Travel to Sri Lanka

INTRODUCTION As of 2010, there were 45,159 Sri Lankans living in the US. Substantial immigration began in the 1990s when many fled the violence of the Sri Lankan Civil War. The majority of Sri Lankan-Americans live in the vicinity of either New York City (where there’s a Little Sri Lanka on Staten Island), central New Jersey, or Los Angeles.

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Travel restrictions are regularly being updated. Please contact your local embassy for the most up-to-date travel announcements.

Tourists

The following categories of passengers are allowed entry under the Sri Lanka Tourism Safety Protocol:

Tourists (foreign nationals) who have obtained approved Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) issued via http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/
Foreign passport holders with a valid Sri Lankan residence visa who have a confirmation letter issued by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA)
Sri Lankans who hold dual citizenship
Sri Lankan passport holders

Eligible passengers can access www.srilanka.travel/helloagain/ and make a reservation at a listed Safe and Secure level 1 hotel to start the process of acquiring the ETA/SLTDA letter. The passenger may also use a certified travel agent as listed in www.srilanka.travel/helloagain/

Non‑tourists

The following categories of passengers are allowed entry into Sri Lanka without prior approval from the Foreign Ministry:

Sri Lankan nationals
Dual citizens who are travelling on Sri Lankan passports / emergency travel documents
Accompanied spouse and unmarried children of Sri Lankans who carry foreign passports with approved electronic travel authority or landing endorsement or residence visa

Foreign nationals (including valid resident visa holders) and dual citizens who are travelling on a foreign passport must get prior approval from the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka before travelling to Sri Lanka if not travelling as tourists. Application for approval should be submitted to entry.permission@mfa.gov.lk

Foreign nationals must also carry an approved electronic travel authority or landing endorsement or residence visa.

COVID‑19 testing requirements

Before Departure:

Foreigners must hold a negative COVID‑19 PCR test report in English. The test must be conducted within 96 hours prior to embarkation.

Sri Lankan citizens/ dual citizens must hold a negative COVID‑19 test report in English. The test can either be:

A COVID‑19 PCR test which is conducted within 96 hours prior to embarkation.
Rapid Antigen test within 48 hours prior to embarkation.

The test report must be available for all passengers, irrespective of age.

Srilankan seafarers holding approval for exemption of pre‑boarding COVID‑19 PCR, from Ministry of foreign affairs, are exempted.

On arrival for passengers not travelling as tourists:

Two COVID‑19 PCR tests will be carried out on all passengers as below, except for diplomatic passport holders, as mandated by the Government of Sri Lanka.

Testing requirements for customers who have received the recommended doses of any COVID‑19 vaccine 14 days prior to travel:

The first test will be carried out on the day of arrival at the quarantine hotel. If tested negative, the passenger will be released to go home.
On the 7th day after arrival, the passenger must arrange for a second test to be conducted at home by any government approved facility.

For all other passengers:

The first test will be carried out on the day of arrival and the second on day 7 at the quarantine hotel.
Passengers must arrange for the second COVID‑19 PCR test with any government approved facility.

Health Ministry approved labs will conduct the first COVID‑19 PCR test at the quarantine hotels. Passengers may pay the lab directly for their test.

Contact CMB.repatriation@emirates.comfor any further details.

Quarantine Requirements

Tourists are not required to undergo quarantine. However, the hotels will advise the tourists on the required safety measures upon arrival.

The following is applicable to passengers not travelling as tourists:

After arrival formalities, customers will be taken to an available hotel designated for a quarantine period between 2 and 8 days depending on their category.

Quarantine rules for parents also apply for accompanying unvaccinated children up to 12 years old.

Payment has to be done directly to the hotel and a standard charge per passenger, per day for full board accommodation would be as follows.

Charges subject to change with standard of the hotel:

Sharing room‑ LKR 7500
Single occupancy‑ LKR 12500

Passenger will have to bear the following costs as well:

Transportation cost from the airport to the place of quarantine/hotel.
Any other incidental expenditure

Please check quarantine measures for travellers

Required forms

Customers are required to submit a completed Health Declaration Form (HDF)

Customers are required to complete and sign the signed undertaking form for paid hotel quarantine and other related expenses (Diplomatic passport holders and Seafarers are exempted)

Other information

Passengers transiting through Colombo must have OK to board approval for onward travel and their transit time should not be longer than 12 hours.

Passengers travelling to China are not allowed to transit in CMB.

A temporary suspension of the import of live animals accompanied with passenger baggage has been imposed. Therefore, live animals are only permitted via cargo.

Travel from Sri Lanka

Passengers travelling from Sri Lanka are advised to arrive a minimum of 4 hours before departure to allow time for health screening and document verification.

COVID 19 testing requirements

It is mandatory that customers confirm the COVID‑19 PCR test requirements as per the regulations of the destination country and present the test result certificate at check‑in.