--- title: "Sri Lanka Investor visa · General 2026: from $100k needed" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/sri-lanka/investor-residence-visa/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-12 --- Sri Lanka · Investing # Sri Lanka Investor visa · General **Investment needed:** from $100k Investor Category Residence Visa (general guideline: USD 100,000 for 5 years, USD 200,000 for 10 years) Checked against official sources on 12 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **Investment needed:** from $100k (An investment of at least $100,000 · Minimum investment for a 5-year visa. An investment of at least $200,000 · Minimum investment for 10 years: the visa is endorsed for 5 years and an official letter then extends it by another 5. A fee of $200 a year · Visa fee for main applicant, spouse and each dependant per year.) - **First stay:** 5 yrs (Initial endorsement 5 years; an official letter extends it by 5 years for investments of at least USD 200,000.) - **Who can apply:** Any passport - **Tax angle:** Tax relief (Investor Category Residence Visa holders: not a Sri Lankan resident for income tax (s.69(1A)): An individual holding an Investor Category Residence Visa issued by the Controller of Immigration and Emigration is not a Sri Lankan resident for a year of assessment. Non-residents are charged income tax only on gains and profits arising or derived from Sri Lanka, so foreign-source income falls outside Sri Lankan income tax while the status applies.) ## Key facts Investor visa · General is an investing route for Sri Lanka. Applicants need an investment from $100k. You can stay 5 yrs, renewable. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source. - **Money needed:** from $100k - **Government fees:** $200/yr - **First stay:** 5 yrs ## Cost, time and long term To apply: government fee $200/yr; investment from $100k. No lawyer or agent fee is included. **Government fees: $200/yr** - $200 a year Visa fee for main applicant, spouse and each dependant per year. **Invested and held: $100k+ · $200k+** - $100,000 Minimum investment for a 5-year visa. - $200,000 Minimum investment for 10 years: the visa is endorsed for 5 years and an official letter then extends it by another 5. **Renewal: Renewable, 10 years max** The visa is first endorsed for 5 years. Investors with at least USD 200,000 receive an official letter extending it by another 5 years. [Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka](https://www.immigration.gov.lk/content/files/visa/Guideline%20Investor%20Visa%20Category%20doc%202.pdf) **Presence rules: Stay rule** The Immigration Department reviews the investment project every 2 years, and you must notify it within 2 months of material changes. [Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka](https://www.immigration.gov.lk/content/files/visa/Guideline%20Investor%20Visa%20Category%20doc%202.pdf) ## Why this route may not fit Check this before you apply. - Time on this route is capped at 10 years in total ### What you'll need #### What you must show - A 5-year visa needs a minimum investment of USD 100,000. - With a minimum investment of USD 200,000 the visa is endorsed for 5 years and an official letter extends it by another 5 years. - Permitted investments are at least 10% of voting shares of a Sri Lankan company or an overseas company branch. - Government or Central Bank debt securities of at least 5 years maturity, term deposits in licensed commercial banks, or immovable property also qualify. - The visa fee is USD 200 per year for the main applicant, spouse and each dependant. #### Documents - Investor-category applicants are exempt from the Health Protection Plan but need a certificate from a health institution confirming they are free of the diseases the plan covers. #### Steps 1. Funds are routed to an Inward Investment Account. 2. Funds are invested through a Visa Programme Foreign Currency Account at a licensed commercial bank. #### After you arrive - The project is reviewed every 2 years. ## What happens at day 183 How Sri Lanka decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records. - **Stay on this route:** **Up to 10 years in total** - **Tax residence:** - **At least 183 days in any 12-month period commencing or ending during the year of assessment** Presence makes an individual resident - **Foreign-source income:** A resident is chargeable on income from Sri Lanka and on foreign-source income (global income); a non-resident only on gains and profits arising or derived from Sri Lanka. - **Regime tied to this route:** **Investor Category Residence Visa holders: not a Sri Lankan resident** · Tax relief An individual holding an Investor Category Residence Visa issued by the Controller of Immigration and Emigration is not a Sri Lankan resident for a year of assessment. [All tax rules for Sri Lanka](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/sri-lanka/tax/) Tax records checked 11 Oct 2026 **Full official text** Investor residence visa under the Immigration Department guideline: investments through an Inward Investment Account and a Visa Programme Foreign Currency Account. The endorsement is initially granted for 5 years; USD 200,000 investors receive an official letter extending it by another 5 years. (sources 1, 2, 3) #### What you must show and pay - An investment of at least $100,000 · Minimum investment for a 5-year visa. (source 1) - An investment of at least $200,000 · Minimum investment for 10 years: the visa is endorsed for 5 years and an official letter then extends it by another 5. (source 1) - A fee of $200 a year · Visa fee for main applicant, spouse and each dependant per year. (sources 1, 3) #### Requirements - A 5-year visa needs a minimum investment of USD 100,000. (source 1) - With a minimum investment of USD 200,000 the visa is endorsed for 5 years and an official letter extends it by another 5 years. (source 1) - Permitted investments are at least 10% of voting shares of a Sri Lankan company or an overseas company branch. (source 1) - Government or Central Bank debt securities of at least 5 years maturity, term deposits in licensed commercial banks, or immovable property also qualify. (source 1) - The visa fee is USD 200 per year for the main applicant, spouse and each dependant. (sources 1, 3) - Investor-category applicants are exempt from the Health Protection Plan but need a certificate from a health institution confirming they are free of the diseases the plan covers. (source 2) - Funds are routed to an Inward Investment Account. (source 1) - Funds are invested through a Visa Programme Foreign Currency Account at a licensed commercial bank. (source 1) - The project is reviewed every 2 years. (source 1) #### Stay - Initial endorsement 5 years; an official letter extends it by 5 years for investments of at least USD 200,000. - Initial permitted stay: 60 months. - Visa validity: 120 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay. - Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal. - Initial endorsement up to 60 months: 5 years. - Extension letter up to 120 months: Additional 5 years for investors with at least USD 200,000. #### Work Residence to manage the investment; the guideline does not mention employment. #### Family Applicant, spouse and dependants. Checked 2026-10-12 ## Official sources 1. [Investor Visa Category guideline](https://www.immigration.gov.lk/content/files/visa/Guideline%20Investor%20Visa%20Category%20doc%202.pdf) · Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka · checked 2026-10-12 2. [Residence Visa categories (employment, investor, education, spouse, Resident Guest, Digital Nomad, others)](https://www.immigration.gov.lk/pages_e.php?id=18) · Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka · checked 2026-10-12 3. [Visa Fees](https://www.immigration.gov.lk/pages_e.php?id=45) · Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka · checked 2026-10-12 ## Investor visa · General and its alternatives | Route | Money needed | Stay | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Investor visa · General | Needs an investment from $100k | 5 yr, renewable | – | | [Golden Paradise · $200k](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/sri-lanka/golden-paradise-visa/) | Needs an investment of $200k+ | – | – | | [LTR · Wealthy Global Citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/ltr-wealthy-global-citizen/) Thailand | Needs an investment of $500k+ | 5 yr, renewable | Yes | | [Golden Visa · Portfolio $350k](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/indonesia/e28c-golden-capital-market-investor/) Indonesia | Needs an investment from $350k | 5 yr, renewable | – | | [Golden · AED 2M deposit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-arab-emirates/golden-investor-public-investment/) United Arab Emirates | Needs an investment of AED 2M+ ≈ $545k | 10 yr, renewable | – | ## Questions people ask ### How much money do I need for the Investor visa · General? An investment of at least $100,000. Minimum investment for a 5-year visa. An investment of at least $200,000. Minimum investment for 10 years: the visa is endorsed for 5 years and an official letter then extends it by another 5. A fee of $200 a year. Visa fee for main applicant, spouse and each dependant per year. ### How long can I stay on the Investor visa · General? Initial endorsement 5 years; an official letter extends it by 5 years for investments of at least USD 200,000. ### Can I work on the Investor visa · General? Residence to manage the investment; the guideline does not mention employment. ### Can I bring my family on the Investor visa · General? Applicant, spouse and dependants. ### Is there a tax break for Investor visa · General holders in Sri Lanka? Investor Category Residence Visa holders: not a Sri Lankan resident for income tax (s.69(1A)): An individual holding an Investor Category Residence Visa issued by the Controller of Immigration and Emigration is not a Sri Lankan resident for a year of assessment. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions. ## Tax Special regime ### [Investor Category Residence Visa holders: not a Sri Lankan resident for income tax (s.69(1A))](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/sri-lanka/tax/#tax-lk-investor-visa-tax-nonresident-status) Tax relief **Details** - On: Residence status for income tax: Sri Lankan-source gains and profits remain chargeable An individual holding an Investor Category Residence Visa issued by the Controller of Immigration and Emigration is not a Sri Lankan resident for a year of assessment. Non-residents are charged income tax only on gains and profits arising or derived from Sri Lanka, so foreign-source income falls outside Sri Lankan income tax while the status applies. #### Taxed on Residence status for income tax: Sri Lankan-source gains and profits remain chargeable; foreign-source income is not charged to a non-resident. #### Who it applies to - Hold an Investor Category Residence Visa issued by the Controller of Immigration and Emigration for the year of assessment. - Operative from 1 April 2025 (Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act No. 11 of 2026, section 9 inserting s.69(1A)). #### Exclusions - The Act does not say which of the investor options listed by the Immigration Department count as the Investor Category Residence Visa. - Sri Lankan-source income remains taxable under non-resident rules. #### Tax residence Section 69(1A) overrides the general residence tests of s.69(1) for visa holders. Residents are chargeable on Sri Lankan and foreign-source income; non-residents on Sri Lankan-source gains and profits only (IRD). #### Visas Applies only to the Investor Category Residence Visa; digital nomad, employment, student and spouse visas are not covered by the provision. #### Other taxes VAT, withholding, exchange-control and home-country taxes are separate. Checked against official sources on 10 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) [Full page →](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/sri-lanka/tax/) ## More in Sri Lanka [Digital nomad visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/sri-lanka/digital-nomad-residence-visa/) [Employment visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/sri-lanka/employment-residence-visa/) [Education visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/sri-lanka/education-residence-visa/) ## Investment visas elsewhere [🇸🇬 Global Investor Programme](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/singapore/global-investor-programme/) [🇲🇾 Premium Visa (PVIP)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/malaysia/pvip/) [🇻🇳 Investor visa ĐT1](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/vietnam/investor-dt1/) [🇰🇷 D-8-1 Business Investment](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/d8-1-corporate-investment/) [🇹🇼 Plum Blossom · Business](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/taiwan/aprc-investor-business/) [🇭🇰 New CIES · HK$30M](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/hong-kong/new-cies/) ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. ## How this was checked **Checked on 2026-10-12 against 3 official sources.** Status: verified against the official sources. Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out. 1. [Investor Visa Category guideline](https://www.immigration.gov.lk/content/files/visa/Guideline%20Investor%20Visa%20Category%20doc%202.pdf) · Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka · checked 2026-10-12 2. [Residence Visa categories (employment, investor, education, spouse, Resident Guest, Digital Nomad, others)](https://www.immigration.gov.lk/pages_e.php?id=18) · Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka · checked 2026-10-12 3. [Visa Fees](https://www.immigration.gov.lk/pages_e.php?id=45) · Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka · checked 2026-10-12 Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.