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Sri Lanka

Last update 08 November 2023Diplomatic missions

Risk index

Level 3: Increased level of risk (recommendation not to travel in certain areas of the country unless necessary)

3

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Regular passport: visa not required

Diplomatic passport: visa not required

Official passport: visa not required

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

The Republic of Bulgaria does not have a functioning Embassy in Sri Lanka. The servicing Embassy for Sri Lanka is in New Delhi, India.

Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of India
Address: 16/17 Chandragupta Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi – 110021
Telephone: +91 11 26115549; +91 11 26115551
Fax: +91 11 26876190
Emergency Mobile Number: +91 9910999498
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.mfa.bg/embassies/india

Consular Office:
Telephone for visa related information, appointments and consular matters: +91 966 776 5100
Working hours: 09:00 to 18:00 (local time)
Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday from 10:00 to 15:00 (local time) - acceptance of applications for visa and consular services; Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 12:00 to 13:00 (local time) - delivery of issued visas and consular services documents.
Appointments only by e-mail.
E-mail: [email protected]

Honorary Consul of the Republic of Bulgaria in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Mr. Andre Miles Eristius Fernando
Headquarters: Colombo
Consular District: the entire territory of Sri Lanka
Address: 66/3 Ward Place, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka
Tel. +94 7722 60809; +94 7777 37155
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

Accredited for the Republic of Bulgaria is the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Warsaw, the Republic of Poland.

Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in Warsaw, he Republic of Poland
Ulc. Niedzwiedzia 2C, 02-737 Warsaw, Poland
Phone: +48 22 853 88 96/7
Fax: +48 22 843 53 48
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.srilankaembassy.com.pl/

Honorary Consul of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in the Republic of Bulgaria
Mr. Borislav Sarandev
Headquarters: Sofia
Consular district: the entire territory of Bulgaria
Address: 1142 Sofia, "Vasil Levski" Blvd. No. 41,
Phone: + 359 888 704 210
E-mail: [email protected]

General information

Security level:

The situation in the country is relatively peaceful. There is an increased presence of armed patrols on the streets whose orders should be obeyed.
Crowded places should be avoided. The level of crime with respect to tourists is low, but there have been cases of pickpocketing and robbery, as well as occasional cases of kidnapping of foreigners. Credit card frauds are possible.

Healthcare:

Proof of yellow fever vaccination is required for persons arriving from countries where the disease is common.
Malaria is a widespread disease all over the country. Overnight stays in air-conditioned or well-isolated rooms are recommended, as well as the use of mosquito nets.
Other widespread diseases are dengue fever, leptospirosis, measles and avian influenza.
It is recommended to take out health insurance with high-risk coverage.
Only factory bottled water or boiled water and ice made from such water should be consumed during the stay in Sri Lanka. Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly and dried before consumption. Consumption of food that has not undergone heat treatment is not recommended. Unhygienic restaurants and food stalls on the street should be avoided.

Customs requirements:

Customs requirements for Sri Lanka can be downloaded from HERE.

Road traffic:

The traffic of vehicles is in the left lane of the roadway.

Practical advice:

Identity document with a photo must be carried at all times and the orders of the security forces and police must be obeyed.
It is recommended not to take pictures of military, government or VIP buildings and vehicles as this may lead to arrest.
Possession, use and distribution of drugs are subject to severe penalties.
Clothes should be tailored to local traditions and religious practices.
Temples are only visited with covered legs and shoulders and no pictures of the images of the gods are allowed; shoes are taken off upon entry.
Taking indigenous medications should be avoided when participating in traditional medicine courses — Ayurveda or yoga.

Local currency:

Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Climatic characteristics:

The climate is tropical and warm, due to the moderate influence of ocean winds. Average temperatures range from 17 °C in the central highlands, where frosts are possible for several days in winter, to 33 °C in the lowlands. Average annual temperatures range from 28 °C to 31 °C. Daytime temperatures can fluctuate from 14 to 18 °C.
Rainfall is influenced by monsoon winds from the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. The windward slopes of the central uplands receive up to 2500 mm of rainfall annually. For most of the year, the eastern, southeastern and northern districts of Sri Lanka are dry and receive between 1200 mm and 1900 mm of rain annually. Sudden storms are possible.

Travel papers and visas

Bulgarian citizens need a visa to visit Sri Lanka. A visa can be obtained upon arrival in the country (a tourist visa with right to stay for 30 days) or from the Embassy of Sri Lanka.
The passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Sri Lanka.
The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Warsaw is accredited for Bulgaria.

As of 1 January 2012, citizens of all countries with which Sri Lanka has a visa regime, including Bulgaria, planning a short-term trip to Sri Lanka for business or tourism, must register in advance in the Electronic Travel Authorization System (ETA) on the following official website: http://eta.gov.lk/slvisa/.

Information: https://www.srilanka-onlinevisa.com/visa-information 
The electronically obtained positive decision of the Sri Lankan registration authorities should be submitted to the Sri Lankan immigration authorities upon arrival in the country in order to obtain a visa. In case of a negative decision after registration with ETA, citizens should not undertake travel and contact the consular officer at the nearest Embassy of Sri Lanka.
The Electronic Travel System allows the visa fee to be paid via e-banking. The fee can also be paid upon arrival in Sri Lanka.
Upon arrival in Sri Lanka, all ETA holders will be required to present:
Return ticket (for air travel only)
Proof of sufficient funds to cover the cost of the stay in Sri Lanka.

For all other types of visas for Sri Lanka (long-stay visas, official travel of diplomatic and official passport holders, etc.) Bulgarian citizens should apply at one of the Embassies of the country.

Competitive service

What consular officers can do for you:
• Protection of the rights and interests of Bulgarian citizens, Bulgarian legal entities and persons of Bulgarian origin in India and in the other countries of accreditation — Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, in accordance with Bulgarian legislation and international treaties in force for the Republic of Bulgaria, within the limits permitted by international law and norms, as well as the legislation of India and the other countries of accreditation;
• Consulting natural persons and legal entities on matters of consular activity or of significant public interest or Bulgarian citizens in distress;
• Consulting natural persons and legal entities on the representation of their interests in investigative and judicial proceedings, in case of restrictions on entry into the territory of India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, in tracing inheritance/heirs, etc. on the territory of the countries of accreditation;
• Acceptance, processing and forwarding to the competent Bulgarian institutions applications for issuance of Bulgarian identity documents (passport, identity card and driving licence);
• Acceptance and processing of statements for declaring invalid Bulgarian identity documents; accepting invalid Bulgarian identity documents and subsequently informing the competent Bulgarian institutions;
• Acceptance and processing of applications for Emergency Travel Documents of Bulgarian citizens with lost or stolen documents and of certificates of return to Bulgaria of foreigners; issuance of replacement travel documents after obtaining the relevant permission from the competent Bulgarian institutions;
• Drawing up of Acts for established administrative violations under the Bulgarian Identity Documents Act;
• Preparation of certificates, service notes, etc. within the competence of the Embassy;
• Acceptance and processing of applications for establishing Bulgarian citizenship and personal identification number, for entering the personal identification number in the National Population Database and for choosing/changing permanent and current address in the Republic of Bulgaria;
• Acceptance and processing of applications for acquisition or restoration of Bulgarian citizenship or for release from Bulgarian citizenship;
• Acceptance and processing of civil status notifications and documents for contracting civil marriage in the Embassy;
• Performing translation and certification of the translator’s signature of civil-status documents and certification of the translator’s signature of other documents and papers in accordance with the competences laid down;
• Notarization of signatures and transcript/copies;
• Acceptance and processing of applications for Bulgarian visas;
• Providing information on the procedures and conditions for issuing visas;
• Acceptance of requests and cooperation for providing assistance to Bulgarian citizens and foreigners in distress on the territory of India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka;
• Protection of the interests of Bulgarian natural persons and legal entities in emergencies (natural disasters, terrorist attacks, etc.) and of the rights of Bulgarian citizens — victims of trafficking for sexual or other forms of exploitation, etc.;
• Providing information on Bulgarian citizens detained and/or serving custodial sentences in the territory of the countries of accreditation;
• Representing the interests of minors and under-aged children, and persons of limited capacity, persons with disabilities within the framework of international norms and the legislation of India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka;
• Tracing Bulgarian citizens or persons of Bulgarian origin in the territory of India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka at the request of Bulgarian natural persons or legal entities in the presence of a legitimate interest and within the framework of international norms and legislation of these countries;
• Rendering assistance to the crews of sea and river vessels sailing under the flag of the Republic of Bulgaria and to aircrafts registered in the Republic of Bulgaria, within the framework of international norms and the legislation of the host countries; if necessary — accepting ship sailing declarations, formalising ship documents and settling of disputes between the master, commanding staff, seamen and passengers, insofar as this is provided for by the legislation of the Republic of Bulgaria;
• Providing information on injured, detained, deceased or killed Bulgarian citizens on the territory of India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka;
• Providing information on the procedures and documents required and provide assistance for repatriation to Bulgaria or for carrying out a funeral/burial in these countries in case of death of a Bulgarian citizen;
• In cases of arrest — visit of the consular official to the detained Bulgarian citizen; provide information and assistance to the relatives of the detained person to visit him/her in prison; make efforts to ensure the same treatment of the detained Bulgarian citizen as the citizens of the host country;
• Providing up-to-date information when travelling to and from countries of accreditation;
• Acceptance of requests for access to public information and providing information on matters relating to Bulgarian identity documents (passport, identity card and driving licence), on the possibilities of restoring or acquiring Bulgarian citizenship, on civil status, on citizenship issues, apostilles, legalizations, translation of documents and certification of the signature of the translator, etc. notarial activities in accordance with the competences laid down;
• In exceptional cases of Bulgarian citizens in distress and after their relatives have deposited the necessary amount at the cash desk of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy will pay the person the corresponding amount.

European Emergency Travel Document

In case of emergency (lost passport), Bulgarian citizens can seek on-the-spot assistance from a diplomatic mission of any EU Member State to obtain a travel document.

Certifications and legalizations

In order to be valid in Bulgaria and to be able to serve before the Bulgarian institutions, all documents issued by the authorities in Sri Lanka to Bulgarian citizens must bear the stamp of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Then, they need to be certified by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in New Delhi, India. Electronic document verification is also available. The signature and certifications of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in New Delhi are certified by the Consular Office of the Embassy of Bulgaria in the capital of India.
Once the documents have been so prepared, they must be translated into Bulgarian by an authorized company in Bulgaria and certified by the Department of Certifications and Legalizations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.

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