Sri Lanka Reintroduces Mandatory ETA Requirement for Tourists

Sri Lanka has reintroduced the requirement for travellers to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before entering the country for tourism purposes, reversing a policy introduced late last year.

In a notice issued yesterday, the Sri Lankan High Commission in Malé said the requirement will come into effect from 25 May. The move follows the abolition of the mandatory ETA system in November last year.

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According to the High Commission, Maldivian nationals will continue to receive a 90-day tourist visa free of charge. However, travellers must still apply for an ETA at least 24 hours before departure through the official Sri Lankan ETA portal.

pic.twitter.com/W4Pq0ShrKn— Sri Lanka in Maldives (@SLinMaldives) May 21, 2026

The High Commission stated that no exemptions have been made under the revised arrangement, and that all foreign nationals travelling to Sri Lanka for tourism will be required to obtain an ETA prior to arrival.

Sri Lanka announced in July last year that it planned to expand the number of countries eligible for free ETA facilities as part of efforts to boost tourist arrivals. Although the proposal was approved in principle, it was not fully implemented, and travellers from many listed countries continued to pay visa-related charges.

Earlier this month, Sri Lanka’s parliament approved an increase in the number of countries eligible for free ETA facilities to 40, including the Maldives. Despite the waiver of visa fees, travellers from those countries are still required to submit an ETA application before travelling.

Previously, free ETA access had been limited to holders of ordinary diplomatic, official and service passports from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia and Thailand.

In 2024, the Sri Lankan government moved to outsource visa processing operations to India-based GBS Technology Services, IVS Global FZCO and VFS Global. Under the outsourcing arrangement, foreign nationals entering Sri Lanka were expected to pay a processing fee of 25 US dollars for visa applications. The fee also applied to travellers from countries eligible for visas on arrival, who had previously been exempt.

The outsourcing agreement was later suspended following legal challenges, and the matter is currently before the courts.