News
Dual citizenship process: Background checks, security clearance from Interpol required
The new system to grant dual citizenship will scrutinise the applicants in greater detail than under the earlier system, and will require security clearance from Interpol and other intelligence services. The system which has a two step assessment process does not provide for appeals either.
The new application, which would be uploaded to the Immigration Department website next week, will also seek to obtain more information from the applicant regarding his/her education and social background, Immigration and Emigration Acting Controller M. N. Ranasinghe said.
Former Sri Lankan citizens from ten countries – the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, Sweden and Switzerland will be eligible for dual citizenship.
None of the Asian countries have been included in the list of countries eligible for dual citizenship under the new policy system introduced last week.
“We cannot include any of the Asian countries as we cannot reciprocate the policies of those countries. Former Sri Lankans have the option of revoking their citizenship in such countries and obtaining Sri Lankan citizenship again under Section 6,” Mr. Ranasinghe explained.
Under the new system special attention will be paid to the method by which the applicant obtained citizenship in the foreign country. If the individual has gone abroad for education and obtained citizenship through that channel, there would be no issue for such applicants, Mr. Ranasinghe claimed.
However if an individual has claimed refugee status or sought asylum in another country, such applicants will be disqualified.
“If the person has defamed the country in any way or worked towards bringing discredit to the country they will not be able to obtain citizenship”, he said.
The system will include an in-person interview by a Cabinet approved panel which would include the Assistant Secretary of the Defence Ministry and the Immigration Controller. The assessment of the applications will be done by the Immigration Department. Recommendations from Sri Lankan missions in relevant countries will be obtained during this process.
“This will be a case by case process. We will obtain intelligence reports and other reports from the missions and other intelligence services to make an informed decision. Earlier we did not have rigorous background checks. We only assessed the documents provided,” Mr. Ranasinghe said explaining the difference between the earlier system and the new.
There are four categories under which applications for dual citizenship could be filed. If an applicant is filing under the professional category the individual is required to have two years of post qualifying experience, while a person who is above the age of 55 can apply under a different category. Former citizens could also apply if they have maintained $25,000, in a local bank for two to five years. If the fixed deposit has been maintained for five years, such applicants would be exempt from application fees. If an individual has assets amounting to Rs. 25 million in Sri Lanka, such applicants may also be granted citizenship.
Only applicants who obtain a positive assessment in the first stage through the document verification and background check process which is conducted by the Immigration Department will be called for interviews.Interviews will take place on a single day every month, and all applicants should come to Sri Lanka to face the interview. The application fees remain unchanged at Rs.200,000 for the main applicant and another 50,000 per application submitted under the main applicant.