If you are one of the many British travellers planning to visit Sri Lanka in the near future to experience the wonders of the country, you may be interested to know what official documents you will need to take with you on your trip, and in particular whether you will need a passport to travel there. To help you prepare for your trip, we suggest you find out in this page if it is compulsory to have a passport to travel to Sri Lanka and what other documents are essential.
Sri Lanka passport: key points
- A passport is of course required for travel to Sri Lanka.
- The passport for Sri Lanka must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of your trip
- Children must have their own passport to travel to Sri Lanka
- A passport is also essential for obtaining a visa for Sri Lanka.
Is a passport required for travel to Sri Lanka and under what conditions?
Let's answer without further ado the question you may be asking yourself as you read this article: is it compulsory to have a passport to travel to Sri Lanka? Of course, as Sri Lanka is not part of the European Union, you cannot travel there with a simple national identity card and you must therefore have a valid passport in your name.
Specifically, the passport must be in your name, valid, but also valid for a minimum of 6 months after your date of entry into the country.
This passport requirement also applies to minor children travelling with you. Indeed, regardless of their age, children must also have their own passport in their own name and must not be listed only on their parents' passport in order to be able to travel legally to Sri Lanka.
Minors wishing to travel to Sri Lanka without one of their two legal parents must also carry an exit permit signed by one of the two legal guardians, together with a copy of the latter's identity document.
So, if you do not yet have your passport or your children need to get their first passport before your trip to Sri Lanka, we recommend that you do this as soon as possible at your nearest town hall.
Apply for your eTA Sri Lanka!
How do I get a passport to travel to Sri Lanka?
If your current passport is about to expire or has expired, or if you do not have a passport, or if you wish to apply for your first passport, you should do so as soon as possible so that you can apply for a visa for Sri Lanka.
In the UK, to obtain a passport, you will need to make an appointment at your nearest local authority. The new e-passports and biometric passports require fingerprinting, which means that you need to attend a physical appointment.
Remember that once issued, the British passport will be valid for 10 years. However, if your current passport is still valid but its expiry date is within 6 months of your return date from Sri Lanka, it will be necessary to renew it before your departure date in the country and before the date of your visa application.
What other documents are required for travel to Sri Lanka?
As we have just seen, the passport is of course a compulsory document if you wish to travel outside the borders of the European Union and therefore if you wish to go to Sri Lanka.
But this is not the only document you should have with you when you travel. In order to travel to Sri Lanka, you will also need a valid tourist visa. Today, it is possible to obtain this visa directly online through the eTA or electronic residence permit procedure.
To do this, you just need to go to the official website or the website of a service provider like the one we recommend on this page, and fill in a tourist visa application form. You will also have to pay a fee, but this time you can pay it directly by credit card or by Paypal online.
Once your application has been completed and paid for, you will have to wait a few hours to a few days to receive your eTA for Sri Lanka directly by email.
Remember that it is imperative that you apply for your passport before applying for a visa to Sri Lanka. When applying for a visa for Sri Lanka, you will need to provide the passport number of the passport you will be using for your trip.
What is the procedure for obtaining an eTA for Sri Lanka?
It is possible to apply for an eTA visa for Sri Lanka online through the official website of the Sri Lankan government. You will need to complete an online form and provide the necessary information and documents, including:
- A valid passport with a validity of at least 6 months beyond the date of arrival in Sri Lanka. If your passport expires before this period, we recommend that you have it reissued before applying for an eTA online.
- Information about your trip, such as expected arrival and departure dates, details of your accommodation and contact information in your possession at the time of your request.
- A recent photo of yourself that you can take with your smartphone and upload online.
- Payment information for the eTA visa fee such as your credit card numbers or a Paypal account. Remember that payment of these fees is essential for the processing of an eTA visa application.
It is important to check the entry requirements before travelling, as they may vary depending on the health situation. It is also advisable to apply for the eTA well in advance to avoid any delay problems.
It is also important to note that the eTA is valid for 30 days from the date of issue, and is valid for one trip only. It is therefore recommended to apply for the eTA well in advance to avoid any delay problems.
While the application process for an eTA visa for Sri Lanka is extremely simple and quick, we recommend that you apply well in advance of your stay to ensure that you receive your visa in time.
Apply for your eTA Sri Lanka!
Adeline HARMANT
As a web writer and globetrotter with a passion for travel and tourism, I have acquired in-depth knowledge of the procedures that are essential for travellers. I help travellers to complete all the formalities required for a successful trip, particularly when it comes to obtaining a visa online. With several years' experience in this field, I'd like to offer you some valuable advice to help you discover the world with complete peace of mind.
