There is no single 'show money' figure for a tourist visa. Each embassy works backwards from your itinerary — how many days, what kind of cities, are you self-funded or hosted, and what the country's per-day cost benchmark is. This guide gives Sri Lankan tourist visa applicants the actual figures used by embassies in Colombo, the formulas they apply, and the safe-zone amounts to keep in your account before lodging.
How Embassies Actually Calculate Tourist Visa Show Money
Almost every consulate works on the same internal logic, even when they don't publish it:
- Take the official daily budget figure for the country (e.g. EUR 50/day for Schengen)
- Multiply by the number of days in your itinerary
- Add return airfare and accommodation if not pre-paid
- Add a 30–50% buffer to demonstrate comfortable affordability
- Compare that total to your bank balance — if your balance is below it, you'll be queried or refused
Sri Lankan applicants often calculate based only on hotel and flights, forgetting daily food/transport budgets and embassy-buffer amounts. The result: a balance that 'covers the trip' on paper but fails the embassy's affordability test.
Tourist Visa Show Money by Country: 2026 Reference Table
Figures below are minimums for a self-funded Sri Lankan tourist applicant. If you are sponsored, your sponsor must show double these amounts.
| Country | Daily benchmark | 10-day trip target balance | Source-of-funds threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schengen (most countries) | EUR 50–100 | EUR 700–1,400 (~LKR 230k–460k) | EUR 3,000+ (LKR 1M+) |
| United Kingdom | GBP 100–150 | GBP 1,000–1,500 (~LKR 400k–600k) | GBP 5,000+ (LKR 2M+) |
| United States (B-2) | USD 200/day | USD 2,000–3,000 (~LKR 640k–960k) | USD 8,000+ (LKR 2.5M+) |
| Canada | CAD 150/day | CAD 1,500 (~LKR 350k) | CAD 6,000+ (LKR 1.4M+) |
| Australia | AUD 200/day | AUD 2,000 (~LKR 420k) | AUD 8,000+ (LKR 1.7M+) |
| Japan | JPY 10,000–15,000/day | JPY 100,000–150,000 (~LKR 220k–330k) | JPY 500,000+ (LKR 1M+) |
| South Korea | KRW 100,000/day | KRW 1,000,000 (~LKR 240k) | KRW 5,000,000+ (LKR 1.2M+) |
| Singapore | SGD 100/day | SGD 1,000 (~LKR 240k) | SGD 5,000+ (LKR 1.2M+) |
| Malaysia | MYR 200–300/day | MYR 2,500 (~LKR 180k) | MYR 8,000+ (LKR 590k+) |
| Thailand | THB 1,500/day | THB 15,000 (~LKR 140k) | THB 50,000+ (LKR 470k+) |
| UAE / Dubai | AED 250/day | AED 2,500 (~LKR 220k) | AED 10,000+ (LKR 870k+) |
| China | CNY 600/day | CNY 6,000 (~LKR 270k) | CNY 25,000+ (LKR 1.1M+) |
| New Zealand | NZD 150/day | NZD 1,500 (~LKR 290k) | NZD 6,000+ (LKR 1.2M+) |
| Turkey | USD 100/day | USD 1,000 (~LKR 320k) | USD 4,000+ (LKR 1.3M+) |
| Saudi Arabia (Tourist) | SAR 350/day | SAR 3,500 (~LKR 300k) | SAR 15,000+ (LKR 1.3M+) |
All LKR conversions use mid-2026 exchange rates and are indicative. The 'source-of-funds threshold' column is the comfortable bank balance that satisfies most consulates without further questioning.
Schengen Tourist Visas: Country-by-Country Daily Rates
Schengen daily budget figures vary by country, even though the visa itself is the same. The consulate where you apply uses its own country's published rate.
| Schengen Country | Published daily rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| France | EUR 65/day (with hotel) or EUR 120 (without) | Hotel reservation reduces required daily amount |
| Germany | EUR 45/day | Strictest on documentation but lower daily figure |
| Italy | EUR 44.93/day (single) | Officially published in MoFA tables |
| Spain | EUR 113/day (2024+ figure) | Highest published Schengen daily rate |
| Netherlands | EUR 55/day | Plus accommodation if not paid |
| Switzerland | CHF 100/day | Not Schengen show money — separate Swiss visa requirement |
| Portugal | EUR 75/day (first day) + EUR 40/each additional | Tiered rate |
| Austria | EUR 50/day | Plus accommodation |
| Sweden | SEK 450/day (~EUR 40) | Lower threshold than central Schengen |
| Denmark | DKK 350/day (~EUR 47) | |
| Greece | EUR 50/day | |
| Hungary | HUF 32,000/day (~EUR 80) | Higher than central European average |
| Poland | PLN 300/day (~EUR 70) |
If you apply through a consulate with a high daily rate (Spain, Hungary), expect to demonstrate a higher balance even if your trip is mostly elsewhere in Schengen. Choose your application country thoughtfully — it must be your main destination, but where two destinations are equal you can pick the friendlier one.
United Kingdom: Standard Visitor Visa
The UK does not publish a daily figure but UKVI internally benchmarks at GBP 100–150 per day for unsponsored visitors in London and GBP 80–100 elsewhere. The 28-day rule applies — your closing balance must be held for 28 consecutive days before the application date.
- 7–10 day London trip: balance of GBP 1,500+ recommended
- 14-day UK trip: balance of GBP 2,500–3,000 recommended
- Frequent visitor (multiple trips planned): GBP 5,000+ shows ongoing capacity
- Sponsored visit (UK host): host must show GBP 4,000+ and provide invitation letter
United States: B-2 Tourist Visa
The US Embassy in Colombo emphasises home ties over absolute balance, but the bank balance still has to make the trip credible. For a Sri Lankan applicant, USD 8,000–10,000 is a comfortable benchmark for a 2-week trip. First-time US visa applicants should aim higher — USD 12,000+.
Australia: Subclass 600 Visitor Visa
Australia weights both balance and home ties. AUD 8,000–10,000 is a typical benchmark for self-funded 2-week visits. First-time applicants should aim for AUD 12,000+ to overcome the GTE-style assessment that Subclass 600 includes.
Canada: Visitor Visa (TRV)
IRCC examines bank balance as one of several factors. CAD 6,000+ is the typical comfort threshold for a 2-week visit. Family-sponsored visits to Canada need the host's bank statements (CAD 30,000+) plus an invitation letter.
Japan, South Korea, Singapore: Asia Travel Hubs
These three are among the easier visas for Sri Lankans when documentation is clean.
- Japan: LKR 1M+ in savings, 6 months of statements, employment letter — the visa is approved in most well-prepared cases
- South Korea: LKR 1M+ in savings; previous Schengen/UK/US travel is a major plus
- Singapore: more lenient — LKR 600k+ with 3 months statements is often sufficient for a short trip
Thailand, Malaysia, UAE: Easier Tourist Visas
Thailand and Malaysia have visa-on-arrival or e-visa schemes for Sri Lankans, but the embassies still want financial proof at entry or for pre-issued visas.
- Thailand: THB 20,000 cash equivalent per person on arrival, plus bank statement copies for e-visa
- Malaysia: MYR 1,000 per day is the cash-on-hand benchmark; LKR 300k+ in savings is comfortable
- UAE: visa is sponsorship-based, but for self-arranged tourist e-visa you need LKR 800k+ in savings, 3 months statements
Sponsored Tourist Visas: How Much the Sponsor Needs to Show
If a friend or family member abroad is sponsoring you, the embassy will assess their finances rather than yours. The general rule: the sponsor must show 2–3 times the amount you would have shown as a self-funded applicant.
- UK family sponsor: 6 months of UK bank statements with GBP 4,000+ closing balance
- US relative sponsor: USD 15,000+ on bank statements + Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support)
- Schengen host: EUR 5,000+ on 3 months of statements + obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung in Germany)
- Australian relative: AUD 15,000+ on 6 months of statements + Form 1149 (sponsor declaration where applicable)
- Canadian host: CAD 15,000+ on 6 months of statements + invitation letter
Holding Period Rules: How Long the Money Must Stay
- UK: 28 consecutive days minimum (the 28-day rule)
- Schengen: 3 months of statements with consistent balance
- US: 6 months of consistent banking — sudden deposits are flagged
- Australia: 3–6 months of statements, with stable balance
- Canada: 6 months of statements; large deposits need source documentation
- Japan/Korea: 3 months of statements is typical
- UAE/Asia: 3 months of statements
Common Sri Lankan Tourist Visa Mistakes Around Show Money
- Borrowing money from family the week before applying — instant red flag
- Closing the balance to zero between visa approval and travel — affects future applications
- Showing only a savings account with no current account activity — looks parked, not real
- Calculating only flights and hotel, not daily food/transport budget
- Sponsored visa applicant who also shows their own bank statements with low balance — pick one financial story
- Not converting LKR to the destination currency on the cover letter — adds friction
- Missing tax returns when balance is high — embassies want source explanation
Quick Decision Helper: How Much Should You Have?
If you're not sure how much to keep in the account, use this rule of thumb: the destination's daily benchmark × your trip length × 2.5 buffer. Examples:
- 10-day Schengen trip: EUR 75/day × 10 × 2.5 = EUR 1,875 minimum (~LKR 620k)
- 7-day UK trip: GBP 120/day × 7 × 2.5 = GBP 2,100 minimum (~LKR 840k)
- 14-day US trip: USD 200/day × 14 × 2.5 = USD 7,000 minimum (~LKR 2.2M)
- 5-day UAE trip: AED 250/day × 5 × 2.5 = AED 3,125 minimum (~LKR 270k)
Always round up the buffer. A balance that exactly matches the formula often signals 'just enough to qualify' to the case officer. Aim for 30–50% above the minimum to feel like a comfortable traveller rather than a stretching one.
How ShowMoneyLK Helps Tourist Visa Applicants
Tourist visa show money is what we do most. We help Sri Lankan applicants arrange bank-verified balances in BOC, Sampath, HNB, Commercial, and other embassy-accepted banks — sized to the destination, the duration, and the consulate. We prepare bank balance confirmation letters, source of funds letters, and the supporting documentation each consulate in Colombo expects to see.
Planning a tourist visa application? WhatsApp us for a free consultation — we'll calculate the exact show money amount your destination consulate expects and help you arrange it within 24 hours.
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