There are three (03) kinds of visas which permit a person to enter and/or stay in Sri Lanka.
1). Visit Visa
A Visit Visa is an entry permit signifying the consent of the Sri Lankan Government for the admission of a foreign national to the country. The Visa contains details of the period of time and the condition/s of the stay.
There are two sub-categories which come under visit visas :-
- Tourist VisaA Tourist Visa is issued to bona-fide tourists who want to enter Sri Lanka for sightseeing or holidaying, visiting friends and relatives, medical treatments, participate in art, music and dance events, participate in sport events for a short period of time.
- Business Purpose VisaA Business Purpose Visa is issued to foreign nationals who visit Sri Lanka for business purposes for short period of time. This visa may be issued for single or multiple journeys.
Residence Visa
A residence visa is a permit for a non-Sri Lankan to obtain residence facilities for special purposes.
There are thirteen (13) sub-categories which come under residence visas
What Eligibility category do I belong?
- Employment Category
- Professional personnel whose services are required for projects approved by the government.
- Expatriate personnel employed in projects under Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka and their dependents.
- Personnel employed at banks and their dependents
- Personnel employed in a private company and their dependents
- Personnel employed in Colombo Port City
- Investor Category
- Personnel who desire to invest monetary capital in Sri Lanka
- Personnel who engage in business activities in Sri Lanka
- Religious Category
- Members of the Clergy
- Personnel who engage in religious activities
- Student Category
- University Students
- Students in Educational Institutions approved by the government
- Volunteers
- Personnel attached to Non-Governmental Organizations or International Non-Government Organizations and their dependents
- Registered Indians covered by the 1954 Indo-Lanka Agreement.- – Extension only
- Ex- Sri Lankans and their dependents
- Family Members of a Sri Lankan
- Spouses and their dependents
- Children holding foreign nationality
- Diplomatic and Official visa
- Diplomats and officers who are attached to a foreign mission in Sri Lanka
- Their Spouse and dependants
- My Dream Home Visa Programme – Extension only
- Resident Guest Visa Programme- Extension only
- Medical Visa
- Personal who are under medical treatments
- Medical Assistant and dependents of the medical visa holder
- Court Visa
- Personal who has a pending court case in which he need to be appear before a court
Transit Visa
A Transit Visa is an entry permit granted to a foreign national for admission into Sri Lanka for a short period which is incidental and in the course of his journey to another destination.