This page covers Australian and New Zealand passport holders together, since the visa rule is identical for both. For other passports, see our Sri Lanka ETA guide.
Do Australians and New Zealanders need a visa for Sri Lanka?
Yes, in the form of an ETA, but it's free. Australia and New Zealand are both among the 40 countries on Sri Lanka's free-ETA list, widened on 25 May 2026, so passport holders from either country get 30 days, double entry, at no cost. Apply at eta.gov.lk only; a lookalike site charging a "service fee" for the same thing has shown up in search results. The full nationality table is on our Sri Lanka ETA and entry requirements guide.
Your passport needs at least 6 months' validity from your arrival date, and immigration can ask to see a return or onward ticket. Don't count on buying the ETA at the airport: airlines can refuse to board you without it, so get it before you travel.
What Smartraveller and SafeTravel currently say about Sri Lanka
Smartraveller publishes its own level for Sri Lanka and can change it, so read the current page before you book. SafeTravel's advice for New Zealanders is "exercise increased caution," updated 3 July 2026, which isn't a warning against travel to Sri Lanka as a whole. Four points are worth knowing:
- Fuel rationing. Sri Lanka has run a nationwide QR-code fuel quota system since 15 March 2026. SafeTravel links the shortages to the Middle East conflict. Canada's travel advisory says special arrangements are in place to ensure fuel access for service providers within the tourism sector, so the quota mainly affects private vehicle owners.
- Dengue. SafeTravel says Sri Lanka is experiencing record numbers of dengue cases, and Sri Lankan health authorities reported more than 90,000 cases by mid-August 2026. SafeTravel recommends comprehensive travel insurance that covers air medical evacuation. Use repellent day and night, and see a doctor promptly for a fever.
- Cyclone Ditwah and the weather. Cyclone Ditwah in November 2025 caused significant damage, particularly in the central mountains, and repairs to rail routes and bridges are continuing, so check conditions before you head to the hill country. Parts of the railway there are still closed; our Kandy to Ella train guide has the current status. SafeTravel also flags flooding and landslides during the monsoon, and our best time to visit Sri Lanka guide covers the seasons.
- Landmines. The UK FCDO and Canada both warn of landmines and unexploded weapons in parts of the north and east. Stay on main roads and heed warning signs.
None of this is a reason to cancel a trip, but it's worth reading Smartraveller's Sri Lanka page or SafeTravel's Sri Lanka page again a week or two before you fly, since conditions can change.
Staying longer than 30 days
If you want to extend beyond your ETA's 30 days, apply through the Department of Immigration and Emigration's online portal (eservices.immigration.gov.lk) before your stay runs out. The extension fee is set per nationality rather than published as one flat figure, so check what you'd pay on the portal, or call the department on +94 11 2101500, before you rely on it. Don't overstay: the UK Foreign Office warns that overstaying an ETA can mean detention, a fine, deportation at your own expense, a travel ban or refusal of entry.
Entry checklist
- Passport valid for at least 6 months from arrival, with a blank page
- Free ETA approval, applied for at eta.gov.lk and saved to your phone (or printed)
- The Department of Immigration and Emigration's free online arrival card (eservices.immigration.gov.lk), which you can fill in up to three days before you arrive
- Return or onward ticket
- Travel insurance that covers medical treatment and evacuation
- Address of your first night's accommodation
Flights from Australia and New Zealand
Nonstop flights
| Airline | Route | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| SriLankan Airlines | Melbourne to Colombo | Daily |
| Jetstar | Melbourne to Colombo | Three a week, launched 25 August 2026 |
SriLankan announced extra Melbourne flights from 2 August 2026, and trade press reported on 28 July that the increase had been pushed back to November 2026, so the schedule may change. We couldn't confirm a Sydney to Colombo nonstop from an airline source, so check SriLankan's own site before you plan around one. Jetstar describes its Melbourne to Colombo flight as Australia's only low-cost nonstop to Sri Lanka.
We found no nonstop from Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide or New Zealand in either airline's announcements, so expect to connect.
One-stop routes
From Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, the usual options are connecting onto the Melbourne nonstop, or flying via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or a Gulf hub such as Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi.
From New Zealand, plan on one stop. Connecting through Melbourne onto SriLankan Airlines or Jetstar is one option, and Singapore and the Gulf hubs are others. Fares move daily, so we don't list any here; our best time to visit Sri Lanka guide can help you weigh price against weather.
What to bring from Australia and New Zealand
Plug adaptor. Australian and New Zealand plugs (type I) don't fit Sri Lankan sockets. Type G, the same three-pin plug as the UK, is common in Sri Lanka, but older buildings and rural guesthouses may still have type D or type M sockets, so pack a small universal adaptor rather than assuming one type covers you everywhere. The supply is 230V, 50Hz, the same as Australia and New Zealand, so you only need the adaptor, not a voltage converter.
Money and cards. The currency is the Sri Lankan rupee (LKR). ATMs charge foreign cards a flat fee, roughly LKR 300 to 1,000 per withdrawal on 2026 listings, depending on the bank, and some banks charge none, so withdraw larger amounts less often. When a machine or card terminal offers to convert to Australian or New Zealand dollars, decline and let your own card issuer set the rate. Carry some cash for tuk-tuks, small guesthouses and entry fees; cards are fine at hotels and bigger restaurants.
SIM and data. Dialog and Mobitel both sell tourist SIMs at counters in the arrivals hall at Bandaranaike Airport, with tourist packs listed in 2026 from about LKR 1,300 for 9 GB (Dialog) to about LKR 2,450 for 50 GB. Both also offer an eSIM you can activate before you fly.
Insurance. You don't need it to get an ETA, but it's a good idea regardless, and it's a condition of joining any of our trips. Sri Lanka isn't on the list of countries Australia has a Medicare reciprocal health care agreement with, so Medicare won't help you here. Get a policy that covers medical treatment and air medical evacuation, as SafeTravel recommends.
Time difference. Sri Lanka is on UTC+5:30 all year and doesn't change its clocks, so the gap with Australia and New Zealand shifts when daylight saving starts and ends at your end. Check a world clock before you book a call home.
Medicines. Keep everything in original packaging with a copy of the prescription, and carry a doctor's letter for anything controlled.
Everything else. Reef-safe sunscreen, mosquito repellent (day and night, given the current dengue situation), and something to cover shoulders and knees for temples.
Arrival day, step by step
- Before you fly: save your ETA approval to your phone, fill in the free online arrival card, and set up a travel eSIM if you want data the moment you land.
- Immigration at Bandaranaike Airport (CMB): show your passport and ETA. You may be asked for your onward ticket.
- Customs: declare foreign currency worth more than US$15,000 (more than US$10,000 on departure). Foreign visitors can bring 1.5 litres of liquor, bought in a Sri Lankan duty-free shop or brought with you on the day you arrive. The general duty-free allowance for stays under 90 days is US$125, or US$187.50 if some of it came from duty-free shops. Cigarettes, cigars and snuff, fresh fruit brought by air, and rough or unfinished gold are on the prohibited list for tourists. Check customs.gov.lk before you pack anything unusual, since allowances change.
- SIM and cash: Dialog and Mobitel counters, and ATMs, are in the arrivals hall.
- Into the city: Negombo, a beach town close to the airport, is the easiest place to spend your first night before heading inland. Tuk-tuks, PickMe (Sri Lanka's own ride-hailing app) and prepaid taxis all pick up from arrivals.
If you need help
| Country | Nearest mission | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | High Commission, 21 Srimath RG Senanayake Mawatha, Colombo 7 | +94 11 246 3200 |
| New Zealand | High Commission, Level 24, One Galle Face Tower, 1A Centre Road, Colombo | +94 11 217 4717 |
Travel Sri Lanka with us
Every SoloNomads Sri Lanka trip runs well inside your 30-day ETA, which helps make the long flight worth it. Sri Lanka Express is 7 days, 12-Day Sri Lanka Tour adds an Udawalawe safari, and Sri Lanka Surf Camp is 8 days of coached surf lessons at Weligama. Ages 18 to 40, and I'm with the group throughout as your Trip Host.
