Govt. slow in resuming dual citizenship

Sri Lankan authorities continue to receive a spate of inquiries about the status of dual citizenship, the granting of which was suspended by the Government more than two years ago.  A notice on the official website of the Department of Immigration and Emigration has remained unchanged for many months: “Acceptance of Dual Citizenship applications are temporary [sic] discontinued until further notice”.

The Government has already said it will reintroduce the facility after changes to the relevant laws. The Cabinet has granted its approval but amendments have been a long time coming. Yesterday, Immigration and Emigration Controller General W.A.C. Perera said he had the same answer he did three months ago — that the Legal Draftsman’s Department had directed the proposed amendments to the Attorney General’s Department for observations.

The Sunday Times reliably learns that the AG’s Department has now sent its observations to the Legal Draftsman. While the public are still not privy to what has been suggested, it is widely anticipated that an applicant would have to pay more than he did before for the dual citizenship. New conditions are likely to be introduced.

With the status quo still murky, a large number of Sri Lankan origin people abroad expressed their frustration at not being able to proceed with their applications. Others said they had lodged their documents “a long time ago” and were still waiting. Among this group were aged parents who fretted about not being able to settle their property — that is, transfer it to their “foreign” children — before they passed away. For instance, one 75-year-old public official said he wanted his 40-year-old son (an Australian citizen) to inherit his assets but could do nothing about it. He said he was worried by it.

Interestingly, none of the people interviewed for this article agreed to being named. One person, who wished only to be identified as “a Tamil man from Toronto” said his mother owned land in Mullaitiviu and did not know what to do with it. “I don’t think she can write it off to me since I’m not a citizen,” he said. “I haven’t looked at the legal aspects in depth yet.”

A former Sri Lankan national living in Britain said she was disappointed she could not have dual citizenship and had to apply for a visa each time she visited. She is a Muslim, married to an Englishman. They have a young son. “Selling property or handing it over to children is a problem that my mother is faced with,” she said. “I couldn’t bring my own savings to Britain because I was a resident here. It is very complicated and frustrating.”

“It has also put us off investing in Sri Lanka for fear that it may not be easy to take our investment out when we want to,” she continued. “This was something we considered when my husband took redundancy three years ago.”A Sri Lankan origin mother-of-two in Germany said her father in Sri Lanka could not leave any property to her because her children would not be able to get dual citizenship. She faced an additional problem: “Germany won’t allow dual citizenship either. So I had to turn down my father’s offer of building a house on a prime piece of land in Sri Lanka last year. We were all a bit disappointed and I can’t understand why the Sri Lankan government wants to shut people out.”

“Most of the older people I know already have dual citizenship so they don’t have a problem,” she elaborated. “I think it is people of our generation who are considering settling down in Sri Lanka for retirement and bringing all their foreign currency with them that have the problem because they can’t hand down their property to the children anymore.”A permanent resident of Canada who has retained her Sri Lankan citizenship said her mother — who is now a Canadian passport holder — was frustrated at not being able to request dual citizenship. “She even wrote to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is an old friend, but got no response,” she said.

Another Canadian citizen, a Sinhalese, said she was less concerned about property than about her right to choose. Her parents are retired and live in Sri Lanka. “Life is about making choices,” she reflected. “For us to make choices, we must have options.”“I did choose to leave Sri Lanka and start a life elsewhere,” she continued. “When I took up citizenship, I was under the impression that I was entitled to dual citizenship. I did not know that my original citizenship had been revoked the day I took my second citizenship and that I would have to reapply for citizenship.”

“Secondly,” she said, “I did not know that one day I would not be able to do so. It impacts a lot of individuals in various ways, whether it concerns family or property. In my case, I am an only child with aging parents and I would like to be able to go back and take care of them when the time comes. And when they do ‘cross over’, I would like to be able to continue living in my house as a Sri Lankan citizen.”

“If I do choose to leave, I would like to have the option of inheriting what my family has left for me without being penalised for it,” she said. “From a Government standpoint, I understand that it may see the Sri Lankans who left as being of no benefit to the country anymore. Many leave just to be able to provide a better life for the family left back in Sri Lanka.”

But, she said, it was not the Government’s place to take that option away. “They need to give people options, and if it means attaching some conditions to the option so that it is lucrative to the Government, so be it.” A lot of Sri Lankans had fled the country because of the war. This woman said it was now unfair to deprive them of their property rights. “The war meant that there was no light at the end of the tunnel for so many,” she explained. “Their objective was to get out, not to liquidate assets. Now, post-war, the Government has changed policies and left a large population unable to sort out their property matters. It is not right for the Government to extort victims of a war-torn economy, post-war.”

A Sri Lankan origin Tamil living in Australia said she had once been interested in getting dual citizenship but was “quite turned off by it all now, if they are going to make this process so unnecessarily difficult”. “For me, it’s not so much about the handing over of property or investing,” she explained. “It’s purely so I have the option of returning to take care of my parents should the need arise. I have thought about coming back to Sri Lanka and working for a few years, being close to family. Now that seems like a distant dream.” Another woman recently moved back to Sri Lanka with her husband and two children. All are of Sri Lankan origin but now hold British passports. “We have to apply for visas every year,” she said. “My husband’s company gives him a work visa but I have to apply under the ex-Sri Lankan category. And under this category, I cannot work or even volunteer. Very sad.”

The suspension of dual citizenship has also affected investment. A senior corporate sector lawyer said he had clients who wanted to return and invest here but cannot.  It would seem that Immigration and Emigration Department officials would be happiest to see dual citizenship back. According to what they have told some of the sources interviewed here, they get yelled at “by angry, upset, people”. And others in the public sector also get no end of inquiries.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/140330/news/govt-slow-in-resuming-dual-citizenship-90931.html

Wigneswaran wants dual nationality for diaspora

Northern province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran stressed the need to give 'dual nationality' to members of the diaspora so that they could return to Sri Lanka and participate in post-war rebuilding work.

He made this request on Thursday while addressing the National Conference on Post-war Socio-Economic Development of the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
While being cautious about possible implications of such a move, Mr. Wigneswaran highlighted the importance of a transparent screening process to address any security concerns in such an eventuality.

“The diaspora is a competitive resource we need to capitalise on. They have the technical knowhow and the resources to contribute towards postwar rebuilding. They have the socio-cultural links with their motherland and also genuine interest, which are important ingredients to foster the transfer of knowledge and technical know-how. The government does not have the financial resources and professional technical input or knowledge capital to contribute towards an effective post-war recovery process. We need to adopt strategies that would facilitate the participation of the diaspora and lead to a ‘brain gain’ situation. However, for diaspora professionals to come over and participate in the post-war recovery processes we need to have pragmatic, meaningful structures and modalities in place to ensure their security, safety, motivation and participation. How can we encourage the return of diaspora members when we take steps to prohibit dual nationality (except in the case of a privileged few),” he asked.

However, Mr. Wigneswaran hailed President Mahinda Rajapaksa for having accommodated his request to facilitate the early disbursement of donor money from those living abroad.

“On a positive note, during my recent discussions with the President, in the presence of his Secretary, the Treasury Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary, we discussed the mutual benefits that could be reaped by the Central Government and the Northern Provincial Council by allowing a smooth flow of funds from our brethren abroad, through State organs. One of the difficulties faced by us is the delay in donor monies reaching us. Since valuable foreign currency can flow into the coffers of the State, I said it must ensure the speedy delivery of equivalent local currency to the periphery. The President and his advisors were seemingly very accommodative saying that so long as the donations are approved in advance by the State the passage of the finances to their ultimate destination will be unhindered. This is a positive move and I remain hopeful that we could progress on this front,” he said.Mr. Wigneswaran said a comprehensive needs-assessment of all the sectors was required when dealing with post-war challenges. (Kelum Bandara)

Source:http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/43148-wigneswaran-wants-dual-nationality-for-diaspora.html

Legal Draftsman dilly dallies over new dual citizenship laws

Sri Lanka’s much awaited new dual citizenship scheme has been held up at the Legal Draftsman’s office for the past one year adversely affecting the Immigration and Emigration office processing applications from expatriates seeking dual citizenship.

Immigration and Emigration Controller Chulananda Perera said they were awaiting approval from the Legal Draftsman’s office from the middle of last year to go ahead with the dual citizenship scheme.

“We need to amend Section 14 of the Immigration Act to accommodate the changes in the new procedure,” he said adding that the Legal Draftsman is yet to put together the draft Amendment for approval.

Following the dawn of peace in the country, the Sri Lankan expatriate community is eagerly waiting to obtain dual citizenship to become partners in the country’s development and make any contribution within their reach but the delay in implementing the new procedure has dampened their enthusiasm.

The draft law had been referred to the Attorney General for his perusal and fine-tuning and was returned within one month to the Immigration office with adjustments to be sent to the Legal Draftsman.

A Sri Lankan holding citizenship of another country will be granted permanent residency for five years before he becomes eligible for dual citizenship under the new scheme.

Details need to be submitted on how he or she obtained the citizenship of the other country and the intention to seek dual citizenship in Sri Lanka to process his application.

The issue of dual citizenship has been suspended since early 2011, in view of the new measures to be adopted to streamline this facility which is misused by some expatriates.

source:http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2013/10/20/new02.asp

Dual citizenship for expat Sri Lankans hangs in the balance

Sri Lanka’s Department of Immigration & Emigration (DIE) and the office of the Legal Draftsman are at loggerheads over the new amendments to the Dual Citizenship Act.

'Ceylon Today' reported that the two departments are forwarding papers to and fro, between their offices, while having a disagreement as to how the new amendments could be accommodated.

In an interesting twist to the year-long drawn out amendment, it is learnt that the two departments have also lost track as to where the documents are at present.

While the Controller, DIE, Chulananda Perera, said the draft amendment to the Dual Citizenship Act is still with the Legal Draftsman and they are awaiting his observations, the Legal Draftsman, GAS de Silva, said he had sent the observations to the DIE.

Dual Citizenship for Sri Lankans living overseas was suspended on January 28, 2011. While many applicants are anxiously waiting to obtain dual citizenship, the DIE is waiting for the new amendments to the Act so as to proceed with processing the applications.

According to the DIE, the amendments are not feasible to be incorporated into the Citizenship Act. Earlier, dual citizenship was covered under the Citizenship Act. However, the current procedure where applicants are given visas for five years enabling them to live in Sri Lanka during that period, and which period is considered as a term of probation for the applicants, apparently does not fit into the Citizenship Act.

"The new system to grant dual citizenship will initially be akin to granting a visa, and therefore, will not fit into the Citizenship Act," DIE Deputy Controller, Harsha Ilukpitiya said.

"The Legal Draftsman's office has incorporated this amendment under the Citizenship Act, which is not appropriate" he added.

The process explaining the process that has taken over a year to be implemented, while officials tasked to formulate the conditions for dual citizenship continue to shuffle their feet, Ilukpitiya said: "Following the discontinuation of granting dual citizenship in January 2011, a new system to grant dual citizenship to Sri Lankans living overseas was prepared under the guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The amendments had been carefully vetted by a four-member committee and submitted to the Cabinet on 11 January 2012. The Cabinet granted approval for the new amendments on 12 April 2012, and the preliminary draft which was finalized on 16 July 2012, was sent to the Legal Draftsman's office for approval the next day, through the Ministry of Defence, as is the required protocol."

Source:http://www.emirates247.com/news/sri-lanka/dual-citizenship-for-expat-sri-lankans-hangs-in-the-balance-2013-02-27-1.496602

Strict formula for dual citizenship

Rs. 200,000 fee to be paid in two installments : 

The Immigration and Emigration Department will begin processing dual citizenship under a strict formula within the next three months.
Controller of Immigration and Emigration Chulananda Perera told the Sunday Observer that under the new criteria a Sri Lankan holding citizenship of another country will be granted permanent residency for five years before he becomes eligible for dual citizenship.
“This will be the norm for all categories of applicants in the future,” he said.
Sri Lankans living elsewhere need to submit details on how he or she obtained the citizenship of the other country and the intention to seek dual citizenship in Sri Lanka to process his application.
The information supplied will be verified from the Sri Lankan missions overseas and evaluated by a panel of officials representing the Immigration and Emigration Department and other state stakeholder institutions before the permanent residency and citizenship is finally granted.
The new system at a revised fee of Rs.200,000 to be paid in two installments during the permanent residency and citizenship applications procedure received the green light from the Cabinet recently.
Amendments to the current legislation, for instance Section 14 of the Immigration Act which restricts the visa for five years, is needed to give effect to the new set of regulations that govern the issuance of future dual citizenship.
“We have already drafted the amendments and presented them to the Legal Draftsman for fine-tuning,” Perera said adding that he was hopeful that the legal barriers would be cleared for implementation within the next three months.
The issue of dual citizenship was suspended since early last year in view of the new procedure being drafted.

Source:Sunday Observer

Sri Lankan Dual citizenship - 35,000 people under review

Dual citizenship granted to some 35,000 Sri Lankans living overseas has come under review as the authorities plan to tighten the screening process before granting this facility to applicants, a senior official said yesterday.

Immigration and Emigration Controller W. A. Chulananda Perera said only those with loyalty to their country of birth and who abide by the rules of the land by paying their taxes would be granted this facility.
He said that under a 1987 amendment to the Dual Citizenship Act, the Defence Ministry retained the power to cancel the dual citizenship to an individual at any time if he or she fell short of specified requirements to enjoy such a facility.

“For example, there are families that are forced to live abroad to take care of their children’s schooling or a large business and other interests, but at the same time they keep their commitments by paying their taxes to Sri Lanka. There are others who have damned the country for various reasons but now seek dual citizenship. It is in cases such as this that a review will be carried out,” Mr. Perera said.

He said the main purpose of this review was to carefully select people who would help Sri Lanka with no hidden agendas. He promised the screening would not be on ethnic or religious basis but purely on merit on loyalty and commitment to Sri Lanka.

He said senior citizens and professionals would be among those given special preference for dual citizenship. Earlier this year the Government put on hold the issuing of fresh dual citizenships until further notice, but it did not give any specific reason.

At present there are some 3,300 such applicants seeking approval and only about 620 have been cleared and sent for final approval by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the Defence Minister.
Earlier dual citizenship could be obtained by paying a fee of Rs. 200,000, or being the owner of real estate valued at Rs. 2.5 million or having a bank deposit of Rs. 2.5 million.
Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110501/News/nws_03.html

Reviewing dual citizenship

The decision to review the practice of allowing dual citizenship would have been based on considerations of national interest that are broader than economic considerations. There is conceivably a political rationale and security considerations behind such a decision. The conditions on which dual citizenship is given may also have been reviewed in order that the economic advantage to the country is enhanced. In fact, financial advantages to the country should be a foremost criterion.

Although, at first, it was thought to be discontinuance of dual citizenship rights, it has been made clear that the intent is to review the conditions for granting such dual citizenship. The granting of dual citizenship has not been discontinued though the conditions are likely to be changed. The review of the conditions for granting dual citizenship is indeed a good move. Whatever the new conditions would be for grant of dual citizenship, the decision has economic implications that are the focus of this discussion. The rationale for granting dual citizenship should be primarily the national interest of which economic factors would be an aspect. No doubt, economic considerations discussed here would be taken into consideration in the decision making, and formulation of the conditions for granting dual citizenship.

Rationale for review

We are not privy to the reasons for the government decision to review the conditions for granting dual citizenship. However, it appears to follow the pattern of certain decisions taken with respect to immigration and emigration recently. This includes the discontinuance of the visa on arrival facility except for citizens of those countries that do not require our citizens to get visas to enter their countries.
Unfortunately, there are only two or three countries that permit Sri Lankans to enter their territories without a visa. Therefore, this decision is based on the criterion of reciprocity of visa granting that is a principle and practice in a number of countries, including India. Some South American countries too follow the principle of reciprocity in the grant of visa.
Many countries do not permit dual citizenship. Again, India is one such country that does not permit dual citizenry. However, the trend in the last few decades has been for more countries to permit dual citizenship. Whether there has been any country that permitted dual citizenship being withdrawn is not certain. Generally such decisions are not revoked.
There is a hint that the dual citizenship granted to some may be reviewed and withdrawn if some conditions have not been met. These include those who have merely used it to circumvent tax measures. From an individual’s point of view, the withdrawal of a right they enjoyed may be interpreted as contrary to natural justice, as individuals would have made decisions on the basis of continuing as dual citizens and enjoying the rights of being a citizen in both countries. Therefore, the revoking of dual citizenship currently enjoyed must be revoked only in exceptional cases.

A significant related issue is while ordinary citizens may be allowed civic rights in Sri Lanka while holding citizenship in another country, an important question is whether dual citizens should hold high public office, be members of parliament and other legislative bodies and also be appointed to represent the country abroad. This is indeed a controversial issue that is unlikely to be viewed objectively. A clear policy statement on this would be a good move.

Economic implications
There are a large number of persons who have been granted dual citizenship and it appears that there are thousands whose applications for dual citizenship are pending. An early return to the granting of dual citizenship on new criteria would be of economic advantage to the country. A delay in decision making could result in good candidates for dual citizenship opting out.

Dual citizens have brought in a significant amount of money into the country. The country has not only earned the fees for granting of dual citizenship but foreign citizens have brought in money for the purchase of property, investment and for their living in the country. The amounts for investment and living expenses have been increasing progressively.
This is so for several reasons. The Sri Lankan diaspora are ageing and many find returning to the country a better economic proposition and a more comfortable mode of living. The lower costs of living, availability of domestic help and more congenial weather conditions are some of the reasons for the demand for Sri Lankan dual citizenship. In some cases it is not only the funds brought in initially for purchase of property but regular living expenses as well.

Some Sri Lankans like to spend their latter years in two or sometimes in more than two countries owing to their families being scattered in several countries. Such persons want to have the facility of easy travel by possessing dual citizenship as Sri Lankan passports require visas to enter most countries. If these categories of persons are denied dual citizenship, they would probably opt to live abroad.
A third category spends less than a few months in Sri Lanka but visit the country at least once a year. They too own property and bring in money for their living expense in the country. Many apartments in Colombo are owned by such persons and any set back to the grant of dual citizenship may have an adverse effect on the property market.

All these categories are a benefit to the economy. Remittances from Sri Lankans abroad are a huge source of foreign earnings. Although it is generally thought that remittances are from workers in the Middle East, a sizable amount of remittances are from professional expats from abroad. Dual citizenship is one reason for higher remittances among some categories of foreigners.
While 60 per cent of total remittances are from migrant workers from the Middle East, a significant amount of remittances are from North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. There has been an increasing inflow of remittances from Sri Lankans from European countries and North America and in 2009 remittances from North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand were about 28 percent of total remittance earnings. This implies that there are significant amounts of remittances from professionals as well. These remittances are for the upkeep of family members, purchase of land and apartments and other investments. Some part of these remittances could be from dual citizens.

Economic criteria
Economic considerations should be built into the conditions for granting dual citizenship. Income of applicants, the properties they own or are likely to purchase, professional contributions they may make, the finances they bring and investments they make in the country should be criteria for granting citizenship. An objective of dual citizenship should be to maximise inward remittances. It is, therefore, important to make the conditions clear and transparent. The new conditions should be announced soon and the granting of dual citizenship should commence quickly. However, the economic implications discussed here are among the many issues that should be considered for the granting of dual citizenship.

Source:http://www.nation.lk/2011/03/06/newsfe4.htm

Strict new criteria for Sri Lanka dual citizenship

Foreign nationals now holding dual citizenship in Sri Lanka are to have their status reviewed. For this purpose they will be required to face an interview where their eligibility under new criteria will be examined.

“These are some of the new aspects now under consideration,” Immigration and Emigration Controller Chulananda Perera told the Sunday Times. He said the new procedures for granting dual citizenship would be discussed by him and his officials with President Mahinda Rajapaksa shortly.

On February 15, the government announced that it would suspend the dual citizenship scheme. More than 3,500 people of Sri Lankan origin who hold citizenship in foreign countries have enjoyed the dual citizenship status so far. The cases of a further 750 applicants, who want to obtain dual citizenship as Sri Lankans, are still pending.

“The dual citizenship scheme is not serving its purpose. It was introduced with a different intention. We are now concerned over who is obtaining dual citizenship,” Controller Perera said.

Other sources in the Department of Immigration said that the existing dual citizenship scheme had not benefited the country. In some instances, people holding dual citizenship as Sri Lankans had returned to Sri Lanka only to buy properties and avoid paying higher taxes. Foreign nationals are required to pay tax to the value of the property they acquire. It has also come to light that several persons who had left Sri Lanka years ago and sought asylum in foreign countries had become dual Sri Lankan citizens.

“The new criteria will ensure those seeking dual Sri Lankan citizenship make a contribution to the country’s economy,” another senior official of the Department said.

At present, a person seeking dual citizenship in Sri Lanka is required to hold a university degree or at least a two-year diploma. They are required to have a deposit of Rs 2.5 million for over a year in a bank account in Sri Lanka. In the alternative, they are required to adduce proof of wealth including land in Sri Lanka valued at Rs 2.5 million. Holders of Non Resident Foreign Currency (NRFC) accounts with US $ 25,000 also qualify. Another category who are granted dual Sri Lankan citizenship are persons of stature, like for example, the late Arthur C. Clarke.

The main applicant, according to the scheme now suspended, is required to pay Rs 200,000. The spouse and children under 18 years are required to pay Rs 50,000 each.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110227/News/nws_01.html

Updated system awaits official approval:Dual citizenship not stopped- Immigration Controller

Immigration and Emigration Controller Chulananda Perera said that there was no truth in the rumour that the Government has stopped issuing dual citizenship for Sri Lankan expatriates.

He said there was a temporary suspension in effect at present to update the system.

“We have completed formulating the updated version. It will be presented to President Mahinda Rajapaksa shortly”, the Controller said adding that they were awaiting official approval.

Expatriates who are already holding dual citizenship will not be affected by the temporary suspension, the Controller said.

Following the defeat of the LTTE and the end of terrorism there was a sharp increase in the number of applications for dual citizenship.

The Department receives an average of 350 applications per month. However, in December, the Department received as many as 500 applications for dual citizenship.

The Immigration and Emigration Department is under the purview of the Defence Ministry and hence President Rajapaksa, the Defence Minister has to approve the new processing mechanism to award dual citizenship.

“We are the authority to issue dual citizenship certificates and there is definitely no move by the Government to deprive Sri Lankan expatriates of obtaining dual citizenship here,” the Controller said.

At present only around 4,000 Sri Lankan expatriates hold dual citizenship, a spokesman for the Immigration Department said.

Following amendments to the Ceylon Citizenship Act of 1948, Sri Lanka began issuing dual citizenship to Sri Lankan expatriates in 1987. Any Sri Lankan who obtains citizenship of another country will loose his or her Sri Lankan citizenship by law.

An applicant should pay an equivalent of Rs. 200,000, spouse Rs. 50,000 and children below 18 years Rs. 50,000 each to the State to obtain dual citizenship status of Sri Lanka, the Controller said.

Source:http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2011/02/27/new03.asp

Sri Lanka Dual citizenship claims put on hold

The Government has put on hold the issuing of fresh dual citizenships until further notice because the present system has to be changed and upgraded, Immigration Controller W. A. Chulananda Perera said yesterday.

This also applies to applications that have already been approved and due for payment, he said.
“From now on we need to provide this privilege only to persons that will be of maximum benefit to the country and not otherwise,” Mr. Perera said.

He said, for example, a professor or a PHD holder would be considered in a different manner since such people could be of benefit to the country

Persons who do not fall into to the proper and required categories will be denied this facility but there will always be transparency at the end, he explained. He added that under the present system there are four categories in which a person could apply for dual citizenship.

They are that a prospective applicant should be a degree holder, or a senior citizen above the age of 55, own property to the value of Rs. 2.5. million or have a bank deposit of US$ 25,000. “We need to change all this and make the set up more transparent. There is no hidden agenda or security factor and neither is there targeting any particular individual,” he said.

He denied reports that moves were underway to deny this facility to certain individuals or to do away with it altogether. Mr. Perera also refused to deny or confirm if there would be an increase in the present fee of Rs. 200,000 for dual citizenship.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110220/News/nws_07.html

Dual Citizenship of Sri Lanka

What is Dual Citizenship?
Under usual circumstances, when a Sri Lankan acquires the citizenship of another country, he/she automatically loses his/her Sri Lankan citizenship. However it is possible for an individual to -

1. Retain Sri Lankan citizenship when acquiring the citizenship of a foreign country. This is called ‘Retention of Citizenship’.
2. Resume Sri Lankan citizenship at a later point of time; after losing it when acquiring the citizenship of a foreign country. This is called ‘Resumption of Citizenship’.

An individual who has citizenship in both Sri Lanka and a foreign country is considered a dual citizen of Sri Lanka.

Retention of Sri Lankan Citizenship

How can I apply for retention of Sri Lankan citizenship ?
You can apply for dual citizenship in Sri Lanka prior to obtaining the citizenship of another country, if –

1. You are Sri Lankan by descent or by registration
2. You are holding a permanent resident status of another country
3. You wish to apply for the citizenship of that country


Resumption of Sri Lankan citizenship

How can I apply for resumption of Sri Lankan citizenship ?
You can resume your Sri Lankan citizenship after obtaining the citizenship of another country. You will not be a Sri Lankan citizen from the time you obtained the citizenship of another country to the time of resumption of your Sri Lankan citizenship.

Click here to learn about the legal provisions of obtaining dual citizenship in Sri Lanka by retention or resumption.


Renunciation of Sri Lankan Citizenship

Who can request for renunciation of Sri Lankan Citizenship ?
A Sri Lankan of full age (22 years) and sound mind, who is eligible to obtain the citizenship of another country,
Please click here for more information about the legal provisions regarding the citizenship of Sri Lanka.


Who can apply For Sri Lankan Dual Citizenship ?

1. An ex - Sri Lankan holding the citizenship of a foreign country
2. A Sri Lankan qualified to receive citizenship of a foreign country and who may contribute to the socio-economic development of Sri Lanka can apply for dual citizenship.

List of Countries where Sri Lankan Dual Citizenship is accepted
Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, United States of America, Canada

Can the family members of the main applicant apply too ?

Yes. The main applicant’s spouse and unmarried children below 18 years of age may also apply for Sri Lankan Dual Citizenship with the main applicant. Additional fee per member will be charged.
(See Citizenship Fee Table)

What are the Documents Required to be Submitted with the Application

1. Original Birth Certificate of the Applicant.
2. If the applicant is a citizen of Sri Lanka by registration, the relevant certificate.
3. If the applicant is married, the Marriage Certificate.
4. Foreign Citizenship Certificate, Foreign Travel Document or Permanent Residence Visa of the Applicant.
5. Applicant’s most recent Sri Lankan passport, previous Sri Lankan Passports (if any) or an affidavit stating non-availability of a Sri Lankan Passport.(Please submit photocopies of the above documents along with the originals.)

Additional Compulsory Documents Required under Each Category

* Professional Category

To be considered for the Professional Category the Applicant must possess a Degree or Post Graduate Qualifications from a recognized institute.

* Wealth Category

To be considered for the Wealth Category Applicant must possesses an immovable property or properties in Sri Lanka valued at not less than LKR 2.5 million

1. Originals of the documentary proof confirming the applicant’s ownership of Lands or other immovable properties in Sri Lanka valued at or above LKR. 2.5 Million and copies.
2. Originals of Deeds and copies
3. Original Valuation report, and Title Report obtained within two months. from the date of application.

* Fixed Deposit Category

To be considered for this category Applicant must maintain a fixed deposit of not less than LKR 2.5 million for a minimum period of one year.

1. Originals of the documentary proof for maintaining a Fixed Deposit of an amount not less than LKR 2.5 million, for a minimum period of one year from the date of application, in any commercial bank in Sri Lanka.
2. Original fixed deposit certificate and a copy.
3. A letter from the respective bank confirming the fixed eposit.

* Senior Citizen Category

To be considered under this category the Applicant must be over 55 years of age at the time of application.

1. Original birth certificate and a copy

* NRFC/RFC/SFIDA category

If the applicant is willing to invest in a Non-Resident Foreign Currency (NRFC), Resident Foreign Currency (RFC) or Special Foreign Investment Deposit Accounts (SFIDA), he/she can apply for dual citizenship. Relevant supporting documents must be submitted with the duly completed Application Form.

1. A letter stating the willingness of the applicant to invest in one of the above mentioned accounts. The relevant deposits shall be frozen as follows from the date of approval, in any commercial bank in Sri Lanka

For more info: http://www.immigration.gov.lk/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=147&Itemid=186&lang=en