Source-backed scope
Adult Indian ordinary-passport holder resident in India visiting friends or relatives for up to 30 days under the Tourist ETA category. Obtain approval before arrival; the current 25 May 2026 free-ETA scheme is not an exemption from applying. Excludes employment, study, residence, organised religious events and other Business ETA activities. No blanket invitation, host-ID, birth/marriage or legalisation bundle is established for this ordinary visitor scope.
- Jurisdiction
- Sri Lanka
- Purpose
- Short family / friend visits
- Destination
- Sri Lanka
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Use this guide for your journey. Sign in or verify your account before viewing personalised results. Review the stated scope before proceeding.
Use this guide in the plannerRoute scope
Adult Indian ordinary-passport holder resident in India visiting friends or relatives for up to 30 days under the Tourist ETA category. Obtain approval before arrival; the current 25 May 2026 free-ETA scheme is not an exemption from applying. Excludes employment, study, residence, organised religious events and other Business ETA activities. No blanket invitation, host-ID, birth/marriage or legalisation bundle is established for this ordinary visitor scope.
Sri Lanka High Commission in India requirements checked 2026-10-26. Only the category and stage stated above are covered.
How to use this checklist
Start with the route facts first: citizenship, residence, application country, destination and purpose. Then review the document rows and order processing only where the row says it is required or optional.
Document requirements
| Document | Status | Scope | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approved pre-arrival Tourist ETA | required | visa application | Obtain approval before departure. Effective 25 May 2026, Indian ordinary-passport tourists receive the 30-day ETA free of charge. Free processing does not mean ETA-free entry. Double entry is within the same 30 days from first arrival; re-entry gets the remaining balance. No current scheme expiry was stated. Follow actual approval validity dates, not conflicting legacy three/six-month statements. |
| Passport valid six months from arrival | required | visa application | Carry the passport matching the approved ETA, valid for at least six months from arrival. |
| Confirmed return ticket | required | visa application | Have the confirmed return ticket for entry screening. |
| Sufficient funds for the stay | required | visa application | Be able to meet the stay expenses. No fixed amount or universal bank-history period was established in these Tourist ETA instructions. |
| Copy of ETA approval | recommended | visa application | Carry an accessible copy; official instructions advise it, rather than specifying a mandatory paper print. |
| Separate arrival-card details | required | visa application | Complete the arrival card separately from ETA as directed by the official entry channel. An online facility is offered within three days before travel; an online-only mandate has not been established here. Keep the stay address/contact details available. No universal host-ID, relationship-certificate or hotel-confirmation upload rule was established for ordinary Indian Tourist ETA. |
Processing route
- Approved pre-arrival Tourist ETAObtain approval before departure. Effective 25 May 2026, Indian ordinary-passport tourists receive the 30-day ETA free of charge. Free processing does not mean ETA-free entry. Double entry is within the same 30 days from first arrival; re-entry gets the remaining balance. No current scheme expiry was stated. Follow actual approval validity dates, not conflicting legacy three/six-month statements. The cited source does not specify a general translation, notarisation or apostille rule for this item. Confirm any additional language or authentication instructions with the receiving authority; no processing service is selected automatically. 1. Prepare Approved pre-arrival Tourist ETA in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Passport valid six months from arrivalCarry the passport matching the approved ETA, valid for at least six months from arrival. The cited source does not specify a general translation, notarisation or apostille rule for this item. Confirm any additional language or authentication instructions with the receiving authority; no processing service is selected automatically. 1. Prepare Passport valid six months from arrival in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Confirmed return ticketHave the confirmed return ticket for entry screening. The cited source does not specify a general translation, notarisation or apostille rule for this item. Confirm any additional language or authentication instructions with the receiving authority; no processing service is selected automatically. 1. Prepare Confirmed return ticket in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Sufficient funds for the stayBe able to meet the stay expenses. No fixed amount or universal bank-history period was established in these Tourist ETA instructions. The cited source does not specify a general translation, notarisation or apostille rule for this item. Confirm any additional language or authentication instructions with the receiving authority; no processing service is selected automatically. 1. Prepare Sufficient funds for the stay in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Copy of ETA approvalCarry an accessible copy; official instructions advise it, rather than specifying a mandatory paper print. The cited source does not specify a general translation, notarisation or apostille rule for this item. Confirm any additional language or authentication instructions with the receiving authority; no processing service is selected automatically. 1. Prepare Copy of ETA approval in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Separate arrival-card detailsProcessing route needs confirmation for the actual document language, type and location. Complete the arrival card separately from ETA as directed by the official entry channel. An online facility is offered within three days before travel; an online-only mandate has not been established here. Keep the stay address/contact details available. No universal host-ID, relationship-certificate or hotel-confirmation upload rule was established for ordinary Indian Tourist ETA. The cited source does not specify a general translation, notarisation or apostille rule for this item. Confirm any additional language or authentication instructions with the receiving authority; no processing service is selected automatically. 1. Prepare Separate arrival-card details in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
Official citations
- Sri Lanka High Commission in IndiaSri Lanka High Commission in India: India to Sri Lanka short family or friend visit: free pre-arrival Tourist ETAwww.hc-newdelhi.gov.lkLast checked 2026-10-26; evidence version india-sri-lanka-visit-tourist-eta-family-friends-2026-10-26
Current India mission and ETA portal agree on pre-arrival approval, free Indian Tourist ETA, 30 days from first arrival and double entry within that period. Current explicit notice takes precedence over older fee/on-arrival and revoked-2025 announcements.
- Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and EmigrationSri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration official guidanceeta.gov.lkLast checked 2026-10-26; evidence version sri-lanka-tourist-family-category-20261026
Tourist category explicitly includes visiting friends and relatives. Religious events are listed separately under Business; not a universal pilgrimage-tourist finding.
- Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and EmigrationSri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration official guidanceeta.gov.lkLast checked 2026-10-26; evidence version sri-lanka-eta-entry-20261026
ETA entry instructions require passport six months from arrival, confirmed return ticket and sufficient funds; approval copy advisable. Old fee/on-arrival text is superseded for Indian tourists by current May 2026 notice. Follow actual approval dates rather than conflicting three/six-month pretravel windows.
- Airport and Aviation Services Sri LankaSri Lanka airport official arrival-card announcementwww.airport.lkLast checked 2026-10-26; evidence version sri-lanka-arrival-card-20261026
Official search-index text read; direct request timed out. Online arrival-card facility effective 1 January 2023, available three days before travel; not proof of an online-only mandate.
Exceptions
- Requirements and accepted document formats can change. Follow the linked authority for your exact purpose and application stage.
- Use row-level processing labels: translation, notarisation, apostille, embassy attestation and MEA or HRD attestation are not interchangeable.
Relevant Enuncia services
- Document checklist review
FAQs
Are all documents for Sri Lanka short family / friend visits automatically translated?
No. Translation is shown per document row because official sources may accept some documents as issued while requiring translation for others.
Can I order document processing from this checklist?
Build your checklist using the route facts first. A processing option can be selected only where supported by the document row. Rows needing language or authentication confirmation remain under review before pricing.
Related guides
- Sri Lanka destination guide
Destination overview for all published source-backed routes.