Sri Lanka arrival card: prepare before landing

Use the immigration service directly

Start at the Department of Immigration and Emigration or its official arrival and departure card service. Check that you are in the arrival workflow for a foreign visitor.

The online facility was introduced in January 2023. Follow the live form’s current date window and instructions; an older screenshot may no longer match the form you see.

Have your trip details beside you

• The passport you will present on arrival.
• Your inbound flight confirmation and local arrival date.
• The full address and contact details of your first accommodation.
• Your own reachable contact information.

This preparation list helps you complete the form accurately. Enter the fields the current official form actually requests, and review the spelling and dates before submission.

Keep a record of completion

Save the confirmation the service provides somewhere accessible offline. Keep it beside the ETA approval, but label the two records clearly. Completing the arrival card does not turn an acknowledgement or pending ETA into an approval.

If you change a flight or first accommodation after submission, consult the service’s instructions or ask immigration how to update the record. Avoid submitting multiple inconsistent versions without guidance.

If the online form does not work

Record the error without sharing personal fields publicly, then use the help or contact information linked by immigration. Ask your airline or the airport about the current arrival procedure if departure is close. We cannot submit the card for you or verify a private record.

Finish with the arrival checklist and first 24 hours guide. Arrange your mobile connection and pickup before you need them.