Sierra LeoneSri Lanka: eTA

Sierra LeoneSri Lanka

Do Sierra Leone passport holders need a visa for Sri Lanka?

eTA

Sierra Leone passport holders need an approved electronic travel authorisation (eTA) before travelling to Sri Lanka, but no embassy visa.

An electronic travel authorisation must be approved online before departure. No embassy visit.

Source: eta.gov.lk (checked July 17, 2026).

RequirementeTA

Maximum stayLength of stay varies

ScopeTourism, ordinary passport

Action before travelYes, arrange in advance

Data as of2026-10-19

Distance10,229 km, straight line (~12h 32m nonstop)

Visa-free access to Sri Lanka242 of 242 nationalities tracked

Travelling the other way? Sri Lanka passport holders visiting Sierra Leone: Visa on arrival.

Sri Lanka drives on the left, the opposite side to Sierra Leone. If you're renting a car, budget extra care at first, especially at junctions and roundabouts.

Other visa-free destinations for Sierra Leone passport holders

See all Sierra Leone destinations →

Frequently asked questions

Do Sierra Leone passport holders need a visa for Sri Lanka?

Sierra Leone passport holders need an approved electronic travel authorisation (eTA) before travelling to Sri Lanka, but no embassy visa.

How far is Sri Lanka from Sierra Leone?

About 10,229 km in a straight line, roughly ~12h 32m nonstop by air.

What currency is used in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lankan rupee (LKR).

What is the emergency number in Sri Lanka?

110 / 119.

Does Sri Lanka drive on the same side of the road as Sierra Leone?

Sri Lanka drives on the left, the opposite side to Sierra Leone. If you're renting a car, budget extra care at first, especially at junctions and roundabouts.

What time zone is Sri Lanka in?

Colombo (UTC+5:30).

What is the nearest airport to Colombo?

Colombo Ratmalana International Airport (RML), about 12 km away.

How many countries can enter Sri Lanka without a visa?

242 of the 242 nationalities this site tracks can enter Sri Lanka visa-free, with a visa on arrival, or with an eTA.

Visa rules change frequently and can depend on your specific circumstances. This site is compiled from public government sources and is provided for general information only. Always confirm requirements with the official immigration authority or a consulate of your destination before you travel.

About Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the west coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is 73,252 km2 (28,283 sq mi). It has a tropical climate and environments ranging from savannahs to rainforests. As of the 2023 census, Sierra Leone had a population of 8,460,512. Freetown is its capital and largest city.

CapitalFreetown

RegionWestern Africa

Population8.8M

Area71,740 km²

CurrencySierra Leonean leone (1 USD ≈ 24357.93 SLL)

LanguagesEnglish

Calling code+232

Drives on theright

TimezoneFreetown (UTC+0)

Nearest airportLungi International Airport (FNA), 15 km

Emergency number019 / 999

UNESCO sites2

Income levelLow income

GDP per capita$846 (2025)

Tourist arrivals71K (2019)

Climate in Freetown

Warmest April, coolest August, driest January, sunniest January. Best time to visit: January, February, March, April, May, November, December.

Monthly climate normals for Freetown, 2020
Month	High	Low	Rainfall	Sunshine
January	30.2°C	23.7°C	1mm	314h
February	29.9°C	24.8°C	1mm	307h
March	29.4°C	25.7°C	17mm	310h
April	29.4°C	25.8°C	65mm	260h
May	28.7°C	25.3°C	192mm	273h
June	28°C	24.1°C	260mm	238h
July	26.2°C	23.1°C	735mm	175h
August	25.8°C	23.1°C	664mm	159h
September	26.6°C	23.4°C	385mm	198h
October	27.8°C	24°C	302mm	264h
November	28.7°C	24.4°C	130mm	299h
December	28.6°C	24.7°C	69mm	309h

Avg. high/low, °C (left axis) Rainfall, mm (bar maxes out at 250mm/month)

Daily normals for 2020. Hover a month for exact figures.

Travel guide

Sierra Leone is on the West Coast of Africa. The potential for tourism is vast, but largely unrealised, despite the end of the Civil War in 2002, and tour operators are looking closely at what the country has to offer. Sierra Leone is rich in natural resources. It has some of the best beaches in the world, a rich heritage, and some stunning scenery, but its greatest asset is its welcoming, friendly populace.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Gola National Park
Gola-Tiwai complex

Upcoming public holidays

December 25, 2026Christmas Day

December 26, 2026Boxing Day

January 1, 2027New Year's Day

Full source list on About.

About Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It is located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, and is separated from India by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. Sri Lanka shares a maritime border with the Maldives to the southwest and India to the northwest, and lies across the Bay of Bengal from Bangladesh and Myanmar to the northeast and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India to the east. Its executive and judicial capital is Colombo, which is also its largest city and the political, financial and cultural centre of the country; neighboring Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital. Sri Lanka's population is 22 million. About 74% of the population are Sinhalese, who speak the Sinhala language, and about 15% are Tamils who speak the Tamil language. Other long-established ethnic groups include the Moors, Indian Tamils, Burghers, Malays, Chinese, and Vedda.

CapitalColombo

RegionSouthern Asia

Population21.8M

Area65,610 km²

CurrencySri Lankan rupee (1 USD ≈ 330.89 LKR)

LanguagesSinhala, Tamil

Calling code+94

Drives on theleft

TimezoneColombo (UTC+5:30)

Nearest airportColombo Ratmalana International Airport (RML), 12 km

Emergency number110 / 119

UNESCO sites9

Income levelUpper middle income

GDP per capita$5,002 (2025)

Tourist arrivals540K (2020)

Climate in Colombo

Warmest March, coolest December, driest January, sunniest March. Best time to visit: January, February, March, April, August, October, December.

Monthly climate normals for Colombo, 2020
Month	High	Low	Rainfall	Sunshine
January	30.6°C	23.1°C	20mm	351h
February	32.2°C	24°C	24mm	337h
March	31.6°C	24.7°C	49mm	357h
April	31.3°C	24.8°C	153mm	331h
May	29.9°C	25.8°C	287mm	254h
June	29.2°C	25.9°C	264mm	293h
July	28.7°C	25.2°C	252mm	250h
August	28.7°C	25.3°C	209mm	303h
September	27.9°C	24.6°C	387mm	209h
October	28.7°C	25°C	109mm	328h
November	29.3°C	23.8°C	374mm	250h
December	28.8°C	23°C	152mm	267h

Avg. high/low, °C (left axis) Rainfall, mm (bar maxes out at 250mm/month)

Daily normals for 2020. Hover a month for exact figures.

Travel guide

Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is an island in the Indian Ocean, just south of India. It is known for its natural beauty, with stunning beaches all along its coastline, great wildlife and biodiversity, tea plantations, orchards, temples, monuments, and a cultural heritage dating back several millennia. Sri Lanka's cultural landscape includes the Sinhalese and the Tamil ethnic groups, with substantial Muslim and Christian communities.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Anuradhapura
Atamasthana
Central Highlands of Sri Lanka
Dambulla cave temple
Kandy
Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications
Polonnaruwa
Sigiriya
Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Full source list on About.