Quick summary
Australian and New Zealand passport holders now enter Sri Lanka without paying the previous US$50 Electronic Travel Authorization fee, saving a family of four US$200 per trip. The policy, active since January 2026, covers 30-day tourist stays with double entry and applies to all 40 newly eligible nationalities.
The ETA application process itself still exists—you submit it online for free rather than skipping it entirely. Passport validity, proof of funds, and three edge cases can still derail entry.
Sri Lanka eliminated its US$50 visa fee for Australian and New Zealand travelers in January 2026, making it one of 40 countries now granted fee-free entry for stays up to 30 days. The saving is modest per person but meaningful for families—a couple saves US$100, a family of four saves US$200—and the real shift is psychological: one fewer bureaucratic barrier between deciding on a trip and booking it.
The critical distinction most travel sites get wrong: this is not true visa-free entry. You still need to submit an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) application online before departure. The difference is the fee line now reads zero. For Australian and New Zealand ordinary passport holders planning trips from February 2026 onward, the process is live, confirmed, and functioning on Sri Lanka’s official portal.
Air Traveler Club’s entry requirement tracker monitoring 60+ Asia-Pacific destinations flagged this policy change when it cleared parliamentary approval in December 2025, verifying implementation through the live ETA portal in January 2026.
What changed and what stayed the same
Before January 2026, every Australian and New Zealand tourist needed to pay US$50 per person for an ETA through Sri Lanka’s online system. That fee is now waived for 40 countries, expanding a scheme previously limited to seven nationalities including China and India.
What hasn’t changed: the application itself. You still visit Sri Lanka’s official ETA portal, fill in passport details, upload a photo, and wait for approval. Processing takes 24–72 hours. You still need the approval confirmation at check-in and immigration. The difference is purely financial—the fee field shows US$0 instead of US$50.
Standard entry conditions remain identical. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from your arrival date. You need a return or onward ticket. Immigration officers can request proof of sufficient funds and accommodation bookings. None of these requirements changed with the fee waiver.
Why the two-year delay?
Sri Lanka first announced expanded visa-free access in August 2024, then pushed it to July 2025, before cyclone recovery and parliamentary scheduling delayed implementation to January 2026. The Tourism Promotion Bureau confirmed the final timeline in December 2025, with the gazette published before year-end.
The 30-day framework and double entry option
The free ETA grants a 30-day stay from your first arrival date. Within that 30-day window, you can exit and re-enter Sri Lanka once—a double entry provision useful for travelers combining Sri Lanka with a quick side trip to the Maldives or southern India.
If 30 days isn’t enough, extensions are available at the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo. The extension fee runs approximately US$20–50 for an additional 30 days, capping total stay at 60 days without a full visa application. Apply before your initial 30 days expire to avoid overstay penalties.
For Australians weighing Sri Lanka against other fee-free Asian destinations, the savings comparison matters. Bali requires no visa or application for stays under 30 days—genuinely visa-free with zero process. Sri Lanka’s system is closer to Australia’s own Electronic Travel Authority model: free but not friction-free. Budget the 24–72 hour processing window into your planning, especially for spontaneous last-minute departures where timing is tight.
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Booking flights while the policy is fresh
Direct flights from Melbourne to Colombo run approximately AU$1,200 return in economy during Q1 2026, with one-stop options via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Bangkok dropping to AU$800–950. The US$50 per-person ETA saving won’t transform your travel budget, but it compounds with other strategies.
Travelers departing from Melbourne, Brisbane, or Perth rather than Sydney typically find AU$200–500 lower fares to South Asian destinations due to lower airport charges and different carrier competition. Combine the ETA saving with a positioning flight from a cheaper gateway, and a family of four could save AU$1,000+ on the total trip cost.
Sri Lanka’s shoulder season (February–April on the west coast, September–November on the east coast) offers both lower airfares and better hotel rates. The 30-day ETA window covers most holiday itineraries comfortably, with popular circuits like Colombo–Kandy–Ella–Galle running 10–14 days.
Three scenarios where the free ETA doesn’t apply
The fee waiver covers ordinary passports for tourism only. Three situations fall outside the scheme:
- Business travel or employment. The free tourist ETA does not cover work, volunteering, or business meetings beyond casual tourism. These require a separate visa application through Sri Lanka’s embassy or high commission, with different fees and processing times.
- Diplomatic or official passports. Holders of non-ordinary passports may face different rules. Check with the Sri Lankan mission in Canberra or Wellington before assuming the tourist ETA applies.
- Dual citizens using a non-eligible passport. If you hold both Australian and Sri Lankan citizenship, or travel on a passport from a country not among the 40 eligible nations, your entry conditions depend on which passport you present. Use your Australian or New Zealand ordinary passport to qualify for the fee waiver.
Apply early, even though it’s free
The zero-fee ETA creates a temptation to leave the application until the last minute. Don’t. Processing takes 24–72 hours, and airlines check ETA status at check-in. Apply at least 7 days before departure to allow for any system delays or correction requests.
DFAT’s current travel advisory for Sri Lanka rates the country at “exercise normal safety precautions”—the lowest advisory level—with roads to Kandy and Nuwara Eliya fully reopened after 2025 cyclone repairs. No elevated risks for tourists as of February 2026.
Questions? Answers.
Do I still need to apply for an ETA even though it’s free?
Yes. Submit the free tourist ETA at eta.gov.lk before departure. Processing takes 24–72 hours. Carry the approval confirmation digitally or printed—airlines check it at check-in and immigration verifies it on arrival.
Can I extend my 30-day stay under the free ETA?
Yes. Visit the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo before your 30 days expire. Extensions cost approximately US$20–50 for an additional 30 days, bringing maximum stay to 60 days. Apply in person with your passport and return ticket.
What happens if my passport has less than six months validity?
Your ETA application will likely be denied, and airlines may refuse boarding. Sri Lanka requires passport validity of at least six months from your entry date. Renew your passport before applying for the ETA.
Does the fee waiver apply to New Zealand citizens specifically?
Yes. New Zealand is explicitly listed among the 40 eligible countries. The same conditions apply: free ETA, 30-day stay, ordinary passport, tourism purpose only. NZ citizens qualify independently regardless of any Trans-Tasman arrangements with Australia.
Can I use the double entry to visit the Maldives mid-trip?
Yes. The free ETA includes double entry within the 30-day window. Fly Colombo to Malé, spend a few days, and re-enter Sri Lanka on the same ETA. Your 30-day clock keeps running from your first Sri Lanka arrival—it does not reset on re-entry.
Is Sri Lanka safe for Australian and New Zealand tourists right now?
DFAT rates Sri Lanka at “exercise normal safety precautions” as of February 2026—the lowest advisory level. Infrastructure damaged by 2025 cyclones has been repaired, with major tourist routes fully operational. New Zealand’s Safetravel advisory mirrors this assessment.
