Italian passport holders
Embassy of Italy in Colombo
- Address
- 55 Jawatta Road, Colombo 5
- Phone
- +94 11 2588388
Outside office hours an emergency duty officer can be reached on +94 777 488 688.
Guide
Entering Sri Lanka: ETA and passport
What Italian travellers need before flying: the free ETA, a valid passport and a few rules to know on arrival.
This guide is written for travellers from Italy. Other nationalities have different rules, so check the official ETA portal for yours.
Rules change, so confirm them before you fly. Each fact below shows its source and the date we last checked it.
The ETA
Every foreign visitor needs an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before arriving in Sri Lanka. You apply for it online.
Italian nationals can get a tourist ETA free of charge, valid for 30 days with double entry from the date of first arrival. Every visitor still has to apply for the ETA online before travelling. Staying longer needs an extension, which carries a fee.
Official source: Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka (opens in a new tab). Checked on October 11, 2026.
Your passport
Check your passport before you book anything.
Italian travellers need a passport valid for at least six months after arrival, with at least two consecutive blank pages for the visa and stamps. The ETA must be requested online before arriving. A formal approval message does not always arrive, and the status of an application can be checked on the ETA portal.
Reported by: Viaggiare Sicuri, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (opens in a new tab). Checked on October 11, 2026.
Health certificate
Most travellers from Italy do not need a vaccination certificate to enter, but one rule applies to anyone who has passed through a country at risk.
Yellow fever vaccination is required only for travellers over one year old who arrive from a country where yellow fever is a transmission risk. No vaccination is otherwise compulsory, but ask your doctor or vaccination centre what is advised for your trip.
Official source: Viaggiare Sicuri, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (opens in a new tab). Checked on October 11, 2026.
Rules to know on arrival
Dress modestly at sacred places and follow the rules posted at each site.
Tattoos showing the Buddha are considered offensive in Sri Lanka, and foreign visitors with them have been expelled from the country. Using a drone needs authorisation from the Civil Aviation Authority. Drug laws are very strict.
Official source: Viaggiare Sicuri, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (opens in a new tab). Checked on October 11, 2026.
Support from your own country
Before any trip abroad, read your government's travel advice and keep your embassy's details with you. Sri Lanka's own emergency numbers are listed under Before you go.
Sri Lanka Tourism publishes a list of foreign embassies in Colombo. Some details on it may be out of date, so check your own embassy's website for its current address, phone number and out-of-hours contact. Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (opens in a new tab)
Sample journeys to explore
Illustrative imageSample journey
Island Highlights. View journey
A first introduction to Sri Lanka: ancient sites, hill country and the south coast in one flowing route.
- Sigiriya
- Kandy
- Hill country
- South coast
- Often 10 to 14 days, always adjustable
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