News
Govt. simplifies visa policy to attract investors, tourists
View(s):- Port City staff, online workers, foreign relatives and students will also benefit
By Damith Wickremasekara
The Government will introduce a visa policy this month in a fresh bid to attract investors, tourists, and online workers operating from Sri Lanka.
Among the categories to be introduced are investment visas, digital Nomad residence visas for foreign online workers, Port City Commission residence visas and permanent residence visas for foreign spouses of Sri Lankans, Immigration and Emigration Commissioner General Harsha Ilukpitiya told the Sunday Times.
Under another category, foreign students will be facilitated to complete the entire period of study by making a one-time payment of US$ 200 instead of renewing their visas annually.
Foreigners involved in digital work would be able to obtain a ‘Digital Nomad Visa’ for a year by providing proof of a monthly income of US$ 2,000 while in the country.
One category known as ‘Investment Visa’ has been introduced, replacing visa categories coming under ‘Golden Paradise’, ‘Condominium’, ‘Resident Guest Scheme’, and ‘My Dream’ visas.
A residence visa scheme has been introduced for Colombo Port City Economic Commission expatriate staff, with the spouse and dependent children also being entitled to the visa. This will be based on the recommendation of the Port City Commission.
Another move will be the issue of visas for relatives of Sri Lankan citizens, including their foreign spouses, parents of foreign spouses, dependents of foreign spouses of demised Sri Lankan citizens (if not remarried, dependent children of a demised foreign/Sri Lankan spouse until they reach 20 years of age). Persons whose citizenship of Sri Lanka has ceased and their children, foreign parents, and widows are among another category.
Explaining the objectives, Chief Immigration Officer (ETA and Visa) M.T. Zainul Rila told the Sunday Times that the new policy simplified the visa system, thereby opening new categories while aiming to attract investors and tourists. He said the scheme would come into effect next week.
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