For a very long time, I’ve been wanting to travel to someplace just to get away from the stress of work and everything. The fact that I chose Sri Lanka still reminds me of the wonderful time I had there with my family. However before I departed on my trip, the most important thing I had to do was to find out how to get my Sri Lanka visa from Bangalore, and I got it almost free!
The tropical climate of Sri Lanka, its sandy beaches and delectable cuisine are few of the many reasons to keep this destination on your travel bucket list.
Getting Sri Lankan visa was taking time for me because I had no idea what type of visa I need and process of application, then I came around an online travel agency which processed not only my visa, they also provided me with complete itinerary across Sri Lanka which I enjoyed. And the best thing about it was that they returned the entire visa fee back in my wallet which I used to book my flights and hotels ?
[su_button url=”https://blinkvisa.com/” style=”flat” background=”#F49122″ color=”#ffffff” size=”6″ center=”yes” radius=”5″ icon=”icon: check” icon_color=”#ffffff” text_shadow=”0px 0px 0px #ffffff”]Apply for Sri Lankan Visa[/su_button]
Getting Started with Sri Lanka Visa from Bangalore
While I was exploring the Internet about Sri Lanka visa, I came across this visa agent in Bangalore who seemed to provide visa services across the world so I contacted them and boy, am I glad I found out such a reliable service. First, we discussed my requirements and they explained to me about the types of visas available and also suggested based on my requirements.
Different Types of Sri Lanka Visas
They explained in detail about the different types of visas, their pros and cons, validity, cost, and everything.
1. Sri Lanka ETA Visa also is known as Sri Lanka Visit Visa
Sri Lanka Electronic Travel Authorization is an online process and is a short term visa which allows you to visit for tourism or business purposes. This is a document which allows you to get Visa On Arrival in Sri Lanka. However, you must note that this visa is available only for selected countries which fortunately includes India as well because Indians are at the top when it comes to the number of visitors to Sri Lanka from India. (Source: Wikipedia)
As mentioned, there are two categories of this visa, viz:
The Sri Lanka Tourist Visa, as the name tells us allows you to visit the country for tourism purposes for a maximum of 30 days two times (this is Double Entry Visa). This visa can also is usable to visit friends and family but is unacceptable for business purposes like conducting meetings, conferences, attend interviews, etc.
This is the most popular time of visa and I selected this since I didn’t need to stay for more than 30 days. The Sri Lanka Tourist Visa processing time was just 3 days however I applied 1 week before just in case.
Read More: Sri Lanka Tourist Visa
This visa is flexible because unlike Tourist Visa, Sri Lanka business visa allows you to conduct business meetings, conferences, seminars, etc, in addition, to allow you to explore the country as a tourist and visiting friends and family.
Read More: Sri Lanka Business Visa
These are the most common types of visas applied from India since most of the visits are for Tourism purposes only but sometimes you may also need a different visa like the below.
| [su_button url=”https://blinkvisa.com/visa/sri-lanka-tourist-visa” style=”flat” background=”#F49122″ color=”#ffffff” size=”6″ center=”yes” radius=”5″ icon=”icon: check” icon_color=”#ffffff” text_shadow=”0px 0px 0px #ffffff”]Apply for Tourist Visa[/su_button] | [su_button url=”https://blinkvisa.com/visa/sri-lanka-business-visa” style=”flat” background=”#F49122″ color=”#ffffff” size=”6″ center=”yes” radius=”5″ icon=”icon: check” icon_color=”#ffffff” text_shadow=”0px 0px 0px #ffffff”]Apply for Business Visa[/su_button] |
2. Sri Lanka Transit Visa
The Transit Visa is mandatory when you need to travel to the different country via Sri Lanka i.e you are having a connecting (change of flight) in Sri Lanka. All country except for the visa-exempt countries requires this visa.
3. Sri Lanka Residence Visa
The nationals of other countries who wish to stay in Sri Lanka for a longer period of time for purposes other than Tourism (like an investment, volunteer, education, work, etc) can apply for Residence visa. This visa is valid for 1 year and is extendable for more time depending on the need.
Note: Blinkvisa can provide Tourist & Business visas only. Residence visas can only be applied in Sri Lanka when you visit on eVisa issued by Sri Lankan Mission abroad with the concurrence of the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration.
To know more, you can visit Sri Lanka eVisa.
4. Sri Lanka Visa On Arrival
To promote tourism, the island country offers a free visa on arrival for certain countries while others need to apply for a Sri Lanka ETA to seek a visa on arrival in Sri Lanka. Typically, the processing fee of an ETA may go up to USD30.
To know more, you can visit Sri Lanka Visa on Arrival.
Now since I had decided to go for Tourist ETA visa, the next thing I had to find out was the fee and process of application but Blinkvisa didn’t disappoint with their service here also. In fact, it was one of the smoothest processes I had come across.
What is Sri Lanka Visa Fee?
With a total payment of just INR 2040 per person, I had the chance to get the visa in hand without any worries. Even then I only had to pay INR 500 initially to get the process started. The rest of the amount I paid only after my visa came approved. It’s amazing how confident they’re in the process that if the visa gets rejected, I don’t have to pay the full amount.
With other agencies, I had to pay the entire amount in advance and didn’t get anything back if the visa gets rejected, but these have completely changed my view.
Read More: Sri Lanka Visa Fees
How I got Sri Lanka visa almost free?
One more amazing thing was that once I paid INR 500, I immediately got the entire amount of INR 2040 back into my wallet even before I had not made the full payment.
This amount I used to book my flights, hotels in Sri Lanka as well as some activities for me to enjoy with my wife and kids.
Discounts on Travel Activities
What did I need to apply for Sri Lanka Visa?
To get your Sri Lanka visa application approved, I also needed to find out what documents are required to apply for Sri Lanka visa and as you may have guessed, there was no problem there also with Blinkvisa. I was courteously guided towards all the requirements and document specifications for the Tourist Visa:
- Passport
- The validity of at least 6 months
- First and last page colour scanned
- Photo – Colour scanned copy with at least 80% face visible with no sunglasses and plain colour background
- Confirmed Return Flight Tickets
- Confirmed Proof of Accommodation
- Hotel or wherever you will be staying
- Sufficient Funds
- Proof of sufficient funds like Bank Statement with seal
- Travel Itinerary
To know more in detail, visit Sri Lanka Visa Requirements.
They also helped me to create an entire Itinerary and I enjoyed every bit of the activities and sightseeing provided.
[su_button url=”https://blinkvisa.com/blog/custom-travel-itinerary/” style=”flat” background=”#F49122″ color=”#ffffff” size=”6″ center=”yes” radius=”5″ icon=”icon: check” icon_color=”#ffffff” text_shadow=”0px 0px 0px #ffffff”]Create Custom Travel Plan[/su_button]
The Finale – Process of Applying for Sri Lankan Visa
Now that I had everything ready, the final thing to do after applying for the visa was to wait for the visa which I just got in 3 days. Here’s the entire procedure that I followed throughout starting from deciding visa type to actually received the approved ETA.
- Visit Blinkvisa.com
- Choose the visa type, in my case, it was ‘Tourist Visa’
- Select the destination country as ‘Sri Lanka’
- Select my own city ‘Bangalore’
- Enter mobile number and email ID
- Click on ‘Get Visa’ button
- On this page, you’ll be given important information like requirements and fees. Click on ‘Apply for Visa’ on the right side.
- Fill up your basic information
- Click on the ‘Next’ button and make the initial payment of INR 500. As soon as I did this, I got the complete amount back in my wallet, of amount INR 2040.
- In under 30 minutes, I got a call from the Visa Expert who told me the process and documents required.
- I uploaded them on the website and got the call in 3 days that my visa was approved
- Go to the website and download the visa, after clearing the remaining amount of INR 1540.
Note: You need to take a couple of printouts of this downloaded ETA Visa with you on your travel.
Read More: How to Apply for Sri Lanka Visa
Sri Lanka visa from Bangalore
The fact that I lived in Bangalore made it extremely easy for me because the office location for Blinkvisa is also in Bangalore. I also visited the office and spoke with the visa agent as I had some doubts regarding my requirements. The agent was very helpful in clearing my doubts.
I also had the conversation regarding my travel Itinerary and it made it easy for me to plan the travel.
Sri Lanka FAQs
Can I apply for Sri Lanka visa from Bangalore only or from any other state as well?
Yes, Sri Lanka has an online process of applying for a visa so you can apply from anywhere.
What is a Double Entry Sri Lanka Visa?
Double Entry Sri Lanka Visa means you can visit Sri Lanka two times on a single visa. If you leave the country one time, you can visit again on the same visa provided the visa is still valid.
When should I apply for the Visa?
The processing time for Sri Lanka visa is 2-3 days, however, it is better to apply at least 7 days before the date of travel to be on the safe side.
Does and Indian need a transit visa for Sri Lanka?
Yes, An Indian national needs a transit visa to travel to different country visa Sri Lanka because India doesn’t come under visa exempted countries.
Read More: Sri Lanka Visa for Indians
How can I get Sri Lanka Visa on Arrival?
You need to have an ETA document with you when you visit Sri Lanka. There you can get Visa On Arrival, else you won’t be allowed to visit.
Do I need Insurance to visit Sri Lanka?
It is always recommended to take medical insurance with you along with your travel documents like passport, ETA, Itinerary, etc.
