If a website is asking an Indian traveller to pay for a Sri Lanka ETA, close it. The Department of Immigration and Emigration confirms the tourist ETA is free of charge for nationals of 40 countries, India included, for a stay of 30 days — and the only place to get it is the government portal.
In this guide3 sections
What the department says#
Its notice to short-term visitors reads: "With effect from 25.05.2026, nationals of the following 40 countries are eligible to obtain tourist visa (ETA) free-of-charge for a period of 30 days." India appears on that list alongside the UK, the US, the UAE, Australia, Japan, China and 33 others. The waiver covers the tourist category; business ETAs are unaffected.
Why this is worth saying out loud#
A free document with a well-known name is exactly what the visa-agent market monetises. Searches for "Sri Lanka ETA" surface commercial pages that mirror the official form, charge a "processing fee" of a few thousand rupees, and in the worst cases collect passport scans and payment details for a submission they may never make. There is no legitimate reason for an Indian tourist to pay anyone for this ETA. The pattern is the same one we documented in how visa agent fraud works in India and in the should I hire a visa agent guide.
What still applies at the border#
Free does not mean unconditional. The ETA is an authorisation to travel, and Sri Lankan immigration still checks passport validity, an onward or return ticket and where you are staying. Our Sri Lanka visa guide for Indians covers the document list and the 30-day extension route; the visa-free countries tracker shows how this sits against the rest of the map for an Indian passport.
VisaGyan is an independent journal, not affiliated with the Sri Lankan government. Apply only at eta.gov.lk and verify current rules there.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Sri Lanka's tourist ETA free for Indian passport holders?
- Yes. The Department of Immigration and Emigration states that with effect from 25 May 2026, nationals of 40 listed countries, India among them, obtain the tourist ETA free of charge for 30 days.
- Where should Indians apply for the Sri Lanka ETA?
- Only at the government portal eta.gov.lk. Commercial sites that appear alongside it in search results add a service charge to a document that the state issues at no cost, and some collect passport data with no authority to do so.
- Does the free ETA cover business travel?
- No. The fee waiver applies to the tourist ETA. Business ETAs and other visa categories keep their own fees, so check the category before you apply.