Sri Lanka Will Soon Launch Its Own Digital Nomad Visa

Sri Lanka is a long-time favourite destination thanks to the tropical weather, beautiful beaches, and affordable cost of living.

Soon, remote workers will have the opportunity to relocate to a popular country with a Digital Nomad Visa.

Sri Lankan authorities recently approved the Digital Nomad Visa designed for remote workers and digital nomads who wish to live and work in Sri Lanka for an extended period. It was formally introduced in 2021. The visa is expected to boost Sri Lanka tourism.

The Digital Nomad Visa will allow foreigners to stay in Sri Lanka for up to 1 year whilst continuing their overseas employment remotely and can be renewed annually as long as you are still earning the minimum monthly amount.

To be eligible for the visa, you will need to have at least a $ 2,000 monthly income, which should be channeled through the Sri Lankan banking system.

The visa holder will also be eligible to renew it every year once they show the minimum bank balance required. The price of the visa varies depending on the applicant’s nationality.

Remote workers, freelancers, or business owners who have clients abroad are going to benefit the most from this visa.

Those who travel to Sri Lanka on a Digital Nomad visa will not be allowed to work in the country or engage in any economic activities of the country.

This move is expected to help the country diversify its revenue stream, including its vulnerability to external economic fluctuations, and contributing to long-term economic stability.

According to the figures from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the number of tourist arrivals in 2023 marked a significant increase, reaching its peak in July with a total of 143,039 arrivals.

Other Asian countries that offer Digital Nomad visas include Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

How To Relocate in Sri Lanka

As of now, the Sri Lankan government has not yet made the Digital Nomad Visa available to the public, and the specifics of the application process are still pending.

In the meantime, digital nomads can apply for a 30-day ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) to work as digital nomads in Sri Lanka for up to 30 days.

If you want to stay longer than 30 days, Sri Lanka offers different tourist visa extensions that digital nomads can access.

The types of visa extensions include:

30 – 90 day extension
90 – 180 day extension
180 – 270 day extension

To apply for an ETA, you need to follow the steps below.

Apply for the tourist ETA online – Make sure to correctly fill in all the required information boxes.
Pay the ETA fee – A Sri Lanka visa online (ETA) is $35 for a single or double-entry visa and $40 for a multiple-entry visa.
Wait for ETA confirmation – The application process takes less than five business days to be processed. The confirmation will be sent to you via email.

After getting your ETA, you can travel to Sri Lanka. This permit will be valid for 30 days from the date of entry. You can apply for extensions if you want to continue to stay in the country.

Citizens of the following countries need to apply at the Sri Lanka embassy.

These countries are Afghanistan, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Sierra, Leone, Sudan, Syria, and Uganda.

The application process of the ETA takes less than five business days.

Requirements for Sri Lanka ETA

To get the ETA online, you need the following:

A valid passport – Your passport needs to be valid for at least six months upon the intended entry date in Sri Lanka.
An email address – In this email, your Sri Lanka online visa will be sent.
A valid debit or credit card.

The documents you need to present at the Sri Lankan border:

Valid passport
Confirmed return ticket
Sufficient funds
Printed copy of the ETA confirmation

If you want more digital nomad guides, check out our blog post.

Are you ready to move to Sri Lanka? Talk to us in the comment section below. Or if you need more advice on the above, contact us for further travel & immigration advice.

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