COLOMBO:The Sri Lankan government has issued dual citizenship certificates to 1,500 expatriates. The Minister of Internal Affairs, S.B. Navinne, presented the certificates to the recipients at a ceremony held at the BMICH.
The function was jointly organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Northwestern Development and Cultural Affairs and the Department of Immigration and Emigration, reports Lanka page website.
Participating in the ceremony, Minister Nawinna said the dual citizenship scheme was halted by the previous Government. However, the present government has revived the program, the minister said,The Himalayan Times.
The government resumed granting dual citizenship to expatriate Sri Lankan nationals on 30 April 2015 after a lapse of four years.
The previous government temporarily suspended granting dual citizenship in February 2011in order to draft a new stringent criterion to select eligible applicants.
The strategy of awarding dual citizenship in Sri Lanka was launched in the year 1987. More than 40,000 are now enjoying dual citizenship.