Sri Lanka Business Visa (ETA) Online

The Business ETA is an official document that allows travelers to enter and travel within Sri Lanka for business purposes.

What do I need to apply for the Sri Lanka Business ETA?

We require the following to submit your application:

Passport Personal Details Scan (if applicable)

What is the cost to obtain a Sri Lanka Business ETA?

The Sri Lanka Business ETA cost depends on your nationality. Additionally, there is a service fee of USD 30.00 for standard processing. For rush processing and super rush processing the service fee is USD 60.00 and USD 75.00, respectively.

How long does it take to process a Sri Lanka Business ETA?

It depends on the processing time you choose. We offer three options:

Standard Processing Time: 24 hours
Rush Processing:4 hours
Super Rush Processing: 30 minutes

How long is a Business ETA valid for?

The Sri Lanka Business ETA is valid for 90 days after issued. This means you must enter Sri Lanka within 90 days after issued. In addition, it is a Double Entry visa and allows for a maximum stay of 30 days in Total.

Do I need a Business ETA to enter Sri Lanka?

Citizens from most countries in the world require a visa to enter Sri Lanka. The only countries exempted from a Sri Lanka tourist visa are Singapore, Maldives, and Seychelles.

Is the Sri Lanka Business ETA for a single entry or double?

Sri Lanka Business ETA is valid for Double Entry.

When will I receive my Sri Lanka ETA (Business Visa)?

We offer three different options for processing times:

Standard Processing: 24 hours
Rush Processing: 4 hours
Super Rush Processing: 30 minutes

Which nationalities does iVisa's Sri Lanka service work for?

Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany (German), Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norfolk Island, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia (Russian), Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland (Swiss), Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom (UK Citizens)(British), United States (US Citizens), Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Kosovo, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Do I need to visit the consulate to get my Sri Lankan Business ETA?

No. You will get the visa in PDF format via email.

Can I apply for a Business ETA if I already have a Tourist ETA?

A passport can only have one type of associated visa (while the visa is valid). In other words, if you already have a tourist visa, you can not take out a business visa until the tourist visa expires.

What are the advantages of applying for a Business ETA?

The Business ETA can be applied for and issued online, eliminating the need to visit an embassy when trying to obtain a traditional visa.

I made a mistake on my personal information. Can I modify the form?

Please contact us ASAP and we will assist on the matter. Note that generally if you made a mistake you will have to re-apply.

If I already possess a valid ETA, can I apply for a new ETA?

No. A new ETA cannot be obtained using the same passport until it expires (180 days after issue). If you lose the passport which contains the valid ETA you will need to apply for a new one since it is linked to your passport.

How long should be the validity of my passport be when I apply for the Business ETA?

Applicants must have a passport valid for at least six months from your intended arrival date.

What type of business activities does the Business ETA allow?

Normal business activities are allowed with the Business ETA, such as:

Participation in business meeting and negotiations
Participation in conferences, workshops, and seminars

Which nationalities are eligible for a Sri Lanka Business ETA?

Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany (German), Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norfolk Island, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia (Russian), Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland (Swiss), Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom (UK Citizens)(British), United States (US Citizens), Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Kosovo, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Vaccination requirements to travel to Sri Lanka

Yellow Fever vaccine is required if traveling from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.

More information in the following link:

https://www.who.int/ith/ITH_Annex_I.pdf

Sri Lanka Business ETA sample

Visa Policy of Sri Lanka

Learn more about Sri Lanka Tourism

Doing business in a foreign country entails some research as to what the people in that particular country do. You need to learn their customs, their traditions, and some things about their business mentality. That is if you want to be successful on your trip. Plus, it is a known fact that doing some research improves your chances of success. It makes sense if you think about it. People will always appreciate if you are making an effort to learn their habits. Sri Lanka is no different, and if you are thinking of collaborating with business people from Sri Lanka, you should have the next tips on mind. What you need to remember is that Sri Lanka is still recovering from the civil war. It lasted until 2009, so there are still some things that need improving. But that is a good thing for you as a business person. You can find plenty of opportunities. However, since there are several ethnicities in Sri Lanka, you should consider learning a bit about each and everyone. You do not need to know everything, but enough so that you can get around and make a good impression. One thing that you must know is that Sri Lanka is a religious country. Also, seniority is very important, which is why you need to act accordingly. Showing respect is paramount when dealing with delegations, and you must always be careful when having a serious conversation. What you will find odd, however, is that since Sri Lanka is religious, some of the people from the Sri Lankan delegation will ask help from their deity when making a business decision. This is an important tradition, and under no circumstances should you mock it. You might as well just hop on a plane to where you came from. When it comes to communication, this part is a bit tricky. Why? Because you may find yourself in a room filled with people that only speak Sinhalese or Tamil. Some speak English, and they will take advantage of the situation to improve it. However, the best course of action is to hire an interpreter. Even so, the people of Sri Lanka are very expressive, and you will be able to read between the lines most of the times. One aspect that can be found in many cultures is how the people of Sri Lanka value personal relationships before engaging in actual business. Most of the times, the first meeting is all about you. They will want to get to know you before going down to business. All you can do is be patient and take it. Otherwise, you may come off as offensive and nobody will want to collaborate with you. Moreover, since hierarchy is very important in Sri Lanka, getting to an upper level may take a while. In the meantime, you should create a solid relationship with someone from a lower level. Again, patience is paramount even if it is frustrating. You should never complain or try to rush things. That is not going to happen anyway. As for greetings, it can be challenging because of the difference in ethnicity. However, nobody in Sri Lanka expects you to know all the rules. As a result, a handshake will suffice. However, avoid initiating physical contact with the opposite sex. For example, some women in the business world are still trying to avoid contact with males other than the ones in their family. Leave the initiative to them, and if they extend their arm, just go with the flow. If a person in the Sri Lankan delegation has a title, you should definitely use it. If not, you should just be polite and address the person in question using sir or madam. Also, you should never use someone’s first name unless you are told to do so. It is incredibly informal and you will be considered impolite. Just like in most countries, when your first meet the Sri Lankan delegation, there will be a business card exchange before moving on. It is not a must to translate your business card into Sinhalese or Tamil, but it will be considered a nice gesture, so you should make that effort. Also, your card should be very specific as to what your position is within the company you are working in. Lastly, when you receive a Sri Lankan’s business card, do not put it in your pocket right away. Take a look at it and try to look like you are impressed as they like that. Giving gifts on the first meeting is not a custom, but it happens at times. When that is the case, you need to have a gift on standby so that you can reciprocate the gesture. However, you need to be very careful what you are buying for your host. You cannot offer gifts that contain pork’s skin because you may offend the Muslim Sri Lankans. You cannot give leather gifts either because Sri Lanka has Hindu in its population. Also, flowers are meant for mourning, so they are a bad idea. The point is that you should choose a gift wisely. Generally, the people if Sri Lanka are very nice, and they will welcome you with their arms open. However, some things make them reluctant in talking to you about. For example, it is okay to talk about the war, but not too much so that you do not open old wounds. Politics is a suitable subject of conversation but nothing that led to the war. If you are interested in a new collaboration or expanding your business, Sri Lanka may not be such a bad idea. It is a new market that needs improving, and people there are eager to make a comeback. Tourism is not as good as you would want, and the lack of infrastructure may compel you to jump through a few hoops, but they need to start somewhere. As long as you are aware of and respect their traditions and culture, you should get along with the business people of Sri Lanka just fine.

Where can I read more?

Other Available Visas: Sri Lanka?

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How to Apply: Business ETA

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