Immigration

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General Information

IMPORTANT NOTICE

With effect from 1st January 2012, all Holiday or Business travellers to Sri Lanka must have an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for entering Sri Lanka. Please visit http://www.eta.gov.lk for more detailed information.

The facility for applying for a Business Visa is at present available only at the Head Office of the Department of Immigration & Emigration and Sri Lankan Overseas Missions.

When applying for an ETA via a third party, payment should be made according to instructions stipulated on our website www.eta.gov.lk  and an acknowledgement of the ETA application would be sent to you.  Payment made to other websites or agencies are not considered as a valid part of your application. Therefore we would advise that payments should only be made via the official Sri Lanka ETA website to avoid making additional payments at the port of entry in Sri Lanka.

What are the Working Hours ?

• Acceptance of all applications  is between 8.30 a.m and 1.30 p.m
• Collection of visas after submitting the application is between 8.30 a.m and 12.00 p.m.
        The office is closed on Weekends and Public Holidays.

What is a Sri Lankan Visa?

A Sri Lankan visa is an endorsement stamped on a passport or similar document to facilitate the legal entry of non Sri Lankans into the country whilst regulating the period of their stay and conditions associated thereof. 

What Type of Sri Lankan Visa do I need ?

Visit Visa

A Visit Visa is an entry permit signifying the consent of the Sri Lankan Government valid for the admission of a foreign national to the country.  The Visa contains details of the duration  and condition/s of their stay.

Tourist Visit Visa

A Tourist Visa is issued to bona-fide tourists who want to enter Sri Lanka for sightseeing, excursions, relaxation, or to visit relatives for short periods of time.

The cost of an ETA Tourist Visa is currently £ 40.00 pp.

Entry To Maldives

To enter Maldives no pre-arrival visa is required. A thirty day FREE visa is issued on arrival for all Nationalities, provided :

• They Should posses a valid passport with Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) -(standard ICAO Annex 9, chapter 3.10.1) and should have at least 6 months validity stamped on it.
• Have a valid ticket to continue their onward journey out of Maldives.
• Have enough funds to cover expenses for the entire duration of their stay in the Maldives. (US$100 + $50 dollars per day) or a confirmation of reservation in a Tourist Resort or a Hotel would suffice as proof of funds available.

Caution

A full Thirty(30) day visa is not an automatic right of the passenger to claim entry into the Maldives, and this lies entirely at the discretion of the department of  Immigration to issue a visa of no more than thirty days or any period that is less than thirty(30) days.

EMPLOYMENT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED UNDER THIS CATEGORY.

Renewal of Tourist Visa
A Tourist visa maybe be renewed if the person concerned, applies to the Immigration office before the expiration of the visa already granted. Prior to extension of any visa category, the Department of Immigration will re-asses the applicant's  financial position for the period of extension requested. An extension can only be applied for using the Visa Extension Application Form, available at the Department of Immigration Head Office during official working hours. Extension if considered, would be granted for a duration not exceeding a total of Ninety(90) days which would include the initial period of leave granted on arrival. A visa fee of Rufiyaa 750 is payable for the full extension or part thereof (30 days free + 60 days chargeable). No visa fee will be charged if the extension does not exceed 30 days, that is including the days granted on arrival. 

FOREIGNERS WHO STAY BEYOND THE APPROVED STAY MAYBE DEPORTED.

Refusal of Entry
Any person arriving in the Maldives maybe refused entry, if the Immigration officer(s) during questioning or interviewing the passenger

• Have reasonable grounds that the person is in possession of fraudulent travel documents.
• Suspects that the applicant intends to cause possible disruption to harmony and be involved in activities deemed unlawful.
• Has strong anti-semantic religious or political views.

Caution

The right to refuse an entry lies solely at the discretion of the Immigration officer(s) and should not be considered as an automatic right of entry.

Removal from Maldives
Any person staying in the Maldives could be removed from the country with immediate effect if the person concerned is 

• Found working on a Tourist Visa
• Found participating in any unlawful activity or even having the intention of participating in, or initiating an unlawful activity
• Suspected of disrupting religious or political harmony
• Reported to have become a public nuisance
• Found with an expired stay permit
• Found with an  expired Work Permit

The removal could be translated as deportation from the Maldives until such time, the department of Immigration deems fit.