Imm. Dept. receives 10 dual citizenship applications

25 March 2015 09:39 pm - 39 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

With the government’s decision to reintroduce dual citizenship status to nine countries, the Department of Immigration and Emigration had already received about 10 such applications by yesterday.

A senior Immigration official told the Daily Mirror that since Monday the department had received applications which were being subjected to examination.

Minister of Public Order, John Amaratunga announced on Monday that the issuing of dual citizenship which had been suspended by the previous regime since September 2011 was recommenced and that anybody could apply.

As a result a person whose citizenship of Sri Lanka has ceased under Sections 19, 20 and 21 of Citizenship Act No. 18 of 1948 or a person whose citizenship in Sri Lanka is likely to cease, can apply for a dual citizenship.

But the applicants have to be from any of the nine countries, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, France, Sweden, Switzerland and Italy to apply for a dual citizenship.

Those were the only countries that had consented to its citizens having dual citizenship with Sri Lanka.

The status will be issued under two categories as resumption and retention. Under resumption, a person whose citizenship in Sri Lanka which had ceased due to obtaining a citizenship of another country, could resume the status of citizenship in Sri Lanka.

Anyone who intends to obtain citizenship could retain his Sri Lankan citizenship by applying through the retention. The details on the criterion for applications could be obtained from the website www.immigration.gov.lk (Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana)

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

Comments - 39

Nathan Friday, 27 March 2015 04:50 PM

What if we have a minor criminal record such as theft and being imprisoned for less than 12 months. Would it have an effect on the application or would it be refused straight away?

Nims Thursday, 26 March 2015 02:26 PM

My reply to Lara. How Kumar Guneratnam was caught with 3 bogus passport. Where is he now. Yes we will be automatically lost if the Immigration makes the mistake.

Saman Thursday, 26 March 2015 04:26 PM

Only 9 countries recognise SL dual. But there are many other countries that allows their citizens to keep the dual citizenship. So those residents can also apply for Sri Lankan dual. For example at the beginning of the year the previous government allowed citizens from 10 countries including Norway to apply for dual citizenship.

l.perera Thursday, 26 March 2015 04:44 PM

Yes to both

l.perera Thursday, 26 March 2015 04:44 PM

Yes to both

l. perera Thursday, 26 March 2015 04:50 PM

You are right. Also applications must be checked against all those who claimed refugee status in foreign countries.

ruwani Thursday, 26 March 2015 05:23 PM

Oh.why not germany?

Kirthi Thursday, 26 March 2015 08:17 PM

what about Gota? Is he not already a dual citizen?

Vino Friday, 27 March 2015 12:33 AM

How were they able to get police reports so fast?

kris Friday, 27 March 2015 08:38 AM

The new dual citizenship scheme discriminates against a certain category of minors bron to ex-sri lankans. Under the new scheme only spouses and children who have lost/ are about to cease sri lankan citizenship are eligible to apply for dual citizenship with the main applicant. This causes unfairness to children born to ex-sri lankans during the 4 yr period when the dual citizenship scheme was suspended (2011-2015 march). For example, lets say a sri lankan couple obtained foreign citizenship just before or during this suspension period and were unable to obtain dual citizenship as a result of the suspension. If a child is born to these parents during this 4 yr period, his parents would not have sri lankan citizenship at the time of his birth. Then under the new regulations, this minor child would not be eligible to apply for dual citizenship even if both his parents obtain dual citizenship. This is a very absurd result of the current scheme

Gamunu Thursday, 26 March 2015 02:05 PM

There is

real Saturday, 28 March 2015 04:25 AM

yes ! how did they get that fast , there are no fast tracks. some black magic...immigration well wait and see until election

real Saturday, 28 March 2015 04:29 AM

what is this question, criminal recoded is a black mark on his/her life police search ( not financial matter and points at driving licence)

Kusum Saturday, 28 March 2015 05:44 PM

Is the application fees Rs 250,000 or Rs 500,000?

Kusum Saturday, 28 March 2015 05:45 PM

Is application fee Rs 250,000 or Rs 500,000 for 1 adult?

ginusha Sunday, 29 March 2015 10:55 AM

good news for us.D.CTZ.IN CEYLON.

spcfernando Sunday, 03 May 2015 12:27 PM

Hey guys, what are the countries, SL allowed at this time ? pls

rukshi Friday, 07 August 2015 01:37 PM

Hi, i m U.S citizen married to Sri Lankan citizen and i am living in sri lanka on residence visa.can i apply under spouse category? thanks

John Wednesday, 09 March 2016 06:44 PM

Rukshi, I am in the same situation is it possible for spouse to get duel citizenship? Does anyone know.

Jenny Monday, 05 September 2016 04:34 PM

I've got the same prob too. Been married for four years now and living in SL on spouse visa.

Json Thursday, 26 March 2015 09:16 AM

LTTEers please come back. If someone disagrees you are an racist.

simon Thursday, 26 March 2015 04:25 AM

Does a Dual Citizen has same privileges as regular citizen who lives in SL. For example , voting , having rupee bank account etc.,

cheers Thursday, 26 March 2015 06:25 AM

out of 10 i am sure 1 must be the Central Bank governor and all other persons are family of UNP

l. perera Thursday, 26 March 2015 07:03 AM

The new system has done away with waiving of the application fee for those who have maintained monies in NRFC accounts for the past 3 yrs or so. The levy of fees will discourage bona fide investors and some may even move existing funds away from Sri Lanka and not want to have dual citizenship. Even the last announcement by the previous regime in December 2014 maintained the levy for foreign currency investors when applying for Dual.

l. perera Thursday, 26 March 2015 07:03 AM

The new system has done away with waiving of the application fee for those who have maintained monies in NRFC accounts for the past 3 yrs or so. The levy of fees will discourage bona fide investors and some may even move existing funds away from Sri Lanka and not want to have dual citizenship. Even the last announcement by the previous regime in December 2014 maintained the levy for foreign currency investors when applying for Dual.

Nims Thursday, 26 March 2015 07:32 AM

DO NOT MAKE ANY MISTAKES ON THIS MATTER THAT COULD AFFECT THE SECURITY OF SRI LANKA SERIOUSLY. THERE ARE TENS OF THOUSAND LTTE CADRES HIDING IN THESE COUNTRIES WITH BOGUS IDENTITIES. THEREFORE MAKE SURE THE IMMIGRATION CHECK THEIR IDENTITY 100% BEFORE GRANTING DUAL CITIZENSHIP. GOVERNMENT MUST NOT ATTEMPT TO GET POLITICAL ADVANTAGES BY PUTTING THE COUNTRY AT RISK

ANTON Thursday, 26 March 2015 07:32 AM

GIVE THEM AN ADDITIONAL ONE TO THE HELL.

lankansikh Thursday, 26 March 2015 08:34 AM

Friend, Sri Lanka alone cannot decide. The other country of concern should also be agrreable to dual citizenship. For an example, India does not give dual citizenship to anyone. So if you are an Indian, if you become a citizen in another country, he will loose Indian citizenship. In the same way even if SL government gives dual citizenship, Sri Lankan if he becomes an Indian citizenship, he looses SL citizenship not due to SL government but due to Indian government polices. That is why only 10 countries

hari Thursday, 26 March 2015 09:07 AM

Most Srilankans left the country to save their lives escaping death squads. To charge them Rs 500,000 to get back what was their birth right is a day light robbery. I wonder if any country in the world charge such high amount. Another way for srilankan MPs to swindle the money from public!

Nalin Thursday, 26 March 2015 09:11 AM

First How did Mahendran get his? It would have been a good idea to publish the names of these applicants and call for any submissions from the public local and overseas supporting or against the applicants.

Lanka Thursday, 26 March 2015 03:51 AM

Ayyo...only ten? I thought the entire expats are waiting to get the dual???

Libra Thursday, 26 March 2015 09:18 AM

Anyone suspected of aid to LTTE should not be allowed get back. Good governance government will disagree but they are donkeys anyway. History has shown that again and again.

Lara Thursday, 26 March 2015 10:24 AM

Nims , get loss people like with narrow minded are dagerous for the coutry

king coconut Thursday, 26 March 2015 10:46 AM

OK. I will do that lol

Kumar Thursday, 26 March 2015 11:54 AM

There is no application form to download,in that page. They should get that corrected, first. Silly goose !

jain Thursday, 26 March 2015 01:19 PM

What about former LTTE terrorists who are preparing to apply in thousands to fund terrorism again and cause havocs a gain

jain Thursday, 26 March 2015 01:35 PM

Strenuous security is essential and it should be done by defence authorities. Those who alleged genocide are returning to take revenge .

AG Thursday, 26 March 2015 01:37 PM

Its only 10 so far because the application asks for a Police Certificate from the country of current citizenship. That can take a few days to a couple of weeks.

Anticleon Thursday, 26 March 2015 01:43 PM

So the diaspora can work against Sri Lanka from abroad while voting against us here too?

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Imm. Dept. receives 10 dual citizenship applications

Comments - 39

Add comment

RECOMMENDED

UDA owned land in Thalawathugoda; UDA Minister Prasanna Ranatunga under the spotlight for forceful occupation of reserved land

Loss-making SMIB faces political pressure in recovering loans

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: MV Dali, SL authorities anchored in mystery?

Has Sri Lanka become a potential hub for the illegal wildlife trade?

Spotlight on Moragahakanda Development Project Moragolla villagers lose livelihoods and down to one meal a day

Ambitious Sri Lankan jobseekers ‘trafficked into Ukraine war zones’

Western purple-faced langurs see blue!

Most Viewed in News

Belgian traveller scammed in Kalutara

New Visa procedure implemented

A US “Kaputa”, a Lankan “Nariya” and a Presidential “Feast”

Confusion remains if April 15 is a bank holiday

Street food vendor arrested for verbally harassing foreigner

Complaint lodged over Piumi Hansamali's possession of Gota’s Range Rover

MIRROR CRICKET

Chamari Athapaththu sets big goal for T20 World Cup

How does CSK get best out of Pathirana?

Mendis, Mathews move up in ICC Test Rankings

Chamodi, Dewmi spins Sri Lanka U19 Women to big win

TODAY'S HEADLINES

100 Police personnel trained to target criminals operating on motorbikes

Catholic Church receives full report

Complaint lodged over Piumi Hansamali’s possession of Gota’s Range Rover

We are struggling with severe shortage of staff – Excise Chief

Chamari Athapaththu sets big goal for T20 World Cup

How does CSK get best out of Pathirana?

Mendis, Mathews move up in ICC Test Rankings

Security raised for Champions League ties after threat