---
title: "Sri Lanka digital nomad visa 2026: requirements and cost"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/visas/sri-lanka
description: "Sri Lanka's digital nomad visa, in force since February 2026, is a one-year residence visa for remote employees, freelancers and owners of businesses…"
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Sri Lanka digital nomad visa 2026: requirements and cost

Sri Lanka's digital nomad visa, in force since February 2026, is a one-year residence visa for remote employees, freelancers and owners of businesses outside Sri Lanka who remit at least US$2,000 a month. It costs US$500 a year per person, renews annually and is lodged in person with the Department of Immigration and Emigration's Residence Visa Division with a Ministry of Digital Economy letter.

Digital nomad visa. Official name: Digital Nomad Visa (Residence Visa category 10). Facts updated 2026-10-04. Not yet reviewed by a person.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Who can apply | Any nationality |
| Minimum income | $2,000/month (US$2,000 a month remitted to Sri Lanka by the main applicant, plus US$500 a month for each dependant beyond two) |
| Fee | about $500 (US$500 per year for the main applicant; US$500 per year each for a spouse and every dependant) |
| Processing time | not stated |
| Initial stay | 1 year, renewable |
| Renewable | yes |
| Leads to permanent residence | unknown |
| Where to apply | In the country: Department of Immigration and Emigration, Residence Visa Division, 'Suhurupaya', Battaramulla (near Colombo). The Department has not published an online channel for this category, so you enter on a tourist ETA and lodge the file in person. |

## Who can apply

Any nationality, aged 18 or over, engaged in remote employment, freelancing or a business not registered in Sri Lanka that serves clients outside the country. You must remit at least US$2,000 a month to Sri Lanka, plus US$500 a month for each dependant beyond two, and all income must be earned from foreign sources.

## What you need

- Completed visa application form
- Request letter from the applicant
- Photocopy of passport valid for at least six months
- Two recent passport-sized photographs
- Completed security clearance form
- Medical clearance report
- Police clearance certificate from your home country or country of residence, not older than three months
- International health insurance covering medical care in Sri Lanka
- Recommendation from the Ministry of Digital Economy
- Proof of the minimum monthly remittance for yourself and any dependants
- Marriage certificate (spouse) and birth certificates (dependants)

Income proof: Stated in US dollars by the Department of Immigration and Emigration as a minimum monthly remittance, so no conversion was needed. You prove it with evidence of the remittances for yourself and your dependants.

Fee: The Department's visa fee schedule lists Residence Visa category 10 (Digital Nomad) at US$500 for a year or part thereof. Entry before applying is on a tourist ETA, which is free for 40 nationalities from 25 May 2026 and charged for others; the police certificate, medical report and insurance are your own costs.

Processing: The Department does not publish a processing time. Its procedure is submission to the Residence Visa Division, evaluation of eligibility and compliance, then approval and endorsement of the visa in your passport; the Ministry of Digital Economy recommendation must be obtained first and adds its own lead time.

## How to apply

In the country. Department of Immigration and Emigration, Residence Visa Division, 'Suhurupaya', Battaramulla (near Colombo). The Department has not published an online channel for this category, so you enter on a tourist ETA and lodge the file in person.

1. Confirm you are 18 or over, work remotely for employers, clients or a business outside Sri Lanka, and can remit at least US$2,000 a month.
2. Obtain a police clearance certificate from your home or residence country issued within the last three months, a medical clearance report and international health insurance covering Sri Lanka.
3. Request the recommendation letter from the Ministry of Digital Economy, which the Department requires with every application.
4. Enter Sri Lanka on an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) and submit the visa application form, request letter, security clearance form, passport copy, photos and proof of remittances to the Residence Visa Division in Battaramulla, with marriage and birth certificates for any dependants.
5. After evaluation and approval, pay US$500 per person and have the one-year residence visa endorsed in your passport; renew annually with proof of Inland Revenue tax registration.

## After you arrive

Stay and renewal: Issued for one year and renewable annually; the Department states no limit on renewals. Renewal needs the same documents as the first issue plus proof of tax registration with the Inland Revenue Department.

Residence: The Department's digital nomad notice does not describe any path from this residence visa to permanent residence, and Sri Lanka's permanent residence categories are restricted to specific family and former-citizen cases, so treat it as a renewable temporary status.

Family: Your spouse and dependants can be included; each pays US$500 a year, and if you bring more than two dependants you must remit an extra US$500 a month for each additional one. Dependent children may enrol in international or private schools, and any change in dependants must be reported to the Department within 30 days.

Taxes: Visa holders must comply with Sri Lankan tax obligations, and renewal requires proof of tax registration with the Inland Revenue Department. You become tax resident after 183 days in a year of assessment; foreign-source income of residents is subject to Sri Lankan rules and treaties, so take advice before you pass that threshold.

## In practice

- The category is new (launched February 2026) and the Department's guidance is a two-page notice; processing times, the exact form of the Ministry of Digital Economy recommendation and any online filing are not yet published, so contact the Residence Visa Division (contvisa@immigration.gov.lk) before travelling.
- The US$2,000 must actually be remitted into Sri Lanka each month, not just earned, so open a local bank account early; the visa expressly allows it.
- Local employment is prohibited, income changes must be reported within 30 days, and leaving for good requires two months' written notice and 14 working days' notice before departure.
- Colombo is the only Sri Lankan city in the Nostos dataset; the south-coast surf towns (Weligama, Ahangama) are where most nomads actually base themselves, a two to three hour drive away.

## By passport

| Passports | Note |
| --- | --- |
| EU, EEA, CH | Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Poland, Czechia and Switzerland get a free 30-day tourist ETA from 25 May 2026 for the initial entry; other EU passports pay the ETA fee. The nomad visa itself is open to all. |
| US, GB, CA, AU, NZ | US, UK, Canadian and Australian citizens are on the free 30-day ETA list from 25 May 2026; New Zealanders pay the ETA fee. Apply for the ETA online before flying, then lodge the nomad visa in Battaramulla. |
| IN, CN, ID, RU, TH, MY, JP | Free 30-day ETA with double entry under the 2024 pilot, extended by the 40-country list of May 2026; the nomad visa is then applied for in country. |
| All other passports | Apply for a paid tourist ETA online (nationals of a few countries must apply through a Sri Lankan mission or sponsor), enter, then submit the digital nomad application to the Residence Visa Division; the US$2,000 remittance rule is the same for everyone. |

## Cities in Sri Lanka

- [Arugam Bay](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/arugam-bay): Sri Lanka's surf capital, a single beach road on the east coast
- [Colombo](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/colombo): Sri Lanka's capital with the whole island within reach
- [Ella](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/ella): Hill-country village of tea, trains and viewpoints
- [Galle](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/galle): Dutch fort town on Sri Lanka's south coast
- [Hikkaduwa](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/hikkaduwa): Coral reef and surf beach south of Colombo, Sri Lanka's original beach resort
- [Kandy](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/kandy): Sri Lanka's hill-country capital around a lake
- [Mirissa](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/mirissa): Whale-watching beach town on the south coast
- [Negombo](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/negombo): Beach town next to Colombo airport, with a fishing harbour and Dutch canals
- [Trincomalee](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/trincomalee): Natural harbour on the east coast with Nilaveli and Uppuveli beaches
- [Weligama](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/weligama): Surf town on Sri Lanka's south coast

## FAQ

### Who can apply for the Sri Lanka digital nomad visa?

Any nationality, aged 18 or over, engaged in remote employment, freelancing or a business not registered in Sri Lanka that serves clients outside the country. You must remit at least US$2,000 a month to Sri Lanka, plus US$500 a month for each dependant beyond two, and all income must be earned from foreign sources. Sri Lanka's digital nomad visa, in force since February 2026, is a one-year residence visa for remote employees, freelancers and owners of businesses outside Sri Lanka who remit at least US$2,000 a month. It costs US$500 a year per person, renews annually and is lodged in person with the Department of Immigration and Emigration's Residence Visa Division with a Ministry of Digital Economy letter.

### How much income do you need for the Digital nomad visa?

About $2,000 per month (US$2,000 a month remitted to Sri Lanka by the main applicant, plus US$500 a month for each dependant beyond two). Stated in US dollars by the Department of Immigration and Emigration as a minimum monthly remittance, so no conversion was needed. You prove it with evidence of the remittances for yourself and your dependants.

### How much does the Digital nomad visa cost and how long does it take?

The fee is about $500 (US$500 per year for the main applicant; US$500 per year each for a spouse and every dependant); The Department's visa fee schedule lists Residence Visa category 10 (Digital Nomad) at US$500 for a year or part thereof. Entry before applying is on a tourist ETA, which is free for 40 nationalities from 25 May 2026 and charged for others; the police certificate, medical report and insurance are your own costs. Processing time: not stated. The Department does not publish a processing time. Its procedure is submission to the Residence Visa Division, evaluation of eligibility and compliance, then approval and endorsement of the visa in your passport; the Ministry of Digital Economy recommendation must be obtained first and adds its own lead time.

### How long can you stay in Sri Lanka on the Digital nomad visa, and can it be renewed?

1 year, renewable. Issued for one year and renewable annually; the Department states no limit on renewals. Renewal needs the same documents as the first issue plus proof of tax registration with the Inland Revenue Department.

### Does the Digital nomad visa lead to permanent residence in Sri Lanka?

The Department's digital nomad notice does not describe any path from this residence visa to permanent residence, and Sri Lanka's permanent residence categories are restricted to specific family and former-citizen cases, so treat it as a renewable temporary status.

### Can family members come with you on the Digital nomad visa?

Your spouse and dependants can be included; each pays US$500 a year, and if you bring more than two dependants you must remit an extra US$500 a month for each additional one. Dependent children may enrol in international or private schools, and any change in dependants must be reported to the Department within 30 days.

### Do you pay tax in Sri Lanka on the Digital nomad visa?

Visa holders must comply with Sri Lankan tax obligations, and renewal requires proof of tax registration with the Inland Revenue Department. You become tax resident after 183 days in a year of assessment; foreign-source income of residents is subject to Sri Lankan rules and treaties, so take advice before you pass that threshold.

### Where do you apply for the Digital nomad visa?

In the country: Department of Immigration and Emigration, Residence Visa Division, 'Suhurupaya', Battaramulla (near Colombo). The Department has not published an online channel for this category, so you enter on a tourist ETA and lodge the file in person.

### Can I apply for the Sri Lanka digital nomad visa online or from abroad?

The Department's published procedure is submission of the documents to the Residence Visa Division in Battaramulla, and no online application for this category exists on the e-services portal as of October 2026. Most applicants enter on a tourist ETA and apply in person.

### Can I open a bank account on the Sri Lanka digital nomad visa?

Yes. The Department lists opening and maintaining personal bank accounts, signing leases, enrolling children in school and using telecom and utility services as benefits of the visa, and you will need an account to show the US$2,000 monthly remittance.

## Sources

- [Digital Nomad Visa Category](https://www.immigration.gov.lk/content/files/visa/digital_nomad/Digital%20Nomad%20Visa%20Category.pdf), Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka, retrieved 2026-10-04 (Eligibility, US$2,000 monthly remittance, document list including Ministry of Digital Economy recommendation, in-person procedure at the Residence Visa Division, one-year duration, US$500 fees, renewal with tax registration, benefits and conditions)
- [Visa Fees](https://www.immigration.gov.lk/pages_e.php?id=45), Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka, retrieved 2026-10-04 (Residence Visa category 10, Digital Nomad, US$500 for a year or part thereof)
- [Sri Lanka Electronic Travel Authorization: alerts on free tourist visas](https://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/), Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka (eta.gov.lk), retrieved 2026-10-04 (Free 30-day tourist ETA for 40 nationalities from 25 May 2026 and for seven countries under the 2024 pilot; ETA extension on payment)

Not yet reviewed by a person. Not legal advice; confirm with the issuing authority before you book.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/visas/sri-lanka