Sri Lankan visa for South African citizens
A visa is REQUIRED for South African passport holders visiting Sri Lanka for tourism and business purposes. See detailed requirements below:
Visa requirements:
| Visa type | Purposes | Visa requirements | Allowed stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa | For South African citizens to enter Sri Lanka for a short-term tourism purpose. | Visa required | N/A |
| Evisa | Sri Lanka e-visa for South African citizens | Eligible | |
| Visa on arrival | Sri Lanka visa on arrival for South African citizens | Eligible | |
Sri Lanka tourist visa requirements:
- Holding South African passport that is valid for six months beyond the period of the intended stay in Sri Lanka.
- Proof of onward travel (departure) from Sri Lanka.
If you are looking for Sri Lanka visa information, such as available types of visas, or how to apply from South Africa, we recommend you visit or contact the embassy or consulate of Sri Lanka nearest your place of residence.
- Pretoria: The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Pretoria, South Africa (Working hours: Close now)
- Cape Town: The Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Cape Town, South Africa (Working hours: Close now)
Sri Lanka visa applications & requirements (For reference purposes only, please visit the nearest Sri Lanka diplomatic mission offices to South Africa for guidance)
Tourism Statistics Chart
The line chart shows the number of visitors from South Africa traveling to Sri Lanka from 2008 to 2018.
| Year | Number of visitors (South Africa) estimated | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 3,635 | N/A |
| 2009 | 3,718 | 2.28% |
| 2010 | 5,428 | 45.99% |
| 2011 | 7,105 | 30.90% |
| 2012 | 8,350 | 17.52% |
| 2013 | 10,583 | 26.74% |
| 2014 | 12,674 | 19.76% |
| 2015 | 14,923 | 17.74% |
| 2016 | 17,023 | 14.07% |
| 2017 | 17,566 | 3.19% |
| 2018 | 19,372 | 10.28% |
References: UNWTO.org, World Bank and multiple sources. (This data is for informational purposes only. Please see our disclaimer page for more information.)
Sri Lanka & South Africa comparison
Sri Lanka's area is approximately 62,710 km2 (24,212 sq mi), while the area of South Africa is approximately 1,213,090 km2 (468,376 sq mi). This means South Africa is 19.34 times bigger than Sri Lanka.
As of October 2025, Sri Lanka's population is ~21.9 million people - 41,241,519 fewer people than the population of South Africa.
We have highlighted Sri Lanka & South Africa’s relative positions on world's map for your reference.
| Sri Lanka | South Africa | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (est 2025) | 21,862,927 | 63,104,446 | 41.2 million fewer people live in Sri Lanka than South Africa |
| Number of diplomatic missions abroad (est) | 67 | 124 | Sri Lanka has 57 fewer diplomatic representations abroad compared with South Africa. |
| Travel freedom (2025) | 16 | 67 | Sri Lanka passport holders visit 51 fewer countries and territories without a visa. |
| Number of foreign missions hosted | 61 | 197 | Sri Lankan hosts 136 fewer foreign missions than South Africa. |
Frequently asked questions, answered
How many visitors from South Africa travel to Sri Lanka in one year?
The number of visitors from South Africa visiting Sri Lanka in 2018 was approximately 19,372.
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- Algeria
- American Samoa
- Andorra
- Angola
- Anguilla
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- Argentina
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- Aruba
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
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- Benin
- Bermuda
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
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- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
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- Cayman Islands
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Christmas Island
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Curacao
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Falkland Islands
- Faroe Islands
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Guam
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
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- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
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- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
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- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Martinique
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- Mauritius
- Mayotte
- Mexico
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- Montserrat
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
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- Northern Mariana Islands
- North Korea
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- Panama
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- Paraguay
- Peru
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- Puerto Rico
- Qatar
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- Reunion
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saint Helena
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Saudi Arabia
- Scotland
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Sint Maarten
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- South Sudan
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Turks and Caicos
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
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- Uruguay
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Wallis and Futuna
- Yemen
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Today’s Forecast
| 28.79°C | ||
| Humidity | 60% | |
| Wind | 5.05 km/h | |
| Sunrise | 10:19 AM | |
Useful Information
- Colombo to Pretoria: 6943.97 km (4314.78 mi)
- Travel time: 14 hours 27 minutes
This page was last updated on: October 2025