South Africa passport → Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka visa for South African citizens

ETA

ETA · 30 days

South African citizens don't need a visa for Sri Lanka, but must get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) online before the trip. Stays of up to 30 days are allowed. Every foreigner needs an ETA before arrival. For 40 countries the 30-day tourist ETA is free; others pay USD 50 online (USD 20 for South Asian countries).

Official details are shown in English.

Status
ETA
Max stay
30 days
Last checked
30 October 2026

What it means in practice

30 days is about a month. If you arrive on 1 November 2026, your last legal day is 30 November 2026, because the arrival day is day one. Use the stay calculator for your own dates.

For a longer base you need an extension, if one exists, or a different visa from the start. Repeated back-to-back entries are at the officer's discretion.

How Sri Lanka counts your stay: 30 days from the date of first arrival, with a double-entry facility within that period (the second entry gets only the remaining days).

Before you go

Official details are shown in English.

  • Sri Lanka ETA (tourist) — Cost: Free for the 40 listed countries (+ Singapore, Seychelles, Maldives) and children under 12; otherwise US$50 (South Asian countries US$20). Business ETA: US$55 (US$30); Processing: Online; Sri Lankan missions issue within 3 business days; Validity: Enter within 3 months of issue; ETA valid 6 months; double entry within the 30-day period; Stay: 30 days from first arrival (Maldives nationals: 90 days); a second entry gets only the remaining days. Apply on the official site
  • Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) — Before arrival; enter Sri Lanka within 3 months of the ETA being issued; Free for nationals of the 40 listed countries plus Singapore, Seychelles and Maldives, and for children under 12; otherwise US$50 tourist (US$20 for South Asian countries). Non-refundable.. All foreign nationals need an ETA before arriving, including those eligible for the free scheme. Free-ETA countries (from 25 May 2026): Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA. No documents or photos need to be uploaded; pay by Visa, Mastercard or Amex. Apply only on eta.gov.lk — check you are on a .gov.lk domain. Keep a copy of the approval. Transit ETA (up to 2 days) is free. Official site
  • Online arrival card (optional) — Within 3 days before travel; Free. Air passengers can fill in the arrival card online on the Department of Immigration and Emigration's e-services site instead of on paper. Official site

At the border

Official details are shown in English.

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival
  • Confirmed return ticket
  • Sufficient funds for the stay
  • Copy of the ETA approval (recommended)

How to avoid overstaying

  • Go by your stamp or visa. The date the officer gives you is the one that counts, even if it is shorter than the maximum.
  • Plan to leave a day or two early. With 30 days, book your exit before the last legal day so a cancelled flight doesn't push you over.
  • Extend before you run out. Apply after arrival via the online e-Visa extension portal (up to 6 months) or at the Department of Immigration and Emigration head office in Battaramulla (up to 270 days from arrival: 60 days at the first extension, then 90 days twice). Free-ETA holders pay the normal visa fee for extensions.
  • Penalties. Our data does not list the overstay penalty for Sri Lanka. Ask the immigration authority before you risk it: fines, deportation and entry bans are common elsewhere.

Good to know

Official details are shown in English.

  • ETA fees paid before 25 May 2026 are not refunded.
  • The ETA FAQ states an ETA is not a pre-condition for boarding, but the Department of Immigration requires all foreigners to obtain one before arrival — do not rely on getting one on arrival.

Staying longer

Visa-free days are for visits. For months or years in Sri Lanka, these are the long-stay routes in Bordr's guide (checked against official sources):

Official details are shown in English.

Costs, income thresholds and how to apply are in the Bordr guide.

Questions

Do South African citizens need a visa for Sri Lanka?

South African citizens don't need a visa for Sri Lanka, but must get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) online before the trip. Stays of up to 30 days are allowed.

How long can South African citizens stay in Sri Lanka?

Up to 30 days, according to Bordr's data. 30 days from the date of first arrival, with a double-entry facility within that period (the second entry gets only the remaining days).

Can I extend my stay in Sri Lanka?

Apply after arrival via the online e-Visa extension portal (up to 6 months) or at the Department of Immigration and Emigration head office in Battaramulla (up to 270 days from arrival: 60 days at the first extension, then 90 days twice). Free-ETA holders pay the normal visa fee for extensions.

What do I need at the border in Sri Lanka?

Passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival; Confirmed return ticket; Sufficient funds for the stay.

When was this checked?

Bordr last checked the entry rules for Sri Lanka against official sources on 30 October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the official source before you travel.

Sources and last check

Entry rules for this destination were last checked against official sources on 30 October 2026. Visa-free days come from the passport matrix in the Bordr app, corrected where the official rules differ.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Entry rules change and border officers have the final say. Check the official government source for your destination before you travel.

Includes visa data from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), retrieved 1 November 2026; Bordr's official-source checks take precedence.

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