Position and scope
Sri Lanka / শ্রীলঙ্কা; ISO LK; South Asia. Administrative capital Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte; Colombo is the main visitor gateway. Authority: Department of Immigration & Emigration (DI&E). Tourist stages of ST014 and ST016.
Visa category and eligibility
Apply for tourist ETA through eta.gov.lk. An online acknowledgement is not approval. Bangladesh is not among the portal’s listed sponsor-only nationality exceptions. A fee waiver offered to another nationality does not extend to all SAARC citizens. The latest notice requires ETA before arrival, although older application/FAQ text still describes a limited arrival counter; do not plan to board without approval on that older wording. [LK01, LK03, LK05]
Entry conditions and supporting evidence
At entry the application guidance requires a passport valid at least six months from arrival, confirmed return travel and enough money for the stay. Carry actual accommodation and the package itinerary as supporting evidence. The FAQ permits obtaining ETA before booking a ticket, which does not remove the entry-stage travel-evidence requirement. No universal Bangladesh bank minimum, NID requirement, insurance obligation or routine biometrics was established in these sources. [LK03, LK05]
Document checklist
- Official entry requirements: Passport valid six months from arrival, confirmed return travel and sufficient funds. [LK03]
- Official application: Accurate online passport/personal/travel data and applicable fee; retain the actual ETA approval. [LK03]
- Supporting evidence: Accommodation, itinerary and financial evidence explaining the trip; provide more if requested.
- Conditional: Child’s age evidence for the under-twelve fee waiver; onward-country visa and extra documents if the route or authority requires them.
Application procedure
- Open eta.gov.lk, choose tourist ETA and enter ordinary Bangladesh-passport details accurately.
- Review the applicable fee, pay through the official channel and retain the acknowledgement/reference.
- Check status and await approval. If referred, follow up with DI&E or the Sri Lankan mission instead of treating the reference as permission.
- Check the approval’s travel window, entries and passport match; carry entry evidence and obtain separate Maldives permission where applicable.
Official fees and processing
The current fee page lists USD 20 for South Asian tourist ETA by the applicant/mission/head-office route. Tourist ETA up to thirty days is free for children under twelve, regardless of nationality. Processing charges are non-refundable and non-transferable; third-party handling/payment costs are separate. No reliable current online decision deadline is promised. The application page’s three-business-day statement concerns the overseas-mission route and is not a guarantee for every online application. [LK02–LK03, LK05]
Validity stay and entry limits
Tourist ETA is described as thirty days with double entry: the second entry receives only the balance of the original thirty-day period, not a new thirty days. For entry-before validity, the application page says three months while the FAQ says six months. Follow the actual approval notice and obtain DI&E clarification before relying on the longer period. Extension is a separate approval; check the official extension service and current fees before the endorsed stay expires. [LK03–LK05]
Transit and multi-country travel
The official site lists a free transit ETA for up to two days with documentary proof. That does not convert a Sri Lanka sightseeing stage into transit. Ask the carrier to verify a purely airside connection and any separate-ticket/baggage requirements. ST016 also needs Maldives entry compliance; Sri Lankan ETA does not grant Maldives admission. Returning via Colombo may use the second entry only if the actual ETA still permits it. [LK02, LK04]
Documentation errors and refusal risks
General risks include choosing the free-country option incorrectly, confusing an acknowledgement with approval, mistyped passport data and assuming a second entry restarts the stay. A referral notice needs DI&E or mission follow-up; it is not boarding approval. Correct identity details before payment because the FAQ warns that mistakes can require a new paid application. [LK03, LK05]
Practical preparation
Use the official ETA portal, retain the approval/reference and compare every name, passport number and entry date with tickets. For ST016 retain the Sri Lanka hotel itinerary and Maldives onward booking. Keep non-refundable commitments proportionate to confirmed entry permission.
Verification limits
Limit: Older arrival-counter passage conflicts with current advance-ETA notice; three-month entry window conflicts with FAQ.
Limit: Six-month validity and boarding wording conflict with other current portal instructions; not used as an unconditional entitlement.
REQUIRES FURTHER CONFIRMATION: official three-month versus six-month entry-use conflict, the older arrival-counter wording versus the new advance-ETA notice, current online turnaround and applicant-specific additional papers. The visa classification, Bangladesh exclusion from the current free list and advance tourist fee were directly checked.
Rules may change. Reconfirm with the official authority and airline before applying and departure. A visa does not guarantee boarding or border admission.
