Do I need an onward or return ticket to enter Sri Lanka via Colombo airport?
From messages by 2 participants in 2 sources · Last activity: 22 days ago
Do not rely on being waved through with a one-way ticket. As a precaution, it may be possible to book a genuine ticket departing Sri Lanka for roughly US$10.
43 days ago Genuine onward ticket — about US$10
A reservation without an issued ticket may not be sufficient: bookings are reportedly checked but not accepted as proof of onward travel.
43 days ago Unissued ticket reservation
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One practical option is to buy the cheapest refundable return ticket and cancel it after arrival if the departure date is still undecided.
22 days ago Cheapest refundable return ticket
A traveler asked whether return tickets are checked on arrival in Colombo in October. They were not asked at another Sri Lankan airport previously, but that does not guarantee the same outcome at Colombo.
Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport
For a planned stay of three to six months, a round-trip ticket with a change option is being considered as a practical choice when the return date is not yet fixed.
Changeable return ticket
When flying one-way to Sri Lanka, prepare proof of onward travel in advance, as the return-ticket question can come up at the airport.
Proof of onward travel