Tourists from over 80 countries who visit Sri Lanka are exempt from visa requirements and receive a free 30-day visa on arrival. Those who visit for purposes other than tourism should obtain prior visas from a Sri Lankan Consular Office in their home countries. There is a varying fee for the 30-day visa for nationals of other countries. The 30-day visa can be extended up to 90 days on payment of an additional fee. You’ll need to show a return or onward airline ticket out of Sri Lanka, along with proof of funds, such as travellers cheques or credit card, and provide a copy of the bio-data page of your passport and 02 photographs.
- Department of Immigration and Emigration, Ananda Rajakaruna Mawatha,
Maradana,
Colombo 10.
Tel:+94-11-5329000,+94-11-5329316/20/21/25
www.immigration.gov.lk
Custom Imports
(Sri Lanka Customs: www.customs.gov.lk )
You are allowed to bring into the country, duty free, 1.5 litres of spirits, two bottles of wine, a quarter-litre of toilet water and a small quantity of perfume and souvenirs with a value not exceeding US $250. Personal equipment such as cameras and laptop computers are allowed but must be declared on arrival. Such items must be taken with him/her upon the visitor’s departure from the country. Non-prescription drugs and pornography in any form are prohibited from being brought into the country and are legal offences.
When leaving the country you are allowed to take with you up to 10kg of tea duty free.
No antiques –[ antique, defined as anything more than 50 years old] – rare books, palm-leaf manuscripts and anthropological material can be exported with permission from the
- Director, National Archives,
7. Reid Avenue,
Colombo 7.
Tel: +94-11-2694523,+94-11-2696917
www.archives.gov.lk
and the
- Director General, Department of Archaeology,
Sir Marcus Fernando Mw, Colombo,
Colombo 7.
Tel: +94 11 2692840/1 Tel. +94-11-2694727, +94-11-2667155
(www.archaeology.gov.lk)
Purchase and export without license of any wild animal, bird or reptile, dead or alive, the export of parts of animals, birds or reptiles such as skins, horns, scales and feathers is prohibited. Occasional exports are however permitted exclusively for bona fide scientific purposes. There is a strict prohibition on the export of 450 specified plant species without special permits. The export of coral, shells or other protected marine products is also strictly prohibited.
Applications for special permission to export fauna should be made to the Director,
- Department of Wildlife Conservation,
382. New Kandy Road,
Malabe
Tel: +9411 25060380
(http://www.dwlc.lk )
and flora should be made to the Director, Forest Department, 82 Rajamalwatta Road, Battaramulla.
