Know Everything About Applying For A Sri Lanka Visa From India

There are the following steps involved in applying for a Sri Lanka Visa from India are given below:

Step 1: Check The Visa categories with Important Documents

There are the following types of Sri Lanka visa for Indians given below:

E-Visa For Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, by April 2024 launched e-visa for tourists, business persons, and for airport transition controlled and operated by IVS-GBS. Progressively, the e-visa has a duration of up to 30 days which varies from country to country. Travelers must get it before landing at the airport.

Investor Visa

An investor visa is for Indians who want to do some business in Sri Lanka and contribute to its progress and development. Apparently, the candidate shows a good investment plan to business authorities and provides a bank statement enough to match the expenses and labor costs. 

• It is a residence visa with a validity of up to 10 years.
• The person can bring their spouse or family members.
• The candidate deposits US$250,000 or equivalent in RGFCA.
• Per dependent the additional US$35,000 will be deposited.

Employment Visa

An employment/work visa is for people who are seeking or getting hired for a job in Sri Lanka. There is a need for a confirmation letter from the employer company which should be registered or certified by the Board of Investment BOI Sri Lanka. 

Religious Visa

A religious visa is for the preachers or religious event organizers held in Sri Lanka from India. Being a multi-religious state and in collaboration with Sri Lankan religious authorities, Indian Nationals were issued with visas after getting a recommendation letter from the Line Ministry. It can be a long-term or short-term visa, depending on the duration.

• Applicants pay government fees for religious visas around 20,000Rs/year.
• The Department of Immigration in Colombo approves the visa.
• After that, Sri Lanka Diplomatic Missions approved the visa application.

Study/Educational Visa

The study visa is for Indian students who want to seek their education in Sri Lanka. Students apply to Sri Lankan universities, colleges, and other educational institutes. The visa validity depends on the duration of the course/degree/diploma and it is a multi-entry visa. If it is a short course, then the short visa for 3-6 months will be applied. And if the course is longer than one year, then the long-term visa will be secured. 

NGO Or INGO Visa

NGO visa is for persons who are working for profit or non-profit mainly apply for an NGO Sri Lanka visa from India. But first, they have to apply for entry then they get the residence NGO visa. 

Diplomatic/Official Visa

The government officials before visiting Sri Lanka for diplomatic concerns apply for an arrival gratis visa. Progressively, the applicant gets 365 days of visa validity in which he/she can stay there for 60 days per visit and collectively 90 days in a year. 

Medical Visa

A medical visa is for patients who are suffering from severe and chronic diseases and apply for their medical treatment. Likewise, the duration of stay depends on the treatment procedure and time. Usually, the visa validity is one year, and the patient is allowed to enter the country thrice a year. But, for treatment purposes, he/she can visit more than this legally.

Digital Nomad Visa

This visa type was announced in 2021 and further launched in 2024 for Sri Lanka visas for Indians. It offers a complete one-year stay with a renewal option for the applicant.

Relationship Visa

A relationship visa is for the spouse, children, friends, and family members. There is a need for an invitation or sponsorship letter from a person with a relationship from Sri Lanka. It is for one year but can be extended to 3 years or 5 years. 

Visit Visa 

It is a short-term visa valid for 180 days but the candidate is allowed to stay in Sri Lanka for 60 days at once. The person is allowed to work, do some business, or meet his/her relatives.

Tourist Visa

A tourist visa is a short-term visa for tourists who have a passion for exploring different areas of Sri Lanka. The stay time is 30 days within 90 days. Notably, tourists can not do business, job, or work while staying there.

Transit Visa

While traveling to another country, there is a short stay known as the transit period visa. This visa is for those Indians who are moving to a 3rd country and have a short stay in Sri Lanka.

Step 2: Get The E-Visa Or Application From The Embassy

Through the ETA system, applicants can get the visa application form for a Sri Lanka visa from India.

• Click here to download the ETA application form in SLHC 
• Get a print.

1- High Commission Of Sri Lanka In India

Another name of the embassy	The Representative Office Ceylon to India
Address of the embassy	No: 27, Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri
City Name	New Delhi
Postal Code	110021
Telephone Numbers	0091 11 23010201 23010202, 23010203
Fax Number	0091 11 23793604
Email Address	slhc.newdelhi@mfa.gov.lk
Website Link	https://www.slhcindia.org/
Working hours	8.45 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Working days	Monday to Friday
Holidays	Saturday and Sunday

2- Deputy High Commission Of Sri Lanka In India

Address of the embassy	56, Sterling Road, Nungambakkam
City Name	Chennai
Postal Code	600 034
Telephone Numbers	0091 44 28241896 0091 44 28252612
Fax Number	0091 44 28241894  0091 44 2825424
Email Address	sldhc.chennai@mfa.gov.lk sldhc.chennai.01@gmail.com
Consular Division Email Address	sldhcconsularbranch@gmail.com
Website Link	www.sldhcchennai.org
Working hours	9.00a.m to 5.15p.m
Working days	Monday to Friday
Holidays	Saturday and Sunday

3- Consulate General Of Sri Lanka In India

Address of the embassy	Mulla House, 34, Homi Modi St, Opposite Central Bank Head Office, Kala Ghoda, Fort
City Name	Mumbai
Postal Code	400 001
Telephone Numbers	0091-22-22045861 0091-22-22048303
Fax Number	0091-22-22876132
Email Address	slcon@mtnl.net.in
Website Link	www.mumbai.mission.gov.lk
Working hours	9.00a.m to 4.45p.m
Working days	Monday to Friday
Holidays	Saturday and Sunday

Step 3: Deposit Visa Fee And Book A Visa Appointment 

After collecting all documents, the next step is submitting the visa fee and the deposit slip along with the other documents. The visa fee depends on the visa type, duration of stay, and per visit. 

Progressively, the candidate will open the official website www.eta.gov.lk, and pay the fee on the portal. The list of Sri Lanka visa from India is given below in the table:

Visa Types	Duration of stay	Visa Validity	Visa Fee (US$)
Resident Visa		One Year	200
Digital nomads		One Year	500
Standard Tourist Visa	60 days/visit	180 days	75
Ceylon Citizens			100.00
Visit Visa	Ninety days	One year	200
Visit Visa	180 days	Two years	300
Visit Visa	180 days	Five years	500
Visit Visa	180 days	Ten years	1000
Visit For SAARC			20-25
Standard Visit Visa	180 days/visit	Five years	100
Multiple Entry Tourist Visa	Ninety days/visit	One Year
Study Visa		One year	200.00
Transit Visa	2 days		0
Transit Visa	4 days		25

Step 4: Check The Documents And Attach To The Visa Application

The checklist of required documents is the following:

Application Form:

• A properly filled application form is required.
• It must be filled by the applicant.
• The candidate should sign the application.
• All the data must be correct and match the registered details.
• The letters will be capitalized and bold.

Valid Passport:

• A travel document or a passport is necessary.
• There must be two blank pages in the passport.
• One is for the departure stamp
• And another is for arrivals.
• The validity of the passport must be 3 months
• The expiry should be 10 years.
• Attach an old passport, if any.
• The details on it match the relevant information in civil records
• Name, citizenship, contact, and address must be correct.

Passport Photos:

• Applicants will submit 2 passport-size photos.
• Photos will be identical and have a high resolution of 300 to 600 dpi.
• The face will be centralized 
• The photo size will be 35 x 45 mm.
• The photos should not be older than 3 months 
• Pictures should be captured freshly.
• The background will be white.
• There should be no shadows.
• Pictures must be of high quality and resolution.

Residence Permit:

• If the candidate lives in India, then submit the Indian resident permit. 
• If he/she is applying from another country, attach both the resident permits.
• Papers include ownership of property, residence agreement in that country, and power of attorney.

Proof Of Accommodation:

• For the hotel booking for visa application; ​ Hotel name, address,  payment slip, and contact number 
• For the Personal residence: Home location, details, owner’s number, and the rental agreement.
• For the Hostel: Hostel name, address, rental slip, days of stay, contact number, and other information.
• Sponsored Place: Relationship with the sponsoring person, ownership papers showing name, address, and contact number.

Personal Identification:

• A copy of the ID card with personal details. 
• A birth certificate for children under 8 years.

Civil Status Papers:

• Papers mention civil status, such as married, single, widow, or divorced.
• Evidence from the police station (in some instances).

Proof Of Financial Statement:

• A bank statement is mandatory for visa application.
• The statement must be original and withdrawn from the bank.
• It should be from the last 3 to 6 months.
• Sufficient financial means of Rs. 20,000 per year are required.

Permit Of Traveling With Guardian:

• Children under 18 will submit their parents’ consent papers.
• If one parent is traveling with the child, get consent from the other parent.
• If traveling alone, then the permission and signatures of both parents on consent papers. 
• Documents are Parent’s guardianship papers, ID cards, divorce papers, and marriage certificates.

Round Trip Air Tickets:

• Get a flight reservation for visa for departure and arrival, also you can submit the dummy tickets if you want.
• It includes the flight reservation number, date of departure, arrival date, airport name, address, etc.

Travel Medical Insurance:

• Sri Lanka requires a travel/health insurance visa application of USD 75 per person.
• The money is for losing luggage, solving other hurdles while visiting, purchasing another ticket, medical emergency, quarantine, or dealing with chronic disease.
• It is not a refundable amount.

Invitation Letter:

• Family or friends: residence paper, passport, contact, and relationship proof.
• Business visa: approved business plan, an offer letter, sponsoring papers, establishment papers, or business partnership and entry ticket.
• For Government officials: approved letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, two-way tickets, official post in India, and diplomatic passport.
• For Job: NOC paper from the company, name,  job agreement between employer and employee hiring post, address, and contact details.
• For Event Management: letter from event organization, position, and duration of stay.

Cover letter/Purpose Of Travel:

A cover letter explaining the purpose of traveling from India. It includes the names of the places to visit, list of favorite locations, and visit with family members or friends. You can buy a well-crafted cover letter from travel experts at a minimal cost at coverletterforvisa.com.

Step 5: Submit Documents To The Embassy

After arranging all the papers and documents, submit them to the consulates or embassies in India. Before this, you need to cross-check the paper arrangement thoroughly and recheck the document list properly. Because, if there is any document missing, you may face visa rejection

Step 6: Wait For The Visa Response From The Embassy

The visa processing time can take days or months. Usually, it takes 15 official days to accept a Sri Lanka visa from India. But, for some reasons like late submission of documents, low diplomatic relationships between countries, or any other hurdle, the visa can take up to 6 months for approval. 

Once the visa is accepted the candidate will get the passport and be informed at his/her Email address.

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