How Pakistanis Get a Free Sri Lanka Tourist Visa Through the ETA

Sri Lanka's tourist visa is now free for Pakistani passport holders. Since 25 May 2026, Pakistanis can get a 30-day tourist ETA, with two entries, at no cost. You still have to apply online at eta.gov.lk before you fly. A business ETA is not free and costs USD 30.

ETA means Electronic Travel Authorization. It is Sri Lanka's online visa approval for short visits. Sri Lanka's Department of Immigration and Emigration runs it, and the free scheme covers nationals of 40 countries. Pakistan is number 27 on that list, alongside India, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the UK.

We read the free visa notice, the fee table, the application rules and the FAQ on the official ETA website on 3 October 2026. We also opened the online application, which starts with a terms and conditions page. We did not submit an application.

Sri Lanka tourist visa is free for Pakistanis from 25 May 2026

From 25 May 2026, Pakistani nationals can get a Sri Lanka tourist visa through the ETA system free of charge. It is valid for 30 days from arrival and allows two entries. It applies to ordinary, official, service and diplomatic passports alike.

Before this change, Pakistan was charged the South Asian (SAARC) rate. The ETA fee table still lists that rate for countries outside the free list: USD 20 for a tourist ETA online, or USD 25 on arrival. So a couple now saves USD 40 on paper. Not huge, but it also removes an international card payment, which is often the hard part for Pakistani applicants.

"Two entries" works like this. Your 30 days start on the day you first land. If you leave for the Maldives and come back, the second entry uses whatever is left of those 30 days. It does not restart the clock.

The official notice also says fees paid before 25 May 2026 will not be refunded. If you paid USD 20 in April for a trip in June, that money is gone.

How to apply for a Sri Lanka ETA from Pakistan

Apply on eta.gov.lk with your passport details, get an acknowledgement, then wait for an approval notice by email. No passport scan, photo or documents are needed online. You can even apply before you book your ticket, according to the ETA FAQ.

1. Check your passport has at least six months left from your arrival date. Renew it first if it does not.
2. Open eta.gov.lk, click Apply, and read the terms page.
3. Choose a tourist ETA and fill in your passport, travel and contact details exactly as printed.
4. Submit and save the acknowledgement with its reference number.
5. Print or save the ETA approval notice when it arrives, and carry it when you fly.

Type carefully. The FAQ says a submitted application cannot be cancelled or corrected. For a paid business ETA that means paying again. For a free tourist ETA it mostly costs you time.

The system only takes Visa, Mastercard and American Express cards for paid ETAs. If your card fails, a travel agent can apply for you as a "third party".

Your passport matters more than any card. Sri Lankan immigration checks for six months of validity when you land. If yours is close, book the passport renewal before you book flights.

Documents to carry when you land in Colombo

At the airport in Sri Lanka, you need three things: a passport valid for at least six months from arrival, a confirmed return ticket, and enough money for your stay. A copy of the ETA approval is advised. Immigration then stamps your 30-day visa.

• Passport: six months' validity from the date you arrive.
• Return ticket: confirmed, not just a held booking.
• Funds: enough for your stay. No fixed amount is set.
• ETA approval notice: printed or on your phone.

The website does not set a cash figure for "sufficient funds". A bank card and some US dollars are the usual answer. Remember Pakistan's own rule on the way out: an adult can carry foreign currency worth up to USD 5,000 per trip, and it must be declared to Customs.

A tourist trip does not need the Protector of Emigrants stamp. That stamp is for people leaving on a work visa, which is a different emigrant protection process altogether.

Two rules on the ETA website do not match

The new free visa notice says every foreign national must get an ETA before arriving in Sri Lanka. But other pages on the same website still list "on arrival" as a way to apply, and the FAQ says an ETA is not needed to board a flight. Apply online before you fly.

There is a second gap. The application page says you must enter Sri Lanka within three months of the ETA being issued. The FAQ says an ETA is valid for six months. We would plan around the shorter figure. Apply within three months of your flight, not earlier.

Paying for a tourist ETA is now a warning sign in itself. The official website says payments made to other websites or agencies are not valid for an ETA. A website that charges you a "processing fee" for a tourist ETA is not the official system. Use eta.gov.lk only.

Extending your stay and what an ETA does not cover

A 30-day tourist ETA can be extended up to six months, but the extension is paid at the visa fee for your nationality. You apply on Sri Lanka's immigration e-services portal after you arrive. You cannot apply for a fresh ETA while inside Sri Lanka.

Some trips do not fit an online ETA at all. The official rules list media and journalist events, meetings with political parties and NGO or INGO work as purposes that need Sri Lankan government approval first. Those travellers apply through a Sri Lanka mission or the immigration head office in Colombo.

A business ETA is a separate category. It is not part of the free scheme, costs USD 30 for SAARC nationals, and you should carry proof of the business purpose. For comparison, nearby options for Pakistanis include the Thailand e-visa, which still has a fee and a document check.

If your ETA is refused, the system sends a "referral notice". The official guidance is to contact the nearest Sri Lanka overseas mission. For Pakistan, that means Sri Lanka's High Commission in Islamabad. The ETA call centre is on 0094 71 99 67 888, round the clock.

Common questions

Is the Sri Lanka visa free for Pakistanis?

Yes, for tourism. Since 25 May 2026, Pakistanis get a free 30-day tourist ETA with two entries. Business visas still cost USD 30.

Do Pakistanis need to apply before travelling to Sri Lanka?

Yes. The free visa notice says all foreign nationals must get an ETA before arrival. Apply on eta.gov.lk before your flight, even though older pages mention on arrival.

What documents do Pakistanis need for a Sri Lanka ETA?

None online beyond your passport details. At the airport you need a passport valid for six months, a confirmed return ticket and enough money for the stay.

How long can a Pakistani stay in Sri Lanka on a free ETA?

30 days from first arrival. You can extend up to six months by paying the visa fee after you arrive.

Is a Sri Lanka ETA free for Pakistani children?

Yes. Pakistani children get the free tourist ETA like adults, and the fee table also gives every child under 12 a free tourist ETA for up to 30 days.

Can I get a refund for an ETA I paid for before 25 May 2026?

No. The official notice says ETA fees paid before 25 May 2026 are non-refundable.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 3 October 2026. The free tourist ETA for 40 countries including Pakistan from 25 May 2026, the 30-day double-entry stay, the passport types covered, the rule that all nationals obtain an ETA before arrival and the non-refundable older fees are read in Alert 01 on the home page of eta.gov.lk. The USD 30 business fee, the earlier USD 20 and USD 25 SAARC tourist fees, free transit and the under-12 rule are read on the ETA fees page. The application methods, the three-month entry window, the arrival requirements, the extension to six months and the excluded purposes are read on its application and short visit pages. The six-month validity, the boarding rule, accepted cards, no corrections and no fresh ETA inside Sri Lanka are read in its FAQ. We opened the application but did not submit one.