Before you fly
- ETA on the government site · About US$50 typical
- Onward ticket
- Cash plan
South Asia
Sri Lanka
Strong value right now — west and south coasts improve after mid-year rains; trains and food stay cheap.
Online approval · 30 daysSri Lankan rupeeMid US$69Good time to go
Your trip
You are in
London
United Kingdom · LHR
11 hours non-stop
You land in
Sri Lanka
Colombo / Negombo · CMB
Needed
Entry Online approvalStay 30 daysVisa fee US$50
Cost
Mid day US$69Rate 1 GBP ≈ 437 LKR
Pay in LKR. A bank or airport desk usually keeps more of the rate. Compare it on FX
Visa fee US$50Checked Sep 2026
ETA is not a sticker. Print the approval. Third-party sites add fees — use the government URL.
Status
Online approval
Stay
30 days
Fee guide
US$50
Verify on IATA before you pay or fly. A stay or a fee on this card is only a note. If IATA and the government site disagree with it, follow those.
1 · Day 0
Apply on the official ETA site
ETA / eTA is not a sticker. Use the government URL we list — never a lookalike.
2 · Minutes to 72 hours
Decision
Most are fast. A small share go to manual review. Leave a buffer.
3 · Before you board
Match the ticket
Same passport number as the ETA. Name must match the ticket.
Confirm on the official site
Indicative only, last reviewed Sep 2026. Zay Future Ltd is not an immigration adviser. We do not scrape government systems or store passport numbers. Confirm fees and wait times on the official site before you pay anyone else.
Cost
What one day costs, and what the trip costs
| One day | Mid | Comfort | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | US$30 | US$75 | US$12 |
| Food | US$16 | US$38 | US$8 |
| Getting around | US$8 | US$16 | US$3 |
| Extras | US$6 | US$11 | US$2 |
| Day | US$69 | US$161 | US$29 |
Budget is a dorm or guesthouse. Mid and Comfort charge the whole room to one person. Two people split the bed only. Not included: the flight, the visa, insurance, the airport ride, a scooter, tours, or shopping.
Visa
US$50
eSIM
US$8
Airport ride
US$18
First meal
US$6
Cover
US$41
Arrival day, not counting the hotel
US$82
Hotel is not included. The ride is one car for every three people. Cards in Colombo hotels. Cash for trains, tuk-tuks and the south. ATMs after immigration beat the arrivals desk.
1
On US$483 of spending in the country, a normal bank card can cost about US$14 extra in fees. A travel card is usually cheaper. Open the money desk
1 person · 7 nights · Mid · cover
US$600
Getting there
11 hours non-stop
From London. A typical time, not a live timetable.
- SriLankan Airlines
- Emirates
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore Airlines
Airport
From the airport into the city
A guide, not a live map. Fares move. Check the app before you sit down.
Bandaranaike · CMB
45–90 min to Colombo · 20 min to Negombo
- Inside
- One international terminal. PickMe, Uber, and the official taxi counter are after customs. Grab does not run here.
- Into town
- Negombo is close. Colombo Fort is the longer ride. A hotel car is fine if you booked it.
- Typical cost
- Negombo is often about Rs 2,000–3,500. Colombo is often about Rs 4,000–8,000.
Mattala Rajapaksa · HRI
Rare leisure flights · south/east by road
- Inside
- A quiet airport. Do not expect a queue of app cars.
- Into town
- Book the car before you land. The south coast is a drive.
- Typical cost
- Agree the fare before you sit down.
Find a lounge
- Business class or airline status: follow that airline’s lounge signs.
- A card lounge: open Priority Pass, LoungeKey, or DragonPass and search the airport code.
- Pay at the door: the price is on the desk, not on this page.
When to leave
This does not see your ticket. It only writes a reminder on your phone.
Install buttons open the official app. Grab’s public referral pays drivers who recruit drivers. It does not pay this site when a traveller installs the ride app. A button will say “referral” only after a deal is signed.
Road
Left-hand traffic
Licence
United Kingdom licence: Home licence plus an IDP for a short visit. A scooter still needs a bike class.
Getting around
Tuk-tuk or PickMe in towns. The hill train is slow and worth it. A driver for long days.
Weather
South-west wet May–Sep. North-east wet Oct–Jan. Hot. No snow.
West/south improving into Q4
- Languages
Sinhala · Tamil · English in tourist areas
- Plug230V
- Emergency
119 police · 110 ambulance
- Airports
CMB · HRI
- Kit
Card, cover, and FX
Before you fly
What to buy before the trip
Adapter, eSIM, and the small things that are harder to find on arrival.
Open the shopWhat people eat
Rice and curry
Local shopAbout Rs 800
Kottu
RoadsideAbout Rs 900
Hoppers
Hopper shopAbout Rs 150 each
A typical price, not a menu.
Pay in the local currency
- Ask to pay in Sri Lankan rupee, not your home currency.
- If the card machine offers to convert the amount, press no.
- Compare a transfer before you send cash home.
Buying or leasing
LimitedLimited means it is possible only in some places, or only with approval.
Foreigners generally cannot buy land. A condo above the fourth floor is the usual purchase. Land is a lease.
Oct 2026. Not legal advice.
1 · Before you fly
ETA on the government site
About US$50 typical
2 · When you land
ETA check
3 · While you are there
Trains
4 · When you leave
CMB buffer
The steps
Before you fly, when you land, while you are there, when you leave
When you land
- ETA check
- SIM / eSIM · US$8–12 for a week
- Ride out of CMB · CMB → Colombo often US$15–25
While you are there
- Trains
- South coast
- Temples
When you leave
- CMB buffer
- Keep the ETA print
Where to do what
ETA / immigration
Have the PDF. Officers can look it up if the phone is dead.
SIM desks
After baggage. Dialog is the usual tourist pick.
Pickup bay
Follow hotel-car / PickMe signs. Do not follow an unsigned driver into the car park.
ATM
Bank machines after immigration. Decline DCC if a terminal appears.
To book
eSIM, hotel, and a car
This looks wrong