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Funds must go into an approved project — not just sit in an account

Resident Guest Scheme
Sri Lanka — Investor Category

From $250,000 for the applicant plus $35,000 per dependent. Funds are deposited into a special account at an approved bank, but must be directed into an approved project — simply holding the funds isn’t enough.

Get a quote →
Applicant deposit from
$250,000
Per dependent
+$35,000
Annual fee
$200 per person
Visa validity
up to 5 years

Three types of approved project

Funds must go into one of three specific investment types — an arbitrary investment doesn’t qualify.

PROJECT TYPE
APPROVAL NEEDED
NOTE
New venture
APPROVAL NEEDEDBoard of Investment (BOI) or relevant authority
a newly established business
Existing or new company
APPROVAL NEEDEDthe relevant authority
an alternative to a new venture
Colombo Stock Exchange shares
APPROVAL NEEDEDthe listing itself is confirmation
publicly traded securities

What the process consists of

The annual fee applies per family member, not just the primary applicant.

COST ITEM
RATE
APPLIES TO
Special account deposit (applicant)
RATEfrom $250,000
per applicant
Special account deposit (dependent)
RATEfrom $35,000
per dependent
Annual visa fee
RATE$200/year
per family member

How the process runs

01
Opening a special account at an approved bank
A bank approved by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
02
Depositing $250,000 (applicant) + $35,000 (dependent)
Funds must arrive specifically into this special foreign-currency account.
03
Directing the funds into an approved project
A new venture, existing/new company, or Colombo Stock Exchange shares — with corresponding approvals.
04
Filing the RGS visa application
Through Sri Lanka’s Department of Immigration and Emigration.
05
Receiving the visa for up to 5 years
With an annual fee of $200 per person.

A good fit if

You can deposit from $250,000 into the special account and direct it into an approved project.
You plan to include dependents — $35,000 each on top of the primary deposit.
You are considering one of the three approved investment types: new venture, company, or Colombo Stock Exchange shares.
You are prepared for the annual $200-per-person fee to maintain status.

A poor fit if

You plan to simply hold $250,000 in the account without directing it into an approved project — that doesn’t meet the requirements.
Your investment doesn’t fit any of the three types — new venture, company, or Colombo Stock Exchange shares.
You aren’t prepared for the annual fee per family member included on the visa.
You want a lower entry threshold — $250,000 is the official minimum, with no lower option.

Who runs this programme

Your request goes to two or three firms from this list. You see exactly which ones before it is sent, and you can exclude any of them.

Henley & Partners
Лондон, Великобритания · since 1997
The largest advisory firm in the industry — over 70 offices worldwide; also advises governments on designing migration programmes.
NTL Trust
Карибский регион (офисы в Латинской Америке, Европе, на Ближнем Востоке и в Азии) · since 1994
30+ years in citizenship and residence by investment, officially accredited by several Caribbean governments; also trust and corporate services.
Arton Capital
Монреаль, Канада · since 2006
Global financial advisory firm specialising in residence and citizenship by investment.
Astons
Дубай, ОАЭ (основана в Лондоне) · since 1989
One of the oldest firms in the market, over 9,000 clients from 100+ countries; Golden Visa, citizenship and RBI worldwide.
La Vida Golden Visas
Лондон, Великобритания · since 2002
Over 20 years of experience, clients from 160+ countries; specialises in Portugal’s Golden Visa and other EU programmes.
Savory & Partners
Дубай, ОАЭ · since 2009
Over 70 specialists across 8 offices on three continents, 20+ jurisdictions, over 11,000 clients.
Global Citizen Solutions
Лондон, Великобритания / Лиссабон, Португалия · since 2016
Global mobility consultancy with a Lisbon office; specialises in Portugal’s Golden Visa and Spain’s Non-Lucrative Visa.

This is an independent list of firms in the market, not our partners — we do not forward requests to them or receive payment for referrals. Contact them directly via the link.

Frequent questions

Can $250,000 simply sit in the account without going into a project?

No — per the available data, funds must be directed specifically into an approved project (new venture, company, or Colombo Stock Exchange shares), not just held in the special account.

Who counts as a dependent covered by the visa?

Per the available data, the visa covers spouse, dependent children, and the parents of the applicant or their spouse — $35,000 additional per person.

Is Board of Investment (BOI) approval always required?

Per the available data, a new venture requires BOI or relevant-authority approval — for Colombo Stock Exchange shares, no separate BOI approval is needed; the listing itself suffices.

How much does visa renewal cost?

Per the available data, the annual fee is $200 per person, with maximum visa validity of 5 years from the issue date.

Does this visa grant Sri Lankan citizenship?

This page doesn’t describe such a path — the visa is valid up to 5 years; citizenship isn’t separately covered.

Which bank should the account be opened at?

Per the available data, the account must be opened specifically at a commercial bank approved by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, not any bank in the country.

Sources

Official portal of Sri Lanka’s Department of Immigration and Emigration (immigration.gov.lk) — Resident Guest Scheme section; page fetched directly↗

Figures are for reference only. Verified against official sources on 27 August 2026. A precise quote is issued by the appointed firm after document review. This material is not legal advice, a public offer or investment advice.