Sri Lanka - ETA application

[trooper]

I applied for the Sri Lankan Transit ETA at about 2 pm.......

..was just checking my e-mails and thought.. "Hmmm.. another e-mail telling me they've received the application.... strange..."

No... it was the APPROVAL! :shock:

2 day visa on arrival can now be granted... Total cost... $0.00

For some reason I thought it might be more complex than the US ESTA... seems not!

 

[RB]

I understood there was a cost & online was cheaper than on arrival. I thought this was the current situation Online Visa Application
We visited in Feb 2012. We had booked in 2011 so we got in under the old system. When we arrived the lines for approval on arrival at the airport were short & looked to be served quickly-would have to look up if things have changed

 

[bobe]

Do I need a ETA if i am in transit ,I have a 11 hr layover?? in columbo

 

[ermen]

Just to share my experience.

So I did the CX SIN - CMB - SIN turnaround. Due to fairly long queues at the airside transfer counter, I decided to go landside to do check in (bad mistake! Queues are as long outside too!).

I too applied for a 2 day ETA transit visa for $0. Guy at immigration asked what I was doing and I was truthful and said i was here on transit to do a tur around (because thats what i thought it was). He asked about my arrival and departure flights became more stern and said clearly that is not a transit and you are coming to CMB for a purpose and NOT for transit. He said a turnaround is not a transit and to not play a fool with immigration in future. If i wanted to do that, i should have bought a visa. Thankfully he let me after writing something in my file.

So my advice is: apply for a free transit visa and do your best to stay airside. Or pay whatever to get the 30 day visa. I think i only got into trouble because i was doing a turnaround. If it was bkk - cmb - sin would be ok as that definitely is a transit!

ymmv

 

[trooper]

I was quite prepared to apply (and pay for) a normal visitors visa... until it became apparent one can visit for 2 days on the transit visa.. and we are only in country for about 46 hours...

In our case it is SIN-CMB-BOM so no question on the transit.....

 

[serfty]

interesting, I did not know a visa was required for Sri Lanka.

 

[trooper]

Sorry... shouldn't have used the "V word"! It is an ETA rather than a visa.....

Came in I think in 2012???

 

[ajw373]

Do I need a ETA if i am in transit ,I have a 11 hr layover?? in columbo

Are you staying in the airport or going to the hotel nearby? If staying then no you don't need a visa or era. In fact arrivals and departures mix in Colombo so if u have your next boating pass your right to go

Must admit couldn't think of anything worse than an 11 hour layover in Colombo. Even the 90 minute checking and wait pushes my limits somewhat.

 

[SQ421]

Just to share my experience.

So I did the CX SIN - CMB - SIN turnaround. Due to fairly long queues at the airside transfer counter, I decided to go landside to do check in (bad mistake! Queues are as long outside too!).

I too applied for a 2 day ETA transit visa for $0. Guy at immigration asked what I was doing and I was truthful and said i was here on transit to do a tur around (because thats what i thought it was). He asked about my arrival and departure flights became more stern and said clearly that is not a transit and you are coming to CMB for a purpose and NOT for transit. He said a turnaround is not a transit and to not play a fool with immigration in future. If i wanted to do that, i should have bought a visa. Thankfully he let me after writing something in my file.

So my advice is: apply for a free transit visa and do your best to stay airside. Or pay whatever to get the 30 day visa. I think i only got into trouble because i was doing a turnaround. If it was bkk - cmb - sin would be ok as that definitely is a transit!

ymmv

I did a BOM-CMB(9W) connecting to CMB-SIN(CX) "transit" earlier this year and remained airside once the service desk indicated that they'd be able to check me in once the CX flight opened.

The next day, I was doing a BKK-CMB-BKK turnaround on CX and managed to get the boarding passes issued for the CMB-BKK and onwards sectors in HKG itself; thus being able to head straight to the lounge and back onboard the aircraft.

I did have the two day transit visa, just in case.

 

[SQ421]

I did have the two day transit visa, just in case.

And it'd seem since the visa was never "used"; its still "alive" in their system.

Doing another CMB turnaround tomorrow, tried to apply for a Transit ETA and upon entering the passport number, I was told I could not use that passport as I already had a visa.