How the application process works

Quick facts

Phase 1: Banking

1. Step 1

   Review the current requirements

   Confirm the minimum deposit, fee and document list against the official Department page rather than older articles. The requirement has already changed once.

   Handled by

   You

   Common mistake

   Planning around the outdated USD 100,000 figure.

2. Step 2

   Open the GPFCA at a licensed bank

   Choose a Central Bank-licensed bank and open the Golden Paradise Foreign Currency Account. The bank runs source-of-funds and AML checks before activation.

   Handled by

   You, with the bank

   Common mistake

   Assuming any bank qualifies. The account must sit at a bank licensed by the Central Bank.

3. Step 3

   Transfer the funds and get deposit proof

   Remit at least USD 200,000 through traceable channels from accounts in your own name. Request formal deposit proof, which goes into the visa file.

   Handled by

   You and the bank

   Common mistake

   Routing funds in ways that make the source hard to evidence.

Phase 2: Documents

1. Step 1

   Prepare identity documents and forms

   Passport bio data pages for all applicants, the Residence Visa application, the Personal Particular Form, and certified English translations of foreign-language certificates.

   Handled by

   You

   Common mistake

   Missing certified translations, a common late-stage delay.

2. Step 2

   Order police clearance

   From the country of domicile, for the main applicant and spouse. Must be issued within six months of use, so time it against your submission date.

   Handled by

   Home-country police authority

   Common mistake

   Letting the six-month window expire during bank compliance.

3. Step 3

   Complete the medical examination

   At an authorised local hospital in Sri Lanka. All applicants must be cleared of Malaria, Filariasis, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

   Handled by

   Authorised hospital in Sri Lanka

   Common mistake

   Booking before travel plans are set. This appointment belongs near submission.

Phase 3: Submission and decision

1. Step 1

   Submit the complete file

   Submit the application with all supporting documents to the Department Head Office in Battaramulla. Incomplete files are the most common cause of delay.

   Handled by

   You (or your representative)

   Programme contact

   goldenparadise@immigration.gov.lk

2. Step 2

   Respond to any follow-up

   The Department may request additional information or attendance. Respond promptly and keep copies of everything submitted.

   Handled by

   The Department

   Common mistake

   Slow responses that stall the file.

3. Step 3

   Security clearance and decision

   Applications pass a security clearance. If clearance fails after issuance, the visa is cancelled and the deposit can be withdrawn. No processing time is officially published.

   Handled by

   The Department

   Typical time

   Not officially published

4. Step 4

   Collect the visa and note the issue date

   The issue date starts the one-year clock for the 50% withdrawal option. Plan residence, banking and any investment steps from here.

   Handled by

   You

   Common mistake

   Counting withdrawal rights from the deposit date instead of the issue date.

Planning notes

Timeframes marked “not officially published” are exactly that. The Department publishes no guaranteed processing time, and we will not invent one.

Facts verified 2026-07-16.

Common mistakes

Frequently asked questions

Can someone submit on my behalf?

A representative can handle submission, but the underlying documents, such as clearances, the medical report and deposit proof, are personal and cannot be delegated.

What if the Department asks for more?

Respond promptly and completely. Slow responses stall the file; the request itself is routine.

What happens if security clearance fails?

Per the launch circular, a granted visa is cancelled and the deposit becomes withdrawable. The capital is protected either way.

The regulatory figures in this guide are checked against the official programme page of the Department of Immigration and Emigration and dated in our source register. Changes are logged publicly in the change log.