Three special visa categories introduced for Colombo Port City activities

The Cabinet has cleared a proposal to facilitate visa for foreigners who involve in Colombo Port City (CPC) related activities under three special categories subject to recommendations of the Colombo Port City Commission.
The visas will be issued by the Department of Immigration and Emigration.
The Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles sought the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to take necessary steps to introduce three special visa categories for investors, expatriates and foreign residential property lease holders subject to recommendations of the Colombo Port City Commission.

“Issuance of Visa and fulfilling other relevant activities to investors and other relevant parties expected to arrive for various services such as international trade, navel and monitoring, financial,  information technology and tourism etc. that is expected to be established in the Colombo Port City should be done by the Department of Immigration and Emigration,” the Government Information Department said.

Accordingly, the investment visa category is to be introduced for investors under residential visa category and employment visa will be introduced for employees within CPC. ‘CPC residential property lease vendor’ visa category is introduced specifically for foreigners who reside within the CPC on lease. However, when queried on the duration of these visa categories, the Cabinet Spokesperson and Minister of Transport and Highways and Minister of Mass Media Bandula Gunawardana said the Department of Immigration & Emigration would issue a detailed summary of these visa categories.