Laws to facilitate dual citizenship

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

Laws will be introduced soon in respect of duel citizenship, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said.

Addressing a seminar ‘On Future Outlook for Urban Infrastructure Development in Sri Lanka’ at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel yesterday, he said a draft legislation will be introduced shortly in this connection which lays down the duel citizenship issuing process.

Immigration and Emigration Department officials will restart processing dual citizenship applications from expatriate Sri Lankans.

Strict and new criteria have been evolved for processing the applications, Secretary Rajapaksa said.

Cabinet granted approval to amend the Citizenship Act No 18 of 1948 and the Immigration and Emigration Act No 20 of 1948 to formalise the granting of dual citizenship under the ‘Overseas Sri Lankans Scheme’ a few month ago.

A pre- screening procedure will be employed to check if a person applying for dual citizenship has the eligibility and requirements to seek dual citizenship to acquire dual citizenship under the new conditions. The Defence Secretary said no country issues duel citizenship at once but offers resident visas first. After a certain period, such persons staying on resident visas are considered duel citizenship after considering the value of the applicant for that country. The persons who possess duel citizenship can be engaged in investment, business or any other legal activity, he said.

The Defence Secretary said as per the new criteria, a Sri Lankan applicant having a passport of another country will initially be given permanent residency for five years after which he or she will become eligible to receive dual citizenship status. Information relating to how they acquired a foreign citizenship has to be furnished by every applicant and the reason for seeking dual citizenship in Sri Lanka is also to be properly justified by every applicant.