Visa issues faced by Sri Lankan students raised at SL–Finland political talks

Challenges faced by Sri Lankan students and their family members in obtaining visas for education, employment and family reunification were among the key issues discussed during the Second Round of Bilateral Political Consultations between Sri Lanka and Finland held in Helsinki on February 25, 2026.

During the consultations, the Sri Lankan delegation drew attention to the difficulties encountered in visa processing and urged the Finnish side to consider establishing a visa centre in Colombo. Sri Lanka also requested further streamlining of document verification procedures to expedite the issuance of visas for Sri Lankan students pursuing higher education in Finland, the foreign ministry said in a statement.  

Both sides exchanged constructive views on enhancing mobility frameworks to promote educational exchanges, professional engagement and people-to-people contacts. The welfare of the Sri Lankan expatriate community in Finland also received focused attention, with both delegations acknowledging their important contribution to the socio-economic development of the two countries.  

The consultations marked another step in strengthening longstanding bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Finland, which date back to the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1954. A key highlight was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of a Political Consultation Mechanism, aimed at institutionalizing a structured and regular framework for political dialogue and cooperation.  

The meeting provided an opportunity to review the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation and assess progress since the inaugural round held in 2018. Discussions covered trade, investment, tourism, development cooperation and private sector engagement, with both sides recognizing the potential to further expand trade and investment flows and encourage business-to-business partnerships and innovation-driven collaboration.  

The delegations also explored new avenues of cooperation in priority sectors, including mutual recognition of seafarer training qualifications to facilitate professional mobility and strengthen maritime sector cooperation. Collaboration in vocational education and training, skills development aligned with emerging labour market needs, and meteorological data sharing and capacity building were also discussed.  

In addition, the two sides exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest and reaffirmed their strong commitment to multilateralism and to upholding the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter.  

Sri Lanka expressed appreciation for the continued assistance extended by Finland and the European Union in support of the country’s economic stabilization, recovery and resilience-building efforts. Colombo also conveyed gratitude to the Government of Finland for its support following Cyclone Ditwah through contributions to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund.  

The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Sugeeshwara Gunaratna, Director General of the Europe and North America Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism. The team included Ambassador Kapila Fonseka, accredited to Finland from Stockholm, and Deputy Director Sachini Dias.  

The Finnish delegation was headed by Jari Sinkari, Director General of the Department of Asia and Oceania of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, along with senior officials.