Residence Visa
A Residence visa is a permit for a non-Sri Lankan to obtain residence facilities for special purposes. Applicants are required to contact the Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka for more details. There are sub-categories which come under residence visas
- Employment Category
- Project Professional personnel whose services are required for projects approved by the state and expatriate personnel employed in projects under Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka and their dependants
- Personnel employed at banks and their dependants
- Volunteers
- Personnel attached to Non-Governmental Organizations
- Personnel employed in a project, institution or organization under diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka
- Personnel employed in a private company and their dependants
- For more details: https://www.immigration.gov.lk/pages_e.php?id=18
- Investor Category
- Who desire to invest monetary capital in Sri Lanka
- Who engage in business activities in Sri Lanka
- For more details: https://www.immigration.gov.lk/pages_e.php?id=18
- Religious Category
- Members of the Clergy
- For more details: https://www.immigration.gov.lk/pages_e.php?id=18
- Student / Voluntary Work Category
- University Students / Elective Studies
- Students in Educational Institutions approved by the State
- Other Institutions
- Internships/ Voluntary Work
- For more details: https://www.immigration.gov.lk/pages_e.php?id=18
- Ex- Sri Lankans and their dependants
- For more details: https://www.immigration.gov.lk/pages_e.php?id=18
- Family Members of a Sri Lankan (Spouse & Dependants)
- Spouses holding foreign nationality
- Children holding foreign nationality
- For more details: https://www.immigration.gov.lk/pages_e.php?id=18
Applying Entry Visa for obtaining Residence Visa
To obtain a Residence Visa, the applicant must enter Sri Lanka on an Entry Visa issued by a Sri Lanka Diplomatic Mission abroad.
Entry visa will be issued by the Embassy only upon approval by the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration.
The applicant must clearly state that he/she wishes to apply for a residence visa when applying for the entry visa and submit the necessary supporting documents.
Relevant Organization, Institution, NGO or Company in Sri Lanka should submit the application for resident visa on behalf of the applicant directly to the Controller General, Immigration and Emigration (CG, I & E). The CG, I & E will then authorize this Embassy to issue Entry Visa to the applicant.
NOTE : A TOURIST VISA CANNOT BE CONVERTED INTO A RESIDENCE VISA.
Required Documents
- Duly completed Entry visa application form
- A copy of the Entry Visa approval notice of the Department of Immigration & Emigration of Sri Lanka
- Two passport-size photographs (Colur, 3.5cm x 4.5cm or 2” x 2’)
- Passport – The validity of the passport must be at least six months beyond the date of entry into Sri Lanka.