Everything you need to ship to Sri Lanka in one place. We collect from your door anywhere in the UK, handle the customs paperwork, and deliver to Colombo, Kandy and beyond. Air freight in 5–8 working days, or economical sea freight in roughly 4–7 weeks, subject to space and flight availability with the carriers. These sea transit times are approximate — the actual time depends on when your LCL container finishes loading and consolidating, the vessel’s sailing date and route, any transhipment hub before the final destination, and customs clearance, so please allow a week or two either side. Shipping to Sri Lanka since 1998.
Sri Lanka is a steady diaspora route, and its returning-resident system is a little different from most: instead of a blanket exemption, you get a duty-free allowance that scales with the time you’ve spent abroad. Getting the most from it comes down to the right paperwork and a well-planned inventory. This guide brings together everything that actually matters for a UK–Sri Lanka shipment, drawn from our Heathrow-side operation and 25+ years on this route.
Not sure which service you need? Start here — each links to full details, transit times and what’s included.
A few boxes or bags, shipped door-to-door without airline excess fees. Popular with students and families sending things home.
Furniture and a whole home’s contents by sea, with the customs relief paperwork handled for you.
Moving more than a bag or two? See why shipping usually beats airline excess-baggage charges.
The fast option — your consignment flies from Heathrow to Colombo.
The economical option for volume — shared (LCL) or full-container (FCL) to the Port of Colombo.
On a budget? Compare the most economical routes and consolidation options.
Sending a few suitcases or boxes ahead? The simple, door-to-door way to get them there.
Tell us what you’re sending and where. We’ll give you a clear quote up front.
We collect from your address anywhere in the UK. No depot or airport drop-off needed.
Goods are export-packed and we prepare your itemised inventory and the customs declaration.
Air freight from Heathrow, or consolidated sea freight to the Port of Colombo.
Sri Lanka Customs assess your shipment. Your shipment is examined and valued, and the returning-resident allowance is applied.
Your goods are delivered to your Sri Lanka address, or ready to collect from the arrival depot.
Sri Lanka lets returning citizens and long-stay residents bring used personal and household effects in under a duty-free allowance — the size of which depends on how long you’ve been abroad. It’s an allowance against value rather than a blanket exemption, so it pays to plan.
Some items are prohibited and others need a permit. Declaring honestly keeps your clearance quick.
Most UK–Sri Lanka shipments clear without drama. The ones that don’t nearly always come down to the same short list:
An illustrative example of a common scenario — your quote is always to your exact shipment.
We deliver nationwide. Here are our most popular destinations — each with local delivery detail and transit times:
Air freight suits a few boxes or anything urgent — 5–8 working days, priced on weight and size. Sea freight suits volume — a room, a family’s contents or a whole home — at a fraction of the per-kilo cost, over roughly 4–7 weeks door-to-door. Many customers split the two: air for the essentials, sea for the rest.