – Tourist.

Step 3: Enter Personal Information

Fill in each field exactly as printed in the passport:

  • Surname: Last name as in passport — include all parts if multiple
  • Other / Given Names: First and middle names as printed — no abbreviations
  • Date of Birth: DD/MM/YYYY — double-check day and month order
  • Nationality: Indian
  • Gender: As in passport
  • Passport Number: Character by character — Indian passports start with a letter (e.g., P1234567 or J7654321)
  • Passport Issue Date and Expiry Date: From passport bio-data page, exactly as printed

The most critical step: Name and passport number must match the passport exactly. A dropped middle name, a surname/given name swap, or a transposed digit in the passport number are the top three causes of rejection. See the Sri Lanka ETA rejection guide for the full list of rejection triggers and how to fix each one.

Step 4: Enter Travel Information

  • Purpose of Visit: Tourism / Holiday / Sightseeing
  • Intended Arrival Date: From flight PNR — exact date of arrival in Sri Lanka
  • Intended Departure Date: From flight PNR — last day in Sri Lanka
  • Port of Entry: For almost all Indian clients: Colombo (Bandaranaike International Airport)

Do not guess the dates. Pull them directly from the confirmed flight booking. If the client later changes flights after the ETA is submitted, you may need to reapply with the correct dates.

Step 5: Enter Accommodation Details

Enter the first-night accommodation:

  • Hotel / guesthouse / Airbnb name
  • Street address
  • City

A booking confirmation document is not uploaded — only the address is entered. However, advise clients to carry the booking confirmation at the airport; immigration officers sometimes ask for it.

If the client is arriving late and staying at a transit or airport hotel: Enter that hotel’s details. If the itinerary starts at a resort (e.g., Bentota), enter the resort name and address.

Step 6: Upload Documents

Upload at the designated sections:

Passport photograph:

  • JPEG format
  • Plain white background — no patterns, no shadows, no off-white
  • Face taking 70–80% of the frame, neutral expression
  • No glasses, no head coverings (except religious)
  • Recent — taken within 6 months
  • File size: Under 1 MB typically

Passport bio-data page scan:

  • JPEG or PDF
  • All 4 corners of the page visible
  • MRZ (machine-readable zone — the two lines of text at the bottom) fully readable
  • No glare or shadows over any text
  • Full colour

See the full Sri Lanka ETA documents checklist for exact specifications and the most common upload errors.

Step 7: Review All Entered Information

Before submission, review the entire application:

  • [ ] Name matches passport exactly (character by character)
  • [ ] Passport number is correct
  • [ ] Date of birth is correct (day/month not swapped)
  • [ ] Arrival and departure dates match the flight PNR
  • [ ] First-night accommodation address is complete
  • [ ] Port of entry is correct (Colombo = Bandaranaike)
  • [ ] Email address where approval will be sent is correct

Once submitted, a Sri Lanka ETA cannot be edited. Any correction requires a new application. Take 2 minutes here — it saves 48 hours of waiting if an error triggers rejection.

Step 8: Pay the Fee

The current fee displays on screen before you confirm payment. Pay with:

  • Visa credit card (international) ✅
  • Mastercard credit card (international) ✅
  • Amex ✅
  • Debit card with international transactions enabled ✅ (sometimes declined)
  • Domestic Indian cards ❌ — often fail for USD international transactions
  • UPI / net banking ❌ — not accepted

For the full fee breakdown, history of fee changes, and advice on billing clients, see the Sri Lanka ETA fee guide.

After successful payment, you’ll receive a payment confirmation on screen and by email. Note the application reference number — used to track the application and as the approval reference.

Step 9: Track and Receive Approval

Check status at eta.gov.lk → “Check Your Application” using the reference number.

Processing times:

  • Standard: 24–72 hours
  • Peak season: Up to 5 business days
  • Weekend applications: May process on next business day

Approval comes by email — the reference number is confirmed as approved. Unlike the Kenya e-Visa, there’s no PDF approval letter. The reference number IS the approval.

What your client should carry at Colombo airport:

  • Passport (same one used for ETA)
  • The ETA approval email (screenshot or printout of the reference number)
  • Return flight ticket (printed or screenshot)
  • Hotel booking confirmation for Night 1

What Happens at Colombo Airport Immigration

At Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo:

  • Queue at the Foreign Nationals counter
  • Present passport + ETA reference number
  • Officer verifies ETA in the system
  • Biometrics may be taken (fingerprints and photo at the counter)
  • Passport stamped — entry granted (30 days)

Colombo airport immigration is typically smooth for Indian visitors. Plan 30–45 minutes for the immigration queue during peak arrival windows.

Applying for Multiple Clients: Group Bookings

For a group of 10 Indian travellers, you need 10 separate ETA applications — each takes 5–10 minutes if documents are ready. That’s potentially 90 minutes of repetitive portal work for one group booking.

Vismora’s platform allows you to manage all 10 applications in one dashboard — submit, track, and receive all approvals in one place rather than managing 10 separate portal sessions. For regular Sri Lanka business, this is where the operational efficiency comes from.

Manage group Sri Lanka ETAs on Vismora →

Related Sri Lanka ETA Guides

FAQ

Can I apply for Sri Lanka ETA without the actual flight booking?

Technically yes — the portal only asks for intended travel dates, not a flight booking reference. However, ensure the dates you enter match the actual confirmed flights, as arriving significantly outside the stated dates may cause immigration issues.

Does the Sri Lanka ETA portal require account creation?

No — unlike Kenya’s evisa.go.ke portal, Sri Lanka’s eta.gov.lk is session-based with no account creation required. You fill in all details in one session and submit.

How do I check if a Sri Lanka ETA was approved?

Go to eta.gov.lk → “Check Your Application” → enter the reference number. Alternatively, wait for the approval email. If no email has arrived within 72 hours, check the portal status using the reference number.

Can I edit a submitted Sri Lanka ETA?

No — once submitted, the ETA cannot be edited. If there’s an error, submit a new application with the correct details. The old application with the error is disregarded; your new application number is used for approval tracking.

What is the difference between Sri Lanka ETA and Sri Lanka visa on arrival?

The ETA applied online in advance is the standard route for Indian nationals. Visa on arrival at Colombo airport is technically available but is unreliable, involves longer queues, and carries risk of denial if the airport system is congested. Always apply online before travel.

Conclusion

The Sri Lanka ETA is the most straightforward international visa application process for Indian travellers — and that makes it an excellent gateway to building a Sri Lanka specialist reputation. Clients who see their ETA arrive in 24 hours, no stress, no back-and-forth, trust you for their next holiday.

For agencies doing regular Sri Lanka business, Vismora’s platform handles the application, tracking, and follow-up across all clients — so you scale Sri Lanka without scaling the admin.

Apply Sri Lanka ETAs for your clients at scale on Vismora →

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