Sri Lanka
Digital Nomad Visa: health insurance requirements
Yes: health insurance is required
Yes. Sri Lanka's Digital Nomad Visa (launched February 2026) requires international health insurance valid in Sri Lanka as an application document; no specific minimum sum has been confirmed in the published rule. It is for remote workers earning at least $2,000 a month from outside the country (with more per dependent), runs 12 months and renews annually, and requires income to be remitted through Sri Lankan banks. The visa is new, so the process is still bedding in.
The requirements at a glance
| Minimum policy duration | Full duration of stay |
|---|---|
| Local-licensed insurer required | No: compliant international IPMI is accepted |
| Accepted proof | International health insurance valid in Sri Lanka, submitted with the application. No specific minimum coverage sum has been confirmed in the published rule; given that serious cases are evacuated to India or Singapore, a policy that includes medical evacuation is the priority. |
Age 18+, income from remote work for clients or an employer outside Sri Lanka, at least US$2,000/month (reportedly +~US$500 per dependent beyond two), remitted through the Sri Lankan banking system. 12 months, renewable annually (renewal reportedly requires Sri Lankan tax registration). Other documents include police clearance, a medical report, and a recommendation from the Ministry of Digital Economy. The practical alternative remains the tourist ETA extended in stages to about 270 days.
Our take
The visa names insurance as a required document but not a number, and the thing that should set your cover is the island's evacuation reality: the toughest cases go to India or Singapore, which runs into tens of thousands.
Insure for evacuation, not the paperwork, and confirm scooters are covered if you will ride.
What happens if you get it wrong
Without valid international health insurance covering Sri Lanka, the application is incomplete.
A policy without evacuation leaves the biggest Sri Lanka-specific risk uncovered, the off-island transfer.
Interactive
Verified pricesWhat would it cost in Sri Lanka without insurance?
You pay, out of pocket
$250–$5,000
A serious private admission or common surgery.
Bars to scale. A flight home is in another league.
That is the bill you carry alone. Insurance exists for exactly this.
See what cover costsTypical private-care estimates for illustration, not a quote. Actual bills vary by hospital, city and severity.
FAQ
Yes, international health insurance valid in Sri Lanka is a required document. No specific minimum sum has been confirmed, so insure for the real risk and prioritise evacuation cover.
At least US$2,000 a month from outside Sri Lanka (reportedly more per dependent), remitted through Sri Lankan banks.
Because the most serious cases (major trauma, intensive care, complex surgery) are sometimes flown to India or Singapore. A policy with medical evacuation is more than a formality here.
The tourist ETA, extended in stages to about 270 days, remains the simplest long-stay route; the dedicated nomad visa is new (Feb 2026) and still bedding in.
12 months, renewable annually (renewal reportedly needs Sri Lankan tax registration).
Reviewed by Lukas Schönberg, Founder & researcher, Nomad Insurance Broker OÜ
Nomad Insurance Broker OÜ (Estonia) is an information and matching platform, not currently registered as a regulated insurance intermediary in any jurisdiction. See /how-it-works for the full disclosure.
Source: immigration.gov.lkLast verified
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