The Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo, at 26 Sir Marcus Fernando Road in Colombo 7, handles Thai visas for Sri Lanka and the Maldives. It no longer takes applications in person. Everyone applies and pays online at thaievisa.go.th, and the embassy published new processing times on 4 September 2026: 3 to 7 working days for a Sri Lankan tourist visa once the file is complete.
Sri Lankan passport holders should plan on needing a visa. Sri Lanka is not on any of the exemption or visa-on-arrival lists that took effect on 15 September 2026, and the embassy's own September 2026 notice sets out processing times for "Tourist Visa applications for Sri Lankan passport holders".
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official name | Royal Thai Embassy, Colombo |
| Address | No. 26, Sir Marcus Fernando Road, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka |
| Phone | +94 11 752 9500 to 9503 |
| Fax | +94 11 752 9504 |
| Consular and visa email | [email protected] |
| General email | [email protected] |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 08:30-12:00 and 13:00-16:30 |
| Countries covered | Sri Lanka and the Maldives |
| How to apply | Online only, at thaievisa.go.th, including payment |
| Stated processing time | Sri Lankan tourist visa: 3-7 working days after a complete application; longer for Non-Immigrant, DTV and resident foreigners |
| Fees (LKR, since 8 Oct 2024) | Tourist 12,000 single / 60,000 multiple; Non-Immigrant 24,000 single; DTV 120,000 (read 27 Sep 2026) |
Who This Embassy Serves
The embassy's e-Visa page puts it this way: "Foreign nationals in Sri Lanka and Maldives wishing to get a visa to Thailand must submit their visa application and make the relevant payment through the online e-visa system." In practice that means:
- Sri Lankan citizens applying for any Thai visa
- Maldivian citizens who need a visa (for example for study, work or a DTV)
- Foreigners living in Sri Lanka or the Maldives with a valid work or residence permit
For DTV applicants the embassy is narrower. Its notice to DTV applicants says they "must be holders of a Sri Lankan or Maldivian passport, or foreign nationals holding a valid residence visa or residence permit in Sri Lanka or the Maldives". Everyone else should apply at the mission covering their place of residence.
Do You Need a Visa?
Sri Lankan citizens: plan on yes. Four Interior Ministry announcements in the Royal Gazette of 31 August 2026 set the rules from 15 September 2026. Sri Lanka is not among the 60 countries with a 30-day exemption, and Visa on Arrival now covers only Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia. Sri Lanka was on the 60-day visa-exemption list from July 2024, but that scheme ended on 14 September 2026 and Sri Lanka is not on the new 30-day list, so websites that still describe visa-free entry for Sri Lankans are out of date. It has no bilateral exemption for ordinary passports on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs list either. The embassy's September 2026 notice treats Sri Lankan tourists as visa applicants. Apply for an e-Visa before you travel, and confirm with [email protected] if anything about your case is unclear.
Thai Immigration Division 1's published criteria also cap tourism extensions at 7 days for Sri Lankan nationals, so get a visa that covers the whole trip.
Maldivian citizens are on the 30-day exemption list since 15 September 2026. They can visit for tourism for up to 30 days without a visa, with one extension of up to 30 days for 1,900 THB at a Thai immigration office. See visa exemption and the 30-day rule change.
Other foreigners in Sri Lanka or the Maldives follow the rules for their own passport. Most Western passports get 30 days visa-free.
When you need a visa, the options are:
- Tourist Visa (TR), 60 days per entry
- Non-Immigrant B (business, work), ED (study), O (family, retirement)
- Destination Thailand Visa (DTV): since 31 August 2026 a criminal record certificate is also required
- Not sure? Try the visa finder.
How to Apply
- Create an account at thaievisa.go.th and select the Royal Thai Embassy, Colombo.
- Upload the documents the portal lists for your visa type. Foreign residents should include their Sri Lankan or Maldivian work or residence permit.
- Pay online in the e-Visa system. The embassy no longer accepts applications or payments at the counter.
- Watch your email. The embassy may ask for more documents, and some applicants are called for an interview case by case.
- Print the approved e-Visa and carry it with your passport.
The embassy's step-by-step guide to the portal is linked from its e-Visa page. For a general walk-through, see our Thailand e-Visa guide.
Processing times (embassy notice, 4 September 2026)
| Application | Stated time |
|---|---|
| Tourist visa, Sri Lankan passport | 3-7 working days from a complete application |
| Non-Immigrant visas and DTV | "Additional processing time may be required" |
| Foreign residents of Sri Lanka or the Maldives | "Additional processing time may be required" |
Visa Fees (Sri Lankan Rupees)
From the embassy's fee announcement, effective 8 October 2024 and still the schedule on its fee page:
| Visa | Validity | Fee (LKR) |
|---|---|---|
| Transit (1-4 entries) | 3 months | 9,600 per entry |
| Tourist, single entry | 3 months | 12,000 |
| Tourist, multiple entries | 6 months | 60,000 |
| Non-Immigrant (ED, F, B, IB, O, M), single entry | 3 months | 24,000 |
| Non-Immigrant, multiple entries | 1 year | 60,000 |
| Non-Immigrant ED Plus, single entry | 3 months | 24,000 |
| Non-Immigrant B, multiple entries | 3 years | 120,000 |
| Non-Immigrant O-A, multiple entries | 1 year | 60,000 |
| Non-Immigrant O-X, multiple entries | 5 years | 120,000 |
| SMART visa | 1-4 years | 120,000 per year |
| DTV, multiple entries | 5 years | 120,000 |
| LTR, multiple entries | 10 years | 420,000 |
| Legalisation | 6,000 |
Read 27 Sep 2026. The validity column is how long the visa can be used to enter, not how long you may stay.
Practical Notes
Use only the official channels. The embassy's notice ends by telling applicants to rely only on its own Facebook page (RTEColombo) and Instagram (thaiembassysrilanka) for updates.
The old appointment system is gone. An "Online Visa Appointment System" announcement is still on the site from before the e-Visa. Visa applications are no longer taken in person.
Holiday list is out of date. The embassy's working-hours page still shows its 2022 holiday list. Call +94 11 752 9500 before visiting for legalisation or other counter services.
Before you fly. File the Thailand Digital Arrival Card within 3 days before arrival and carry proof of funds (20,000 THB per person, 40,000 THB per family), plus your return ticket. See financial requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Sri Lankans need a visa for Thailand?
Plan on yes. Sri Lanka is not on the 30-day exemption list or the visa-on-arrival list in force since 15 September 2026, and the Colombo embassy's September 2026 notice gives processing times for Sri Lankan tourist visa applications. Apply online at thaievisa.go.th before travelling.
Can Sri Lankans get a Thai visa on arrival?
No. Visa on Arrival is limited to Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia, and Sri Lanka was not on the previous VOA list either. Until 14 September 2026 Sri Lankans had a 60-day visa exemption; that scheme has ended, and Sri Lanka is not on the new 30-day list. Apply for an e-Visa.
How long does a Thai tourist visa take in Colombo?
3 to 7 working days for Sri Lankan passport holders, counted from the date all required documents are complete and submitted. Non-Immigrant visas, the DTV and applications from foreign residents may take longer.
How much is a Thai tourist visa in Sri Lanka?
LKR 12,000 for a single-entry tourist visa and LKR 60,000 for a six-month multiple-entry tourist visa, under the fee schedule in force since 8 October 2024. The DTV costs LKR 120,000.
Does the Thai embassy in Colombo cover the Maldives?
Yes. The embassy's e-Visa page covers "foreign nationals in Sri Lanka and Maldives". Maldivian citizens do not need a visa for a tourist trip of up to 30 days.
Can I get a DTV at the Thai embassy in Colombo?
Only if you hold a Sri Lankan or Maldivian passport, or a valid residence visa or permit in Sri Lanka or the Maldives. Since 31 August 2026 DTV applicants also need a criminal record certificate.
Sources
- Royal Thai Embassy, Colombo: Contact us
- Royal Thai Embassy, Colombo: e-Visa (updated 21 Sep 2026)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Colombo: New Visa Measures (4 Sep 2026)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Colombo: Notice to DTV visa applicants
- Royal Thai Embassy, Colombo: Visa fee (announcement effective 8 October 2024)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Colombo: Working hours and holidays
- MFA: Updates on the Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival, July 2024 (previous lists)
- MFA Department of Consular Affairs: Bilateral visa exemption list, ordinary passports
- Thai Immigration Bureau, Immigration Division 1: Visa extension criteria
- TAT Newsroom: New 30-day and 15-day visa exemption rules from 15 September 2026
