Do Sri Lankan citizens need a visa for Turkey?
Yes. Sri Lankan passport holders require a visa to enter Turkey for any purpose, including tourism. There are two routes. The online e-Visa is the faster one, but it is conditional: it is issued only to travellers who already hold a qualifying visa or residence permit from elsewhere. Everyone else applies for a sticker visa at a Turkish embassy or consulate. Official, service and special passport holders also need a visa but cannot use the e-Visa — they apply at a Turkish diplomatic mission.
e-Visa eligibility & conditions for Sri Lankans
The Turkey e-Visa is open to Sri Lankan citizens on a conditional basis. To qualify you must also hold a still-valid visa or residence permit from a Schengen member state, the United States, the United Kingdom or Ireland. The portal's wording is precise: the only requirement for that supporting document is that it should still be valid — by date — by the time you enter Turkey. So a single-entry visa you have already used, or never used at all, is accepted provided its validity covers your arrival date. An e-Visa issued by another country does not count; officers recognise valid sticker visas from Schengen states, the USA or Ireland, and Green Cards. The e-Visa is issued for tourism and business travel only. Without one, the e-Visa is closed to you and you apply for a sticker visa through a Turkish mission instead.
How to apply (official e-Visa portal evisa.gov.tr)
Apply only through the official Republic of Türkiye portal at evisa.gov.tr. Select Sri Lanka as your country, enter your passport and travel details, confirm the supporting visa or residence permit you are relying on, pay the fee online by card, and receive the approved e-Visa by email as a PDF. Print it or keep it on your phone, and carry the supporting document itself — the e-Visa only works alongside it. Avoid third-party "visa" websites that charge inflated service fees — the government site is the only official source.
Cost & validity
For Sri Lankan citizens the e-Visa is typically a single-entry permit allowing a stay of up to 30 days, and it is valid for 180 days from issue, within which you must enter Turkey. The fee is not published as a single flat figure — it is set by nationality and shown to you only inside the application flow, so check the amount on the official site before paying and treat any figure quoted elsewhere as unreliable. Always check the validity printed on your own approved e-Visa.
Processing time
The e-Visa is usually approved quickly, often within minutes to a few hours, though it can occasionally take up to 24–48 hours. Apply at least a few days before you fly so an unexpected delay does not affect your plans. If the supporting-document condition is not one you can meet, a sticker visa from a Turkish mission takes longer — typically several working days or more — so start earlier if that is your route.
Documents needed
For the Sri Lankan e-Visa you will generally need: your passport, valid for at least 60 days beyond your stay; the still-valid Schengen, US, UK or Ireland visa or residence permit you are qualifying on; a payment card; and basic travel details. The portal also expects you to hold a return or onward ticket, a hotel reservation and at least USD 50 for each day of your stay. Immigration may ask to see any of these, so keep them handy.
At the airport
For Sri Lankan nationals the e-Visa admits you through airports only — it is not valid at land border checkpoints, so an overland arrival needs a different visa. On landing, present your passport, your approved e-Visa and the supporting visa or residence permit you qualified on; officers check all three. They may ask about your hotel, length of stay and return flight. With your documents in order, clearance is usually quick.
Apply on the official portal
The only official place to apply is the Republic of Türkiye e-Visa portal. Avoid third-party sites that charge inflated fees.
Go to evisa.gov.tr →
