A Residence Visa is a permit for a non-Sri Lankan to obtain residence facilities for special purposes. It is issued to persons of non-Sri Lankan nationality to whom it has been decided to extend residence facilities for the purpose of investment or otherwise, in circumstances where the prescribed authority is satisfied that their stay in Sri Lanka and the pursuit of their vocations are not prejudicial to the best interests of the population.

In order to obtain a Residence Visa, it is necessary to arrive in Sri Lanka on an Entry Visa issued by a Sri Lankan Mission abroad with the concurrence of the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration. The fact that you wish to apply for Sri Lankan Residence Visa has to be mentioned when obtaining the entry visa and necessary supporting documents has to be submitted.

Visit Visas will not be considered for conversion into Residence Visa.

You can get Multiple Entry Facility for Business Visas valid for three months from Sri Lankan Missions abroad. You can get Multiple Entry Facility for Business Visas valid for one year from the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, his Controllers, Deputies and Assistants.

• You can get a one month Business Visa by a Sri Lankan Mission abroad.
• You can get a 30 days Business Visa from an Immigration official at the port of entry with prior permission of the Controller General of Immigration & Emigration.
• You can get a maximum period of six months Business Visa from the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, his Controllers, Deputies or Assistants.

• Your passport
• Copy of the personal data page of your passport
• Four (04) photographs 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm
• Documentary proof of purpose of multiple entry visit
• Evidence of your financial standing
• A written assurance to return to the country of domicile or a visa to the next country of destination

You must hold a return air ticket and sufficient funds [currency / travellers’ cheques / credit card] for your maintenance whilst in Sri Lanka. If you are from a country not listed in Schedule 'A' you should obtain your Visit visas prior to landing in Sri Lanka, whatever the purpose of your visit is.

Visit visas issued to foreign nationals who visit Sri Lanka for reasons other than tourism such as business promotion, business discussion, business meeting, project inspection, inspection of quality of goods, seeking investment opportunities, inspecting investment, machinery installation, machine repairs, training or conference etc. for a short period of time is classified as a Business Visit visa.

In certain circumstances this visa may be issued for single, double or multiple journeys. A double journey visit visa entitles the holder to enter Sri Lanka twice within the overall period of stay authorized by the visa. A multiple entry business visa permits the holder to enter Sri Lanka any number of times within the time period stipulated in the visa.

Your intended stay in Sri Lanka should end at least two months before the expiry date of your travel document.

Every bona-fide tourist who enters Sri Lanka within the period of the landing permit granted by the Immigration officials at the port of entry can apply for a visa extension before the expiry of the visa. Two (02) months extension beyond 30 days shall be granted at the Department of Immigration Emigration (Head Office) if required. However further extension shall only be considered with valid reasons. This restriction will not be applicable to Ex-Sri Lankans.

• Any bona-fide tourist who is a national of a country listed in Schedule 'A' shall be granted a visa for 30 days at the port of entry by the Immigration officials.
• Any bona-fide tourist shall be granted a visa for 3 months by the Sri Lankan Mission abroad.
• Any bona-fide tourist shall be granted a visa for a maximum period of one year by the Controller General of Immigration & Emigration, his Controllers, Deputies and Assistants.

• Your passport
• Copy of the personal data page of your passport
• Two (02) photographs 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm
• Evidence of your financial standing
• A written assurance to return to the country of domicile or a visa to the next country of destination

Any foreign national who desires to enter Sri Lanka, who holds a return air ticket and sufficient funds [currency / travellers cheques / credit card] for maintenance is eligible. Nationals of countries not listed in Schedule 'A' should obtain prior Visit visas whatever the purpose of visit is. They can obtain prior visas/landing endorsements from the Sri Lankan Mission abroad or from the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration by requesting a local sponsor to apply on their behalf.

A Visit Visa issued to a foreign national who visits Sri Lanka as a bona-fide tourist is classified as a Tourist Visa. A tourist is a foreign national who wants to enter Sri Lanka for sightseeing, excursions, relaxation, visit relatives or yoga training for short periods not exceeding 6 months, with a maximum of two such visits in any one year.

A Tourist Visa is normally validated only for a single journey. This Visa will cease to be valid immediately upon departure from Sri Lanka, irrespective of whether the full period of stay authorized on the visa has been utilized or not.

A Visit Visa is an entry permit signifying the consent of the Sri Lankan Government for the admission of a foreign national to the country. The Visa contains details of the period of time and the condition/s of the stay.

There are two sub-categories which come under visit visas:

1. Tourist Visit Visa
2. Business Visit Visa

1. You should not engage in any form of employment, paid or unpaid, or in any trade or business other than that specified in the visa during the period of your stay in Sri Lanka.
2. Your visa must be utilized before the date of expiry noted on the visa.
3. Validity of your visa is subject to entry into Sri Lanka during the indicated entry period.
4. Applications for the extension of all visas should be made to the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

Sri Lanka Immigration and Emigration may grant or issue a visa to you if:

1. Sri Lanka Immigration & Emigration is satisfied that you are suitable to enter Sri Lanka.
2. Sri Lanka Immigration & Emigration approves the purpose for which you are entering Sri Lanka.
3. You hold a passport valid for a minimum period of six months from the date you arrive in Sri Lanka.
4. Sri Lanka Immigration & Emigration is satisfied that you have adequate funds for your maintenance whilst in Sri Lanka and for the payment of your return passage to the country which issued your passport.
5. You are in possession of a written assurance (ticket) to return to the country of domicile or a visa to the next country of destination if you are a visit visa holder.

• Sri Lankan dual citizens
• Children whose birth has been registered under section 5(2) of Citizenship Act - 1948 upto 21 years of age
• Children born in Sri Lanka if they are under 18 years of age. (even when they hold foreign passports)

There are four kinds of visas which permit a person to enter and/or stay in Sri Lanka.

1. Visit Visa
   • Tourist Visit Visa
   • Business Visit Visa
2. Residence Visa
   • Employment Category Residence Visa
   • Investor Category Residence Visa
   • Religious Category Residence Visa
   • Student Category Residence Visa
   • Registered Indians covered by the 1954 Indo-Lanka Agreement
   • Ex-Sri Lankans and their dependants
   • Family Members of a Sri Lankan
   • Diplomatic and Official Visa
   • My Dream Home Visa Programme
   • Resident Guest Visa Programme
3. Transit Visa
4. Gratis Visa

A Sri Lankan visa is an endorsement on a passport or a similar document to facilitate the legal entry of non Sri Lankans into the country and to regulate the period of their stay and the conditions governing such stay.

Any foreign national who is en-route to another country via Sri Lanka is the only eligible applicant for transit visas.

A Transit Visa is not required by a passenger who enters Sri Lanka in the course of an unbroken journey, and the journey is to be continued by the same vessel or carrier.

A Transit Visa will also not be required from any person or group when an airline provides a list of such transit passengers and undertakes to carry them on their next available flights. In such instances, the passports of the transit passengers will be retained by the Senior Authorized Officer at the Arrival Lounge and transferred to the Senior Authorized Officer at the Departure Lounge to be handed over to the passengers when they leave. This facility is not offered as a matter of routine but should be specifically applied for by the airlines and granted by the Controller General of Immigration & Emigration.

This procedure is only applicable to passengers who require a prior visa for entry into Sri Lanka. Passengers who do not need a prior visa for entry will be allowed entry to then join their connecting flights.

A Transit Visa, as its name implies, is an entry permit granted to a foreign national for admission into Sri Lanka for a brief period which is incidental and in the course of his journey to another destination.

Nationals of countries listed in Schedule 'A' are given endorsements at the port of entry in Sri Lanka. Others should obtain Transit Visas from Sri Lankan Missions abroad.