Quick answer
The Australian High Commission in Colombo provides consular help to Australians in Sri Lanka, backed by the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra. It can issue emergency passports, help in serious medical situations, contact family and offer support if you are arrested, but it cannot pay bills, give legal advice or get you out of jail. Read Smartraveller before travelling, carry travel insurance and keep copies of your documents.
Key takeaways
- The Australian High Commission is in Colombo.
- The 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra handles out-of-hours emergencies.
- Consular staff can issue emergency passports and help in serious situations.
- They cannot pay medical bills, give legal advice or intervene in court cases.
- Travel insurance is essential; consular help is not a substitute.
Before you travel
Read the Smartraveller advice for Sri Lanka before booking and again before departure, and subscribe to updates. It covers safety, health, local laws and entry requirements, and it changes when conditions change.
Buy travel insurance that covers medical treatment, evacuation, cancellations and lost belongings, and check that it covers the whole trip, including any extensions. Keep the insurer's emergency number on your phone.
Make copies of your passport, ETA, insurance and bookings, stored in your email or a secure cloud folder, and leave a copy with someone at home.
If you take regular medication, carry enough for the whole trip in original packaging with a copy of the prescription. Some medicines legal in Australia are restricted in Sri Lanka, so check the rules if you are unsure.
- →Read and subscribe to Smartraveller.
- →Comprehensive travel insurance.
- →Copies of key documents.
Lost or stolen passports
If your passport is lost or stolen, report it to the local police and get a police report, which you will need for insurance and for a replacement. Then contact the Australian High Commission in Colombo to apply for an emergency or replacement passport.
An emergency passport can usually be issued quickly, but you may need to travel to Colombo, so allow time if you are in Galle or Kandy. You will also need to sort out your Sri Lankan ETA or visa status with immigration.
Lankan Stays & Trails can help arrange transport to Colombo and adjust the itinerary if a passport problem disrupts a cricket trip.
- →Report to police; get a report.
- →Contact the High Commission.
- →Allow time to travel to Colombo.
Medical emergencies
For an ambulance, dial 1990, the free ambulance service. Private hospitals in Colombo, Kandy and Galle offer good care for most problems. Contact your travel insurer as soon as possible, as they will guide treatment and payment.
In serious cases, the High Commission can help contact family, liaise with hospitals and provide information on local services. It cannot pay medical bills, which is why insurance matters.
Heat exhaustion, dengue, road accidents and stomach bugs are the most common medical problems for visitors.
- →Ambulance: 1990.
- →Private hospitals in main towns.
- →Call your insurer early.
Arrests and the law
If you are arrested, ask the police to inform the Australian High Commission. Consular staff can visit, check on your welfare, provide a list of local lawyers and contact family, but they cannot give legal advice, pay fines, or get you released.
Sri Lankan laws differ from Australia's. Drug offences carry severe penalties, disrespecting Buddhist images can lead to arrest or deportation, and fighting or drunken behaviour can lead to charges.
- →Ask police to inform the High Commission.
- →Consular staff cannot get you released.
- →Respect local laws, especially on drugs and religion.
What consular staff can and cannot do
Consular staff can issue emergency passports, help in serious medical situations, provide information on local services, contact family and help after a death or serious crime. They cannot pay bills, act as a travel agent, give legal advice, intervene in court cases or arrange visas for other countries.
For out-of-hours emergencies, contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra, whose details are on Smartraveller.
In practice, most problems on a cricket trip are solved without consular help: a hotel, a driver, an insurer or a local hospital handles them. Knowing what the High Commission can do simply helps when something serious happens.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka?
The Australian High Commission is in Colombo. Check Smartraveller for its current address, opening hours and contact details. For out-of-hours emergencies, the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra can help.
What should you do if you lose your passport in Sri Lanka?
Report the loss to the local police and get a police report, then contact the Australian High Commission in Colombo to apply for an emergency or replacement passport. You may need to travel to Colombo, and you will need to sort out your ETA status with immigration.
Can the Australian High Commission pay medical bills?
No, consular staff cannot pay medical bills. They can help contact family, liaise with hospitals and provide information in serious cases. Comprehensive travel insurance is essential to cover treatment, evacuation and other costs.
What happens if an Australian is arrested in Sri Lanka?
Ask the police to inform the Australian High Commission. Consular staff can visit, check on your welfare, provide a list of local lawyers and contact family, but they cannot give legal advice, pay fines or get you released.
What is Smartraveller?
Smartraveller is the Australian government's travel advice service. It provides country-specific advice on safety, health, local laws and entry requirements, and you can subscribe to updates. Read the Sri Lanka advice before booking and again before departure.
What is the ambulance number in Sri Lanka?
Dial 1990 for the free ambulance service in Sri Lanka, and 119 for police. Private hospitals in Colombo, Kandy and Galle offer good care. Contact your travel insurer as soon as possible after any medical emergency.
Do you need travel insurance for a cricket trip to Sri Lanka?
Yes, travel insurance is essential. Choose a policy covering medical treatment, evacuation, cancellations and lost belongings for the whole trip. Consular help is not a substitute for insurance, as consular staff cannot pay bills.
Who should you contact first if something goes wrong?
For a medical problem, contact your travel insurer and get to a hospital. For theft, report to the police. For a lost passport, arrest or serious incident, contact the Australian High Commission in Colombo, or the Consular Emergency Centre out of hours.