This page is for Indian passport holders and sits under our Sri Lanka ETA guide for every other nationality.
Do Indian citizens need a visa for Sri Lanka?
You need an ETA, but it's free. India has had free ETA access since a pilot scheme that began in October 2023, alongside China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia and Thailand, and India stayed on the list when Sri Lanka widened it to 40 countries on 25 May 2026. That gives Indian passport holders 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. If you want longer than 30 days, apply for an extension on the Immigration Department's online portal before your stay runs out, and don't overstay: penalties can include a fine, deportation at your own expense and a travel ban.
What India's government currently says about Sri Lanka
India's Ministry of External Affairs doesn't list Sri Lanka on its travel advisories page. We checked it on 6 October 2026: the page was last updated on 2 June 2026 and names Myanmar, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Yemen, China, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Cambodia and Niger. Other things are worth knowing before you go:
- Fuel rationing. Sri Lanka has run a nationwide QR-code fuel quota system since mid-March 2026. It mainly affects private vehicles, and Sri Lanka's tourism authority has said fuel access for tour and transport operators is being prioritised.
- Dengue. Sri Lanka had reported more than 90,000 dengue cases by 15 August 2026, according to Newsfirst. Use repellent day and night, and see a doctor promptly for a fever.
- Flooding and landslides. Risk rises in the inter-monsoon months, on top of the seasonal pattern in our best time to visit Sri Lanka guide. Cyclone Ditwah caused flooding and landslide damage across all 25 districts in late November 2025, and repairs are continuing. Parts of the hill-country railway are still closed, so read our Kandy to Ella train guide before building a route around it.
None of this is a reason to cancel a trip, but check MEA's travel advisories page again closer to your departure date, since conditions can change. Other governments word it their own way: our Sri Lanka safety guide sets out what the UK, US, Australian and Canadian governments say.
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; check the Department's site for whether it applies on your date, and 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 India to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is one of the shortest international trips from South India, and it's reachable from further north too. Each airline's own site shows today's timetable, which changes by season.
| From | Airlines with direct flights to Colombo |
|---|---|
| Chennai | SriLankan Airlines, IndiGo |
| Bengaluru | SriLankan Airlines, IndiGo |
| Hyderabad | SriLankan Airlines, IndiGo |
| Mumbai | SriLankan Airlines, IndiGo, Air India |
| Delhi | SriLankan Airlines, IndiGo, Air India |
| Kochi, Trivandrum, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli | SriLankan Airlines |
SriLankan said in February 2026 that it flies from nine Indian cities and was adding Ahmedabad as its tenth. When IndiGo launched Delhi to Colombo on 29 March 2026 on an Airbus A320, it said it flew more than 55 times a week to Colombo from Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi. IndiGo also flies from Chennai and Tiruchirappalli to Jaffna in Sri Lanka's north, useful if that's where your trip starts or ends. Compare a few departure cities if you live near more than one, and check fares on the airline's own site, since they move often.
The Nagapattinam to Kankesanthurai ferry
A passenger ferry links Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu with Kankesanthurai (KKS), near Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka. It went back into service on 16 August 2024 and was still sailing in May 2026, when a crossing from KKS broke down off Nagapattinam in rough seas and was towed back, with all 144 passengers safe, according to All India Radio. That report put the crossing at about four hours. The service has stopped for weather before: it paused for several months in the 2024 to 2025 monsoon season. We couldn't confirm a current timetable or fare, so check sailing days, times and prices with the operator, IndSri Ferry Services, before you plan around it. The same ETA and passport rules apply as when you fly. The ferry gets you to Jaffna and the north; Colombo and the south coast are still a long way from Kankesanthurai by road.
Money: using INR and UPI in Sri Lanka
The currency is the Sri Lankan rupee (LKR), and it's still the one to have on you for most day-to-day spending. UPI has made this route easier for Indian travellers: NPCI International, the company that runs UPI abroad, says Indian visitors can scan LankaQR codes at hospitality chains, retail outlets and supermarkets and pay from their Indian bank account, with the debit shown in INR. Not every business takes UPI, and some shops may not want Indian rupee notes, so carry a mix: some LKR cash, a card, and your usual UPI apps as a backup, rather than assuming INR or UPI alone will cover everything.
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 you do use one.
What to bring from India
Plug adaptor, sometimes. India uses type C, D and M sockets at 230V, 50Hz, the same voltage as Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has been standardising on type G (the UK three-pin plug) since 2016, which doesn't take an Indian plug, but older buildings and rural guesthouses often still have type D or M sockets, the same family India uses, so you may not need an adaptor everywhere. Pack a small universal one just in case rather than assuming either way.
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. 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. None. Sri Lanka and India both run on UTC+5:30, so there's no jet lag or clock-adjusting either way, one of the easier parts of this trip.
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 if the Department's site says it applies, 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.
Travel Sri Lanka with us
Every SoloNomads Sri Lanka trip runs well inside your 30-day ETA. 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.
