What you need to enter Sri Lanka with a Syrian passport
Syrian citizens need an electronic visa for Sri Lanka, applied for online before the trip.
- Minimum passport validity
- 6 months
Why is this passport validity required? →
Last verified: 17 September 2026
Verified practical details
The visa is applied for before your trip, and the procedure is ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization). Here are the verified details:
Authorisation system
ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization)
Every foreign national needs an ETA before arriving in Sri Lanka, including nationals of the 40 countries with a free ETA and those of countries with reciprocal agreements (Maldives, Seychelles and Singapore). The tourist ETA gives 30 days of stay with double entry within that validity period, counted from first arrival in the country. Anyone wanting to stay longer than 30 days can apply for an extension by paying the fee applicable to their nationality, once already in Sri Lanka.
Apply on the official site →Visa, e-Visa, or electronic authorisation? What's the difference →
Required documents
- A passport valid for at least six months with at least two blank pages. A passport reported lost or stolen leads to refusal of entry.
- An approved ETA before travelling: it is compulsory even for the nationalities that get it free of charge.
Health insurance
Not mandatory for this destination.
When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓Transit rules
The tourist ETA gives 30 days of stay with double entry within its validity: you can leave the country and come back once without applying for a new authorisation, always within those 30 days counted from first arrival. To stay longer you must apply for the extension online, through the Department of Immigration and Emigration's e-service, once already in the country, and pay the visa fee corresponding to your nationality. Transit of up to two days has its own visa, free for any nationality.
More Sri Lanka rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the Sri Lanka page:
Official portal: https://www.immigration.gov.lk/. Destination data verified on 17 September 2026. Sources: immigration.gov.lk (Sri Lanka's Department of Immigration and Emigration: "Special Notice to the Short Term Visitors to Sri Lanka": free tourist ETA since 25 May 2026 for nationals of 40 countries, Spain included; the ETA being compulsory for all foreign nationals; 30 days with double entry; extension on payment); eta.gov.lk (official ETA portal; full fee table by nationality and type: US$50 general tourist, US$20 SAARC, US$60 on arrival, free two-day transit, free for children under 12); customs.gov.lk (Sri Lanka Customs; "Travellers" and FAQ: baggage exemptions for tourists, two bottles of wine and 1.5 litres of spirits, no tobacco allowance, duty to declare currency, gold and gems to the Arrival No. 1 Officer); Immigrants and Emigrants Act (Cap. 351), Section 23, and the overstay fine order approved by Parliament and gazetted in June 2023 (US$250 for 7 to 14 days, US$500 above 14 days, no penalty if you leave within the first 7), confirmed via parliament.lk; exteriores.gob.es (Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel advice for Sri Lanka: free ETA, passport validity and blank pages, import and export bans, yellow fever by country of origin, penalties for staying with an expired visa, security warnings); whc.unesco.org (World Heritage List) (checked 17 September 2026).
Travel insurance for Sri Lanka
It isn't listed as mandatory for this entry, but without insurance, medical care during the trip can get expensive.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
If your country isn't listed, try IATI's international site.
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Things to see and do in Sri Lanka
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of Sri Lanka need an electronic visa to enter Syria. See the Sri Lanka → Syria page.
All 18 passports from Western Asia that VisaRadar tracks need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival to enter Sri Lanka. Same result as Syria: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia and Iraq.
With a passport from Syria, in the rest of Southern Asia you can enter Iran visa-free; you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Bhutan, Maldives and Pakistan; you need a visa for Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
A passport from Syria ranks 198 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 26 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do Syrian citizens need a visa for Sri Lanka?
Yes, but it's processed online before you travel (e-visa), no consulate visit required.
What minimum passport validity is required?
A passport valid for at least six months with at least two blank pages. A passport reported lost or stolen leads to refusal of entry.
What currency is used in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR).
What do Syrian passport holders need for the countries near Sri Lanka?
With a passport from Syria, in the rest of Southern Asia you can enter Iran visa-free; you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Bhutan, Maldives and Pakistan; you need a visa for Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
Related pages
See Sri Lanka requirements for other passports →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.