Passportly

South Asia · ordinary Indian passport, tourism

Sri LankaTravel authorisation required

How long you can stay

30 days per visit

Checked 15 August 2026 · 9 official sources

Visa at a glance

Visa fee
Free
Entries
Double entry
Extendable
Yes
Passport validity
6 months

On the day you enter

What you need to enter

  • Return or onward ticket

    Required

  • Proof of accommodation

    Not stated

  • Proof of funds

    Required

    No figure is published. The Department of Immigration requires that you have "adequate funds for your maintenance whilst in Sri Lanka and for the payment of your return passage"; officers assess this at the counter.

  • Travel insurance

    Not stated

  • Blank passport pages

    Not stated

  • Vaccinations

    None required

  • Arrival form

    Not stated

“Not stated” means no official source we checked addresses it either way — not that it is unnecessary. Carry it if in doubt.

When to go

Pick a month to see what the weather actually does.

Each month shows the best of Sri Lanka's 2 regions — the region is named with it. Peak season is December, January, February, March — expect higher prices and crowds.

JanuaryPeak season

Excellent in West and south coast · the best month to go

Average
27°C
Rainfall
58mm
Rain days
5

The driest month in Colombo and the peak of the west and south coast season. The east coast is in its northeast monsoon, so Trincomalee is wet.

  • West and south coast: Excellent · 27°C · 58mm over 5 days
  • East coast: Good · 26°C · 116mm over 7 days

Where you go changes the answer

How Sri Lanka's regions differ, and when it matters

Sri Lanka has two opposing monsoons, so the country has no genuinely bad month — only a wrong coast, and the grid above now rates both. The southwest monsoon (roughly May to September) soaks Colombo, Galle and the west and south; the northeast monsoon (December to February) does the same to the east and north. June is the clearest case: Colombo gets 185mm over 16 wet days while Trincomalee gets 25mm over 2, which is why the east coast and Arugam Bay are at their best precisely when the beaches near Colombo are washed out. The hill country around Kandy and Nuwara Eliya is cooler year-round — Nuwara Eliya averages about 19°C in December against Colombo's 27°C — and catches rain in both monsoons, so treat it as a third case not covered by either zone above.

What it costs

₹ · per person per day

  • BudgetHostels, street food, public transport
    ₹2,200
  • Mid-range3-star hotels, restaurants, some activities
    ₹5,000
  • Luxury4–5 star hotels, private transport, experiences
    ₹13,000

Excludes international flights. Our estimate, not an official figure — reviewed 15 August 2026. A typical trip runs 8–14 days.

Where to go

  • Sigiriya

    A fifth-century palace on top of a 200m granite column, reached by staircases bolted to the rock face past the surviving frescoes. Climb it early — there is no shade on the way up and the queues build fast.

  • Kandy

    The last Sinhalese royal capital, set around a lake in the hills, and home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The Esala Perahera in July or August is one of Asia's great processions.

  • Ella and the hill country

    Tea estates, waterfalls and the Nine Arch Bridge. The Kandy–Ella train is the reason many people come: seven hours through tea terraces, and worth booking a reserved seat well ahead.

  • Galle

    A Dutch-built walled town on the south coast, its ramparts enclosing cafés, boutiques and colonial-era streets. Easily combined with the beaches at Unawatuna and Mirissa.

  • Yala and Udawalawe National Parks

    Yala has one of the highest leopard densities anywhere; Udawalawe is the more reliable bet for elephants. Both are jeep-safari parks and best at dawn.

  • Trincomalee and the east coast

    White-sand beaches at Nilaveli and Uppuveli, blue whale watching, and the counter-season to the southwest — at its best from May to September when Colombo is wet.

  • Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa

    The two ancient capitals of the Cultural Triangle, with dagobas, monastery ruins and reservoirs spread over wide sites. Both are best covered by bicycle.

The full rules

Everything official, quoted rather than summarised.

The detail

Conditions in full, fees, entries, and extending your stay
  • You still need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) — only the fee has been waived, not the requirement. Apply at eta.gov.lk before you fly.
  • The fee waiver has applied since 25 May 2026. India is named as one of 40 eligible countries by the Department of Immigration and Emigration, and holders of ordinary passports qualify.
  • If the waiver ends, the published rate for Indian passport holders returns to US$20 online or US$25 on arrival — India is charged the lower SAARC rate. No official source gives the scheme an end date, but it replaced an earlier seven-country scheme, so it can change.
  • The 30 days run from the date of your first arrival, and the ETA allows two entries. Leaving and coming back does not reset the clock — on the second entry you are granted only the balance of the original 30 days.
  • Staying longer means extending after you arrive, not applying for more time up front. There is also a separate 180-day tourist visa costing US$50, which is not covered by the fee waiver.
  • Overstaying is charged in addition to the visa fee: US$250 if you leave 7–14 days late, US$500 beyond 14 days.
  • A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required only if you are arriving from or have transited one of 44 listed countries in Africa or South America. Travelling directly from India, it does not apply.
  • Pre-departure ETA was briefly made mandatory on 13 October 2025 and revoked on 30 October 2025, so ETA on arrival remains available. Applying online in advance is still strongly advisable — the on-arrival route costs more and Sri Lanka has changed this rule at short notice before.
Extending your stay
Possible. A short-term visit visa may be extended up to a total of 270 days from the date of arrival, in three consecutive steps — 30 days on entry, 60 days at the first extension, then 90 days at the second and third. Extensions are applied for after you arrive, through the Department of Immigration and Emigration or its online portal, and are charged at the rates below.
Number of entries
Double entry — you may enter twice on the one authorisation. Re-entering does not restart the clock: the second entry grants only the balance of the original period.
Visa fee
Free.
Cost of extending
  • Up to 90 days total from arrival — US$100
  • Up to 180 days total from arrival — US$150
  • Up to 270 days total from arrival — US$200

Charged by the destination in USD, at the counter that grants the extension.

Where to apply, if you need a visa
https://www.eta.gov.lk

Common questions

Do Indians need a visa for Sri Lanka?
Indian ordinary passport holders must obtain an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) before travelling to visit Sri Lanka for tourism. Last checked 15 August 2026.
How long can Indians stay in Sri Lanka?
30 days, counted from the date you first arrive in Sri Lanka — not 30 days per entry. If you leave and come back within that period you are granted only the balance of the original 30 days, so re-entering does not buy you more time. Staying longer means applying for an extension after you arrive.
How long must my passport be valid to enter Sri Lanka?
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months on the date you enter Sri Lanka. Renew before you travel if it expires sooner.
How much money do I need to show to enter Sri Lanka?
Officials may ask you to show funds on arrival. No figure is published. The Department of Immigration requires that you have "adequate funds for your maintenance whilst in Sri Lanka and for the payment of your return passage"; officers assess this at the counter.
When is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August and December. These ratings are based on climate normals measured at Colombo, Trincomalee. Sri Lanka has more than one climate — a month counts as good if any region is, so check the month-by-month breakdown to see which one before booking.
How much does a trip to Sri Lanka cost per day?
Roughly ₹2,200 per day on a budget, ₹5,000 mid-range, or ₹13,000 for luxury travel — per person, excluding international flights. Estimated 15 August 2026.

Sources

Every visa fact on this page comes from one of these. Verified by Rahul Chhabrani on 15 August 2026.

  1. Department of Immigration and Emigration — free tourist visa (ETA) for 40 countries, including India

    Government · read 15 August 2026 · source last updated 24 May 2026

  2. Sri Lanka ETA portal — tourist visa information, 30 days with double entry

    Government · read 15 August 2026

  3. ETA Processing Fee chart (US$) for online and on-arrival applications

    Government · read 15 August 2026 · source last updated 1 December 2022

  4. Department of Immigration and Emigration — General Information on Visa

    Government · read 15 August 2026 · source last updated 15 August 2026

  5. Department of Immigration and Emigration — visa fees, extension bands and overstay penalties

    Government · read 15 August 2026

  6. Sri Lanka ETA portal — extension of short-term visit visa, maximum 270 days from arrival

    Government · read 15 August 2026

  7. Department of Immigration and Emigration — yellow fever vaccination certificate country list

    Government · read 15 August 2026

  8. WMO World Weather Information Service — Colombo climate normals (Sri Lanka Department of Meteorology)

    Intergovernmental · read 15 August 2026

  9. WMO World Weather Information Service — Trincomalee climate normals

    Intergovernmental · read 16 August 2026

Before you book

This page covers ordinary Indian passports, for tourism only. Rules for business, study, transit and diplomatic or official passports differ and are not covered here.

Visa rules change without notice. Everything here was checked against official sources on 15 August 2026. The final decision on entry always rests with immigration officers at the border. Confirm with the embassy before booking anything non-refundable.

See the 9 sources behind this page →