Fri, 29 Mar 2024 Today's Paper

BOI launches five-year residence visa to entice foreign investors

2 July 2022 02:07 am - 17     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

Investment Promotion Minister Dhammika Perera hands over visa document to Unilever Sri Lanka Chairperson and Managing Director Hajar Alafifi Laadel in the presence of BOI Director General Renuka M. Weerakone (extreme left)

 

 

Investment Promotion Minister Dhammika Perera hands over visa document to Lanka IOC PLC Managing Director Manoj Gupta

 

  • 10 investors received long-term visa yesterday
  • Application process entirely online
  • Initiative aimed at improving SL’s ease of doing business index

In an effort to step up the nation’s game in luring in foreign direct investments (FDI), Sri Lanka’s investment promotion agency, the Board of Investment (BOI), launched yesterday the five-year residence visa programme dedicated to investors.


The initiative has been launched by the newly-appointed Investment Promotion Minister Dhammika Perera to make Sri Lanka meet the international benchmark in terms of ease of doing business.


The long-term visa programme, a long-felt need, primarily aims to facilitate the investors, who wish to embark on a journey with the BOI.  


“Before the implementation of this programme, they (investors) had to go through a long documentation process every year to get these visas.


Having understood the prime need to provide a seamless and convenient service for investors, we have launched the new programme, albeit I have not officially assumed duties as the Investment Promotion Minister,” said Perera at the launch event held in Colombo yesterday. 

The visa application process is accessible online and the facility is also used for defence clearance. Plans are afoot to introduce the same mechanism with the Immigration and Emigration Department, the BOI said.


At the launch event, 10 investors received the five-year resident visa. Among the investors who received the facility were Unilever Sri Lanka Chairperson and Managing Director Hajar Alafifi Laadel, Ocean Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd Managing Director Dr. Austin C K Au, Taprobane Sea Foods Managing Director Timothy O’Reilly, Antwerp Plastic Merchandising (HK) Ltd Director Nancy Liu and Elegant Knitting Director Luke Holmick and Lanka IOC PLC Managing Director Manoj Gupta.


The agency annually issues 7500-8000 visa recommendations for investors, employees and dependents.
The BOI has granted visas for foreign nationals from 109 countries such as India, the United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Pakistan, which represent the most applicants based on last year’s statistics.

 


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 - 17

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
  • Russel Harmmer Saturday, 02 July 2022 09:22 AM

    If anyone wants to invest in Sri Lanka he or she or any company - they should be deaf and blind.

    Ram Saturday, 02 July 2022 09:27 AM

    Who will invest for this 5 year visa to reside in a country with queues for fuel or no fuel, power cuts, shortage of food etc

    Bannis Mama Saturday, 02 July 2022 09:30 AM

    First bring down Fuel and Gas, import food with less cost and tell your dam boss Gota to quit politics and rest at home repaying all the money his family looted,, then you can achieve your targets Dammika.

    Pushkara Epa Saturday, 02 July 2022 09:32 AM

    He revoked Sri Lankan airline CEO visa 12 years ago and destroyed it.

    Roy Saturday, 02 July 2022 09:40 AM

    Who wants to come to a failed state?

    Citizen Silva Saturday, 02 July 2022 09:42 AM

    Investors don't need long term visas. First get rid of the corruption inside the BOI

    Dr. R.K. Weerasinghe Saturday, 02 July 2022 11:24 AM

    If you could cater the public immediate needs of Fuel, Food, LP Gas, Medicines freely available with reasonable cost, then you will be the Master of our nation as you dream.

    Alam Saturday, 02 July 2022 11:49 AM

    Gota must go home before any investors come, as riots and burning will be the norm. No fuel

    Andrew Forbes Saturday, 02 July 2022 12:01 PM

    In the main these individuals are not investors per se but merely very well paid employees of companies which have invested here. This is just a publicity stunt to fool the public that the new minister is very proactive

    I must be really mad to come Saturday, 02 July 2022 12:05 PM

    Please can I come? Any more water, petrol, bread left for me? Do I swim across the Pack Strait?

    Living in a different world Saturday, 02 July 2022 01:08 PM

    Good initiative by BOI can you guarantee them power transport fuel etc?

    Nadi Karunaratne Saturday, 02 July 2022 01:43 PM

    Second prize, a ten year visa, third prize lifetime Sri Lankan residence.

    Cugan Saturday, 02 July 2022 02:04 PM

    They are investors but already in buissnes, who is the new commer......

    Mel Saturday, 02 July 2022 05:42 PM

    Ha...ha...the investors are queuing up for free visa to come to a bankrupt country.

    Lankan Saturday, 02 July 2022 07:49 PM

    Ah invest their hard earned money to come to the one country in the world where you can't get fuel with even of you had money? I mean you got to be a sick bastard to do such a thing. Saubagya Dakma.

    Jef Saturday, 02 July 2022 08:29 PM

    People from outside world must be wondering what's realy happening the whole country in diastriate almost reaching humanitarian catostropy so many important issues need fix urgently .come on fellows pls play a intelligent Role to get the country in order first...then other things gradually

    Sameera mendis Saturday, 02 July 2022 11:41 PM

    How this decision will help to Sri Lanka? Yes it’s true we have to attract investors .Modern day and with the crisis what we have to offer for investors ? One thing we can do sell our resource to develop countries. That is what they want. This is a trap in modern world to buy developing countries without war. Economic war. What is our road map . How we earn dollars. Need strong leadership to take rough decisions at least three years. If not this is like a ship without captain.


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.

Reply To:

Name - Reply Comment





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

VAT increase: SOUNDs death knell for publishers, readers

Though the Government imposed VAT (Value Added Tax) on vegetables and other e

How female change-makers are driving Sri Lanka’s energy saving platform

Saving energy has become more of a responsibility than a habit in today’s c

A dull Ramadan awaits Muslims amidst the Soaring Cost of Living

In the coming days, Muslims across the world will welcome the Holy Month of R

New wildlife underpass to curtail HEC

As of February 2024, Sri Lanka lost another 38 elephants as a result of the H