๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Colombo ยท Paperwork

Registration, banking and utilities in Colombo

An online ETA gets you in; staying longer means the right residence visa, and working is only allowed once you hold one.

Get started in Colombo

The thing people get wrongAn ETA is permission to visit, not to work. An employment move starts with an entry visa your employer applies for while you are still abroad, and the residence visa that follows is what lets you work โ€” arriving on a tourist ETA and switching later is not the route.

Indicative figures

  • Tourist ETA30 daysDouble entry; free for 40 nationalities since May 2026.
  • Digital nomad visa~US$500/yearReported fee; income threshold around US$2,000 a month.
  • EmploymentEntry visa, then residence visaStarted by the employer before you travel.

Checked . Ranges, not quotes โ€” your Insider confirms the current numbers in Colombo before you commit to anything.

Arriving: the ETA

Most visitors apply online for an Electronic Travel Authorization at eta.gov.lk before flying. A tourist ETA gives 30 days with a double entry. Since 25 May 2026, nationals of 40 countries receive the tourist ETA free of charge; others still pay a fee, so check the current list and amount on the official site rather than an agency's.

  • Apply only on eta.gov.lk; look-alike agency sites charge extra.
  • A free ETA still has to be applied for before you travel.
  • Tourist stays can be extended in-country through the Department of Immigration and Emigration.
  • Overstaying is fined and can lead to detention and removal.

Working: entry visa, then residence visa

For employment, the employer obtains approval for an entry visa from the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo while you are outside the country. You then travel and apply for a residence visa in the employment category, which is what authorises the work. Projects approved by the Board of Investment follow the same route with BOI support, and residence visas are renewed before they lapse.

  • The employer starts the process; it cannot be done after arriving on an ETA.
  • Expect to provide your passport, photographs, qualifications and the employer's letters.
  • Dependants are added under the same category.
  • Diarise the renewal date; the visa is tied to the job.

Remote work and long stays

Sri Lanka introduced a digital nomad visa in 2026 for people working remotely for employers or clients outside the country. Commonly reported terms are a monthly income of around US$2,000, a fee of around US$500 a year and a one-year term that can be renewed, but published sources disagree on the details. Separate long-stay schemes exist for retirees and investors, and their deposit and income conditions have changed several times.

  • Local clients and Sri Lankan payroll are not allowed on the nomad visa.
  • Expect proof of income, health insurance valid in Sri Lanka and a medical report.
  • Confirm the current income threshold and fee with the Department of Immigration and Emigration.
  • Spending much of the year here can make you tax resident; take advice early.

Banking and money

The rupee is the everyday currency, and cards are widely accepted in Colombo's shops, malls and restaurants. Holders of a residence visa can open an ordinary account at banks such as Commercial Bank, HNB, Sampath and the Bank of Ceylon; banks also offer foreign-currency accounts for money brought in from abroad. LankaQR codes let you pay from a banking app at small shops and three-wheelers.

  • Passport, visa and proof of address to open an account.
  • Ask about a foreign-currency account if you will bring savings in.
  • Carry some cash for markets, buses and street food.

In order

  1. Check whether your nationality gets a free ETA, then apply on eta.gov.lk.
  2. For a job, confirm your employer has applied for the entry visa before you fly.
  3. Apply for the residence visa soon after arriving, with the employer's documents.
  4. If you work remotely, check the current digital nomad visa terms before applying.
  5. Open a bank account once the residence visa is in your passport.
  6. Diarise the visa renewal and take tax advice if you stay most of the year.