This page is for Canadian passport holders. For other passports, see our Sri Lanka ETA guide.
Do Canadians need a visa for Sri Lanka?
You need an ETA, but it's free. Canada is one of 40 countries on Sri Lanka's free-ETA list, widened on 25 May 2026, so Canadian passport holders get 30 days, double entry, at no cost. Apply at eta.gov.lk only, and before you fly; 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.
What the Government of Canada currently says about Sri Lanka
Canada's travel advisory rates Sri Lanka "exercise a high degree of caution," a level short of a warning against travel. We read it on 6 October 2026, and the page was last updated on 7 July 2026. The points worth knowing for 2026:
- Fuel rationing. The advisory says "fuel availability for personal motor vehicles in Sri Lanka is limited." Sri Lanka has run a nationwide QR-code fuel quota system since mid-March 2026, and its tourism authority has said fuel access for tour and transport operators is being prioritised.
- Dengue. The advisory says "dengue is a risk to travellers," spread by mosquito bites. Use repellent day and night, and see a doctor promptly for a fever.
- Flooding and landslides. The advisory says the rainy season "extends from December to February in the northeast and May to September in the southwest." Cyclone Ditwah caused flooding and landslide damage across all 25 districts in late November 2025, and repairs are continuing. Our best time to visit Sri Lanka guide covers the seasonal pattern.
- Terrorism and demonstrations. The advisory says "there is a threat of terrorism" and that "demonstrations occur frequently in Colombo, and occasionally elsewhere in the country."
- Landmines. The advisory says marked and unmarked minefields "may still be present in parts of the Jaffna Peninsula and eastern Sri Lanka," left over from the civil war.
- Arrival card. The advisory says you must get your ETA online before you travel and "will also need to fill out an online arrival card," which you can complete 3 days before you arrive.
None of this is a reason to cancel a trip, but read Canada's Sri Lanka page again a week or two before you fly, since conditions can change. Our Sri Lanka safety guide sets out what other governments say too.
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: penalties can include a fine, deportation at your own expense and a travel ban.
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)
- Return or onward ticket
- The free online arrival card on the Immigration Department's own portal (eservices.immigration.gov.lk), which you can fill in up to three days before you land; never pay a third party for it
- Travel insurance that covers medical treatment and evacuation
- Address of your first night's accommodation
- A yellow fever certificate only if you arrive from a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission
Flights from Canada to Sri Lanka
There's no nonstop flight between Canada and Sri Lanka. Everyone connects, typically one of three ways:
Via the Gulf. Qatar Airways (through Doha), Etihad (through Abu Dhabi) and Emirates (through Dubai) all fly to Colombo. Each serves only some Canadian cities, so check which one flies from yours.
Via Europe. Air Canada and other carriers reach London, Frankfurt or Paris. SriLankan Airlines flies nonstop from London Heathrow to Colombo, and British Airways has announced a winter-season Gatwick to Colombo service from 23 October 2026. SriLankan's Frankfurt and Paris services have run on a seasonal pattern that has changed from year to year, so check its timetable for your dates. French Bee has announced Paris Orly flights to Colombo from December 2026, mostly in a triangle via Malé in the Maldives.
Via Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific connects through Hong Kong, a common alternative to the Gulf carriers, and Turkish Airlines (via Istanbul) is another option.
Book a flexible fare if you can and build in some buffer at the connection. Fares and connections change by season, so check each airline's own site, and our best time to visit Sri Lanka guide can help you weigh price against weather.
What to bring from Canada
Plug adaptor and converter. Sri Lanka runs at 230V, 50Hz, using mostly type G sockets (the same three-pin plug as the UK) since 2016, with older type D and M sockets still around. Canadian type A and B plugs don't fit any of these, so you need an adaptor, and anything that isn't dual-voltage, like a hair dryer or straightener built for 120V, needs a converter too, not just an adaptor.
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, and some banks charge none, so withdraw larger amounts less often. When a machine or card terminal offers to convert to Canadian 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 for the ETA, but it's a condition of joining any of our trips. Provincial health plans may pay little or nothing outside Canada, so check what yours covers before you rely on it. Sri Lanka's public hospitals are free for citizens but not really set up for foreign visitors, and private hospitals charge directly, so get a policy that covers medical treatment and evacuation.
Time difference. Sri Lanka doesn't change its clocks, so the gap shifts with Canada's own daylight saving. It's 10 hours 30 minutes ahead of Eastern Time in winter (EST) and 9 hours 30 minutes ahead during Eastern Daylight Time, and 13 hours 30 minutes ahead of the Pacific coast in winter and 12 hours 30 minutes ahead during Pacific Daylight Time.
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: foreign visitors can bring 1.5 litres of liquor and have a general duty-free allowance of US$125 if they're staying under 90 days. Cigarettes, cigars and snuff are prohibited for tourists, and you must declare foreign currency worth more than US$15,000. Check customs.gov.lk before you pack anything unusual.
- 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
The High Commission of Canada in Colombo is at No. 6, Srimath R. G. Senanayake Mawatha, Colombo 07, on +94 11 522 6232. Canada's advisory says to contact the office nearest you during business hours.
Travel Sri Lanka with us
Every SoloNomads Sri Lanka trip runs well inside your 30-day ETA, which helps make the long journey 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.
