Investor Category Residence Visa
USD 100,000 buys five years. USD 200,000 buys up to ten. The money has to come in through a licensed commercial bank into a Sri Lankan business.
It is often described as a golden visa, but it is not a passive deposit scheme. The money must be invested, the project is reviewed every two years, and a dormant investment can put the family’s residence at risk. What it does offer, uniquely among Sri Lankan routes, is non-resident tax treatment.
Programme snapshot
| Item | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Main audience | Foreign investors, with spouse and dependents |
| Route family | Investment |
| Validity | 5 years at USD 100,000; 5 years plus a 5 year extension letter at USD 200,000 |
| Stay per entry | Matches visa validity |
| Threshold | USD 100,000 or USD 200,000, 2026 |
| Renewal | Project reviewed every 2 years by the Investigation Division |
| Settlement | None |
| PR clock | None |
| Citizenship clock | None |
| Family | Spouse and dependents, USD 200 each per year |
| Local employment | Yes, for managing the investment. Local hires need their own permits |
| Tax headline | Holders are treated as non-residents for income tax purposes |
| Processing | Roughly 1 to 2 months in practice. No published service standard |
Application flow
- Check the excluded sectors list before committing money.
- Open an Inward Investment Account and transfer funds through it.
- Move the capital into a Visa Programme Foreign Currency Account at a licensed commercial bank.
- Obtain the bank letter naming the account as a VPFCA and stating the balance.
- Obtain police clearance under three months old and a medical report for every applicant.
- Submit the application with evidence of the investment and voting share.
- Pay the fees. At USD 200,000, keep the separate extension letter.
Good fit
A founder with USD 100,000 or more who wants five years of residence, the right to manage their own investment, and non-resident tax status. It suits someone with a real operating business rather than a passive portfolio. Families work well, since dependents cost USD 200 a year.
Poor fit
Anyone treating USD 100,000 as a deposit that buys a visa. The money has to be invested and the Department can decline to extend. Anyone whose business falls on the exclusion list: pawn broking, coastal fishing, retail below USD 5 million. Anyone who wants permanent residence, because there is no PR clock however long the visa is held.
Watchpoints
- Money must arrive through the right accounts. Funds have to move through an Inward Investment Account into a Visa Programme Foreign Currency Account. Money already sitting in a normal Sri Lankan account does not count.
- The bank letter wording decides the application. It must name the account as a VPFCA and state the balance.
- Voting share must be at least 10 percent. A minority financial stake without voting capital does not qualify.
- Sector caps apply. Foreign investment is capped at 40 percent in tea, rubber, education, media and several other sectors.
- Ten years is not automatic. At USD 200,000 the second five years comes as a separate extension letter. Lose the paper and you have five years.
- The project is reviewed every two years. A dormant investment threatens the whole family’s residence.
- Clearance for everyone. Each applicant, including children, needs a police clearance under three months old and a medical report.
- Confirm the tax advantage annually. Verify non-resident treatment still applies to your structure each year.
Sources
- Department of Immigration and Emigration, Guideline Investor Visa Category. Checked 2026-10-22.
- Department of Immigration and Emigration, visa fee schedule. Checked 2026-10-22.
- Immigration and Emigration Regulations, Extraordinary Gazette No. 2360/24, 27 November 2023.