How to apply for an Indian visa in Sri-Lanka.
Here are the necessary information to make your INDIAN VISA IN SRI LANKA, office of Colombo. On my case, it’s for French person.
This information date of May 2019,modalities can change quickly … so take in consideration the date of this post.
Other offices than Colombo exist in Sri Lanka, having not experienced them, I will tell you about that of the capital.
First of all, it’s important to know if you are going to Sri Lanka and you intend to return to India later (which is very likely if you come here to make your visa): you need proof of exit from India. Once you ll return to India after your visit to Sri Lanka,you ll need to prove that you are coming out of India after this return.
To be clear, you need a plane ticket from India.
Example: You arrive in Sri Lanka from June 5th to June 15th.
You return to India from June 15th to August 15th.
You need proof of exit from India this August 15th. An airline ticket booked on this date is proof of leaving the country.
And if you do not have a date and therefore no exit ticket from India ?
Do not panic! This is our case, especially because we are travelling by road.
A very useful site, http://returnflights.net/, generates plane tickets with your own information.This service is free and you can print your ticket by yourself.
This proof of departure will be required upon check-in at the airport and immigration.
Without it, you ll have to buy a ticket, it’s already happened to friends, they spend a bad moment!
Well, back to our visas!
First, WHERE?
At the Indian Visa Center >> 129 Philip Gunawardena Mawatha, Colombo 00500, Sri Lanka. Open from 9am for visa applications.
WHAT ARE THE DOCUMENTS TO BE PROVIDED?
– online form
-FAX reference form
– 2 Photos size Indian visa
– Photocopy:
-passport
-current or previous Indian visa (if applicable)
-Sri Lankan Visa
-An address in India AND Sri Lanka (any hotel address found on the internet does the trick)
– Return flight ticket from Sri Lanka to India. For your online form and your FAX form, you can go to one of the small offices in front of the visa center. For few rupees, someone fill you both your forms and prints them to you. You can also make photocopies and photos. The person also checks that your file is complete. I advise this service. For around 500 rupees, it gives you a quieter mind ..
WHAT IS THE COST ?
For a tourist visa 6 months with two entries it cost me 19 000 Sri Lankan rupees, about 100 euros.
WHAT ARE THE DELAYS ?
Really boring, you have to go to the office several times …
Example: Deposit of the application on March 6th, deposit of the passport on March 10th, come to recover the visa on March 15th.
Count to MINIMUM 7 working days. I advise you to take a little wider for your plane reservation.
And think about that for your itinerary / program, it is necessary to return 4 days after your deposit of application to deposit your passport.
Here is Nothing very complicated so. Predict a money, time and a complete file. Sri-Lanka is a jewel so it’s not hard to find occupation while waiting.