Sri Lanka Visa for Australians: Free 30-Day ETA (From 25 May 2026)

# Sri Lanka Visa for Australians: Free 30-Day ETA (From 25 May 2026)

Sri Lanka made tourist visas free for Australians from 25 May 2026. The catch: you still need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before you arrive.

Step-by-step: getting your free Sri Lanka ETA

1. Confirm you hold an Australian passport (any of the four passport types listed below). 2. Apply for an ETA on the official eta.gov.lk site before you travel. 3. Pay nothing: the ETA is processed free for Australians. 4. Use it within its 30-day validity; you can enter twice. 5. Need longer? Apply for an extension in Sri Lanka and pay the fee.

Those five steps rest on one official notice from the Department of Immigration and Emigration (Alert 01, effective 25 May 2026). In plain words: Australia is first on the list of 40 countries whose nationals get a tourist ETA free of charge for 30 days, with a double-entry facility counted from your first arrival. Diplomatic, official, service and ordinary passports all qualify.

Step 2 explained: why you still apply in advance

The Department of Immigration and Emigration notes that all foreign nationals, including the 40 eligible countries, must obtain an ETA prior to arrival in Sri Lanka. For Australians the ETA is processed free of charge.

Step 5 explained: extensions

If you want to stay beyond 30 days, you can apply for a visa extension and pay the applicable visa fee, according to the Department.

Paid before 25 May 2026?

ETA fees paid before 25 May 2026 are not refundable.

Not confirmed today

We could not confirm a passport-validity rule on the official page fetched today, so none is stated here.

Heading on to the Maldives after Sri Lanka? Our Maldives guide covers the next leg.

Sources

All facts checked against these official government sources on 11 October 2026. Rules change; always confirm before you travel.

- Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration – ETA notices