United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
SAARC Secretariat
International
Why Residence Visa recommendation letters are required?
A residence visa is a permit for a non-Sri Lankan to obtain residence facilities in Sri Lanka for special purposes.
Who are the eligible persons for Residence Visa recommendations from the Department of Commerce?
The Department of Commerce issues residence visa recommendation letters on behalf of the Ministry of Trade only for competent expatriates, consultants, specialists and their dependents, employed at liaison offices, branch offices or foreign companies and other commercial ventures that fall outside the purview of the relevant line ministries. Applications for recommendation for residence visas are strictly assessed taking into account the direct benefits of such employments that will accrue to the National Economy in terms of contribution to export/import trade, technology transfer, productivity improvement etc.
Who are the eligible persons to receive Residence Visa recommendations as dependents?
Spouse, children below 18 years and parents.
What is the process to issue Residence Visa recommendations?
The company must initially make a request from the Department of Commerce with the requirement to recruit a foreigner for the organization. If it is a potential request the Department of Commerce advised to submit the duly filled application with the requested documents for further evaluation.
Where can I download the application?
The applicant can download the application from the website of the Department of Commerce
What is the average processing time of a visa recommendation letter after submitting all relevant documents to the Department of Commerce?
Two weeks of time after submitting the filled application and full set of documents.
Why do we need to get a police report?
To ascertain the civil status of the applicant and to minimize possible security threats to the country.
