Sri Lanka made its tourist ETA free for forty nationalities from 25 May 2026, and Nepal is on that list. You still have to apply for the authorisation before you travel — free does not mean automatic — but there is no fee and it comes with double entry.
At a glance
Visa needed: Yes — Electronic Travel Authorisation, but free of charge
Length of stay: 30 days
Entries: Double entry
Cost: Free for Nepali passport holders since 25 May 2026
Where to apply: eta.gov.lk (Department of Immigration and Emigration)
Fees
The tourist ETA is free for Nepali passport holders. If a site is charging you for a Sri Lanka ETA, you are paying an agent, not the government. Apply on eta.gov.lk directly.
Visa types
Tourist ETA — 30 days, double entry. Holidays, sightseeing, visiting family and friends. Free for Nepali citizens.
Business ETA — 30 days. Meetings and conferences. A fee applies to this category.
Transit ETA — Up to 2 days. Free, for passing through with an onward ticket.
Visa extension — Up to 6 months total. Applied for at the Department of Immigration in Colombo. The free-ETA concession does not extend to this — the normal extension fees apply.
Documents required
Passport valid at least 6 months from arrival
Confirmed return or onward ticket
Accommodation details in Sri Lanka
Proof of sufficient funds for the stay
The approved ETA, printed or saved offline
Before you apply
Apply on the official site
Search results are full of look-alike ETA sites that charge a fee for a free authorisation. The official domain is eta.gov.lk.
About Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is the most underrated trip a Nepali traveller can take. It is a three-and-a-half hour direct flight from Kathmandu, the ETA is free for Nepali passport holders since May 2026, and the island packs beaches, hill country, ancient cities and genuinely world-class wildlife into an area you can cross in a day. For Buddhist travellers there is the added pull of the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy and the Sri Maha Bodhi at Anuradhapura.
Highlights
Climb Sigiriya rock fortress at first light, before the heat and the crowds
Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy during evening puja
Ride the Kandy to Ella train through tea country — one of the great rail journeys
Walk the Nine Arch Bridge and hike Little Adam's Peak at Ella
Leopard and elephant safari in Yala or Udawalawe national park
Explore the Dutch-built ramparts of Galle Fort at sunset
See the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa
Whale watching off Mirissa between November and April
Tour a working tea estate and factory in Nuwara Eliya
Pilgrimage climb up Adam's Peak in season, from December to May
Packages from Kathmandu
Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle — 6D/5N, NPR 75,000
Kandy, Ella & Beaches — 8D/7N, NPR 95,000
Sri Lanka Buddhist Pilgrimage — 5D/4N, NPR 65,000
Travelling with family
The Kandy to Ella train is long — book reserved seats, and bring snacks
Safari jeeps start before dawn; younger children often do better on an afternoon drive
Sigiriya is a steep, exposed climb — Pidurangala opposite is shorter with a better view of the rock
Roads are winding and journeys take longer than the map suggests; plan fewer stops
Remove shoes and hats and cover shoulders at temples — this is enforced, not optional
Never pose with your back to a Buddha statue; it causes genuine offence
Dengue is present — mosquito repellent matters more than it does at home
Tap water is not safe to drink; bottled water is cheap and everywhere