How to send a letter to Sri Lanka

How to address and send post to another country — the address layout, postage, delivery times and what you can and can’t send.

Sri Lanka

Sending post to Sri Lanka
Full name on envelopeRequired
Delivery time10-25 business days.
PostageLetter, Parcel, Registered, EMS (Speed Post).
Postcode5-digit postcodes (e.g., 00400, 20000).

✉️ Addressing the envelope

Address layout
Full Name
No. <House Number>, <Street>
<LOCALITY> <POSTCODE>
SRI LANKA
Example
Anushka Perera
No. 15, Galle Road
COLOMBO 00400
SRI LANKA
More examples
P.O. Box:
Kumar Singh
P.O. Box 123
KANDY 20000
SRI LANKA
Full name
Required
Full given + family name recommended.
Postcode
5-digit postcodes (e.g., 00400, 20000).
Language
Sinhala/Tamil/English; uppercase locality for international mail.

📮 Sending

Postage methods
Letter, Parcel, Registered, EMS (Speed Post).
Delivery times
10-25 business days.

⏱️ How long letters take to reach Sri Lanka

From anywhere
about 12 days (250 letters)
From USA
about 3 weeks (37 letters)
From China
about 2 weeks (30 letters)
From Germany
about 3 weeks (22 letters)
From United Kingdom
about 9 days (21 letters)

Based on letters our members logged and marked as received over the last two years, using the quicker letters on each route. A letter may arrive sooner: members don’t always mark a letter as received as soon as it arrives.

🛃 Customs and restrictions

Customs
CN22/CN23 for goods; declare contents clearly.
Restrictions
Batteries, aerosols, and other dangerous goods restricted.

💡 Tips

Write locality then postcode (e.g., COLOMBO 00400); include phone number if possible.
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