Traveller’s guide: Sri Lanka

This guide is for reference only; the information may change — check the latest details before your trip. The official version is in Russian; in the event of discrepancies in translation, the Russian text takes precedence.

Warning! Please check separately the rules for entering and leaving Sri Lanka for citizens of other states.

Documents required for entry

1. Tourist visa

Attention! From 1 October 2024 and until further notice, citizens of Russia and the CIS (except Uzbekistan) may obtain a visa on arrival at Colombo airport for a period of 30 days. For Russian citizens the visa on arrival is free; for citizens of other countries the cost is approximately 50 USD. We recommend checking the current cost of the visa for the date of your planned trip.

Russian citizens can also obtain an electronic visa (E-Visa) before their arrival in the country on the website. The E-Visa for Russian citizens is issued without a visa fee, until further notice from the Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration. We recommend checking the current cost of the E-Visa for the date of your planned trip.

2. Immigration card

You can ask the flight attendant for an immigration card form on the plane, or fill it in on arrival at Colombo airport.

The immigration card, filled in in English, is presented on arrival at passport control together with the passport and the visa/copy of the ETA confirmation.

3. International passport

The passport must be valid for at least 6 months on the date of entry and at least 2 months at the time of departure.

Citizens under 18 travelling with at least one parent must have a birth certificate with them.

Citizens under 18 travelling without the accompaniment of parents or guardians must have a notarised permission to travel with an accompanying person over 18. The consent of one parent is sufficient, provided the other parent has not filed a statement of disagreement with their children travelling abroad.

4. Vaccination

Citizens of the following countries must present a yellow fever vaccination certificate in accordance with the international health regulations on arrival in Sri Lanka:

Angola, Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cameroon, Colombia, Liberia, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Panama, Peru, Central African Republic, Chad, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Venezuela, Zaire.

5. A printed return ticket with a fixed departure date

6. Currency

We recommend carrying a sufficient amount of cash in currency, so that you can pay for goods and services in case of difficulties with a bank card.

Attention! Since 02.03.2022 the export from the Russian Federation of cash foreign currency exceeding the equivalent of 10,000 USD is temporarily prohibited.

Airline rules

Individual airlines may set their own requirements for passengers travelling to Sri Lanka; we recommend keeping track of the current rules on the airlines’ official websites.

General information

Sri Lanka is a small island state shaped like a teardrop, located in the Indian Ocean 48 km south of India. Sri Lanka is separated from the southern coast of India by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.

The total area of Sri Lanka is 65,610 km², of which 99% is the teardrop-shaped island and 1% is several smaller coastal islets.

The country’s main territory consists of low, flat or hilly plains. In the south and centre there is a stepped highland with the country’s highest peak — Pidurutalagala (2,524 m). The main river is the Mahaweli Ganga.

The state is divided into 9 provinces, which in turn comprise 25 districts. The official capital is the city of Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, but the role of cultural and economic centre is played by Colombo, located next to it.

The total population is about 22.5 million people. The main part (75%) are Sinhalese; besides them the country is home to Tamils (11%), the Sri Lankan Moors who are descendants of Arabs (9%), Burghers and Veddas (the latter being descendants of the island’s indigenous inhabitants).

Official language

The national languages are Sinhala and Tamil; English is widely spoken throughout the country.

Time

The difference from Moscow time is +2.5 hours.

Sri Lanka does not switch between summer and winter time.

Currency

The official monetary unit is the Sri Lankan rupee (Rs or LKR), with 100 cents to 1 rupee. It is best to exchange currency at Colombo airport. It makes sense to keep the receipt you are given until the end of the trip. This will allow you, on the return flight, to convert any unspent local money back at the airport bank at the buying rate.

You can exchange currency in almost any hotel and bank. Banks are open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 15:00.

For exchange it is recommended to bring US dollars: they are accepted at all branches, and in tourist areas you can pay with them directly in hotels and all kinds of retail outlets.

In large hotels and shops you can pay by credit card. Cashless payment outside the resort zones and large cities is almost impossible.

Customs rules

Import is prohibited: drugs, poisons, weapons, antiques, explosives, atheistic and pornographic materials, plants and their fruits, poultry meat. Narcotic medicines only with a prescription.

Export is prohibited: ivory crafts, more than 2 kg of tea per person, unprocessed stones (both semi-precious and precious), as well as anything of artistic and historical value (without special permission).

Electricity

The mains voltage is 210–240 V, the frequency 50 Hz.

The sockets are three-pin with earthing. You need an adapter/plug converter if your appliances’ plugs are of a different type, or you can buy the right adapter at the nearest supermarket.

Public holidays

  • 14 January — the Tamil harvest festival
  • 13–15 January — Thai Pongal, the festival of the harvest and the sun god
  • 4 February — Independence Day from the British
  • 14 April — the Tamil and Sinhalese New Year
  • 1 May — Labour Day
  • 22 May — Republic Day
  • 25 December — Christmas

The most important holidays in Sri Lanka are religious in nature and tied to the lunar calendar. At every full moon there are meditations and other practices with the common name “poya”.

Holidays with a movable date (tied to the lunar cycle):

  • the first full moon of January — Duruthu Perahera, the day the Buddha first visited the island
  • the first full moon of May — Vesak Poya in honour of the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha
  • the first full moon of summer — Poson Poya, the festival of the adoption of Buddhism on the island

Important information

When visiting Buddhist temples it is important to observe the generally accepted rules. Clothing must be modest (vests and shorts are not allowed); on entering you must remove your hat and take off your shoes. Standing with your back to statues of the Buddha is considered bad form and disrespectful to local customs.

The left hand is considered “unclean”, so when interacting with local people try not to take or give anything with it, and not to touch the person you are speaking to.

For the beach, it is recommended to choose more classic swimsuit styles; sunbathing topless is prohibited.

It is not permitted to photograph government institutions, banks and military facilities.

Personal safety

So that your trip to Sri Lanka is remembered only for the best, we recommend observing the following safety rules:

  • do not leave your luggage unattended in places where crowds gather (airports, public transport stops, trains, buses, stations, stadiums, shops, etc.);
  • do not leave valuables in sight, including in the hotel, restaurant, or on seats in a bus or car. Keep them in a safe (even for a small fee). The hotel is not responsible for items left in the room;
  • do not reserve a place by putting a bag on the table or chair, leaving a phone, room keys, etc.;
  • be especially careful with documents: keep them either in the safe or on you. Do not carry your passport with you without particular need. Use copies;
  • beware of pickpockets, especially in crowded places;
  • observe personal hygiene rules and avoid random catering places;
  • it is strongly recommended to use protective creams and even to swim in a T-shirt, as solar radiation easily penetrates the upper layer of water;
  • in unverified places you should refrain from consuming: unboiled water and freshly squeezed juices, fresh vegetable and fruit salads, fruit that has not been peeled before eating, ice cream, confectionery with fruit filling, and food ice.

In order to receive timely medical assistance abroad if necessary, we strongly recommend taking out medical insurance when preparing to travel outside the Russian Federation.

Embassies and consulates

Embassy of Sri Lanka in Russia:

  • 129090, Moscow, Shchepkina St, 24.
  • Tel.: (495) 688-16-20, (495) 688-16-51

Embassy of Russia in Sri Lanka:

  • Address: 404, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka
  • Telephone: (+9411) 2697036 (general), (+9411) 2697042 (Consular Section)
  • E-mail: rusemb.srilanka@gmail.com
  • Web: sri-lanka.mid.ru

Opening hours:

  • Monday — Thursday 09:00 – 18:00
  • Friday 09:00 – 15:00
  • Lunch break: Monday–Thursday 13:00 – 14:30