By Lionel Bopage –
Dr Lionel Bopage
Your Excellency, President Maithripala Sirisena
Presidential Secretariat
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Your Excellency
Reinstatement of Dual Citizenship for Expatriate Sri Lankans
First of all, we extend our heartiest congratulations to you on being elected as the President of Sri Lanka to return the country to a parliamentary democracy that is free of corruption. We also wish to thank you for the many important measures implemented so far for the establishment of good governance in the country. We are certain that you will face the challenges ahead with courage and determination, having the wellbeing of Sri Lanka’s 21 million people at heart.
Our organisation – Australian Advocacy for Good Governance in Sri Lanka (AAGGSL) – is committed to positively subscribe to the establishment of practicing democracy and rule of law in Sri Lanka while respecting the rights and will of all its peoples. We are indeed happy to have played a small role in your dramatic victory by appealing to the Sri Lankan voters through electronic, radio and social media during the month long period of your election campaign.
This appeal of AAGGSL relates to the reinstatement of dual citizenship in Sri Lanka, a matter that has significant relevance to many Sri Lankans living overseas. As an advocacy group for good governance, we promote among other things, forward-looking policies for the advancement of future generations. It is for this reason we thought it necessary to highlight the legitimate concerns of thousands of expatriates, who long to reinstate their Sri Lankan citizenship.
As your Excellency is aware, in the last few decades, hundreds of thousands of people left Sri Lanka due to communal riots, war, political upheavals, military intimidation, reprisals, death threats and media muzzling. During the civil war many parents decided to send their young sons and daughters abroad for quality higher education in the safety of Western countries, such as Australia. Those who were granted permanent residency or asylum in foreign countries were able to obtain citizenship in those countries for a nominal sum of processing fees.
These men and women who have since become admirable citizens of other countries have a lot to offer in the rebuilding of our nation, but are unfairly inhibited from doing so. Their knowledge, expertise and wealth gained in the first world countries can be gainfully invested in the service and development of our motherland, thus reversing the ‘brain drain’ and capital flight that for too long has affected the country’s growth and prosperity.
But many expatriates, who were so hopeful of going back to Sri Lanka for good, buoyed by the recent positive developments, have expressed disappointment at the announcement that resumption of dual citizenship in Sri Lanka will cost $5000 per person! This we see as a significant financial impediment to those who want to invest in small business ventures in the country, as well as to parents who wish to cultivate our cultural values in their children. For a family of five, $25,000 is an exorbitant price for their return home as citizens, let alone the air fares and other ancillary expenses! Many professionals, technical experts and the wealthy, as well as skilled workers, educationists and healthcare workers – all find it as a total disincentive to their dream of one day giving back something valuable for the betterment of their countrymen.
It is to your credit, Mr. President, that following the initiatives taken by your government on matters of rule of law, democracy, judiciary and freedom of expression, many expatriates now feel that they can contribute constructively for the social and economic development of their country.
In the circumstances, we believe that Sri Lanka has a lot to gain by making the cost of dual citizenship for expatriates more equitable. We urge your Excellency to kindly take steps to reduce such costs to comparable levels of regional countries, thus help our expatriates’ heartfelt desire to return to, and invest in their motherland, practicable, affordable and sustainable.
Yours sincerely
Dr Lionel Bopage – President, Australian Advocacy for Good Governance in Sri Lanka
Matilda Ellepola / February 10, 2015
Lionel
USD5K for someone in Auz is not bad at all.
That is way too low for someones monthly salary in Australia.
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AVB / February 10, 2015
Almost 50% of my batch mates live in Australia, this percentage is true for couple years ahead of me and lot of years below me and almost all these people have taken Australian passports. If SL gov make dual citizenship as low as $2000, lot of people will get it even if they do not have concrete plans to go back.. Isn’t that good money to SL.. Unlike Middle East workers, net money inflow from skill migrants must be a BIG negative, people sell their inherited houses/land in SL and pay off their mortgages here, it is time to get some money back… :-( An average house worth more than $500,000 in Aus now, if they sell it take money back to SL, Ravi Karunanaye should not have to sell sovereign bonds anymore…
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Sinhala Banda / February 10, 2015
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
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Pie in the Sky / February 10, 2015
You clearly have never lived in australia. You probably lie in your chair in the afternoon after a nap and imagine that we live lives of luxury like lankan ministers. We pay 50% of our salary in tax and and 80% of the remainder goes in rent or mortgage. You should try putting away $5k on that. I’ll wait.
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Pure bred Lankan / February 10, 2015
You pay taxes to the Aussies and not Lanka. There should be NO dual citizenship – if Lanka isnt good enough for you, just leave and go to your new home.
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aloman / February 10, 2015
Is Sri Lanka given to your mother as her boodle? It’s none of your business, neither is it anyone else’s including the government if Sri Lankans born in Sri Lanka chooses to become a citizen of a foreign country. After all who made these mythical borders? All it does is divide us. At the end of the day, no one can deny the right to return to one’s own place of birth.
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Cannuck / February 11, 2015
Dear Pure bred Lankan, your reply epitomizes the narrow minded thinking of the majority of our people. You attitude of stay away if Sri Lanka was not good enough for you, is a sad statement on your part. Such thinking is what our country doesn’t prosper in anything, be it political or social. It seems to stem from a jealousy towards others who have had a chance to, study, work as well as live in another country for many reasons. Not everyone left SL for greener pasture, and not all have done well living in other parts of the world. Some pay a heavy price with family issues, missing relatives etc. So you generalizing everyone into one, is very unfair very short sighted. As someone else pointed out expats can bring a lot for the local economy.
However I do agree with one comment you made… “There should be NO dual citizenship” I agree because this whole affair of a dual citizenship was created to make money. Check with most of the developed countries in the world, and you will find that they do not cancel the birthright or the citizenship of someone born in their country. Sri Lanka may be one of the few who does this, as a way of making money off expats. Still many of us won’t mind paying this, if the amount was reasonable, that is all what the author of this article has said, and many of us here comment. Hope you understand and more kinder towards your fellow Sri Lankans.
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Canadian / February 11, 2015
Well, Thank you, Pure bred Lankan, for the nice bit of advice! You make a very difficult decision very easy to make. Yes! with the knowledge that it is the people like you we have to come to if we ever get Dual Citizenship, I just decided to spend the twenty thousand dollars (for a family of four) on a brand new car -sweet driving it is my friend!
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Amarasiri / February 11, 2015
Pure bred Lankan?
Pure bred Para-deshi from South and East India, Paras.
Native Veddah Aethho should charge $5,000 for each Para, who inhabits the land of Native Vedda Aethool.
The Vedda Tribe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f89NuukY32U
Tamil-speaking Veddas of Vaharai await war recovery support
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeFCuZwexRw
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Sylvia Haik / February 12, 2015
Hi Pure bred Lankan. You speak like the idiot frog who had lived all its life in a small well. There is a world outside that is generous, tolerant, loving and fair. You are deluded into thinking that your little province is so marvelous that people are clamouring to get there. The only reason former Sri Lankans wish Dual Citizenship is like the salmon wishing to return to its birthplace no matter how lucrative the wild.
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Sri Lankan / February 10, 2015
To be fair on those who live overseas, yes, some maybe earning a lot more than the average Sri Lankan when converted to Rupees as such it seems they are able to easily afford the $5000 per person. However living in a country like Australia, UK, USA , Canada or similar does not mean they all leave in a lap of luxury. In fact most are not! Imagine you going to the shops for a few groceries for a week and walking out paying Rs.15,000? Imagine a water bill that is Rs.30,000, Gas and Electricity at Rs.60,000 and Municipality rates at around Rs. 200,000 a year or more. This is on top of paying up to 40% of you income in tax, 10% – 20% in GST on every single thing you buy. After all there is absolutely no cheating when it comes to any of these unlike in SL. On top add the registration for the car (which is a must and not a luxury) at about $100,000, Insurance at $75,000. Add other costs such as home insurance, child care, even a hair cut cost $30. Add to this the rent (or mortgage which is more or less the same as you are looking at least 50 years of paying). You will be looking at paying minimum Rs.170,000 – 350,000 a month for a small – average 3br house, Car loan, school fees, sending money back to parents and family, tickets back to Sri Lanka are not even mentioned here. Basically life is fair compared to the average Sri Lankan however, the cost is that they don’t get to save but end up paying all they earn for day-to-day living. Most people don’t go out for meals, movies ect. and even if they do occasionally it will be a luxury. So please, don’t think demanding $5000 off everyone is fair just because they are living in one of these countries. It is a hard life for almost everyone who’ve migrated. Those who seem to live it off easy are the ultra rich kids of SL ministers who earn their billions back in Sri Lanka and they go overseas to play. Others are living mostly an average or below average life in these countries without the help and support of their extended families or servants etc. that most in Sri Lanka take for granted. They even have to be their own gardener, driver, handy man etc. etc. as these are not affordable. Most office workers will have to pay more than what they earn to secure such a service. I met an old Sri Lankan couple in one of these countries and asked them how it has been living there for a long period. Their exact words were “Duk vinda vinda Sapa vindinawa” which sums up majority of expats who are looking at getting their Dual Citizenship. Matilda, be a bit kinder. Sri Lanka has to be fair on these people as these are people who still hang on to the hope and love of Sri Lanka. On the other hand these people and their children will bring much more than $5000 to the economy if they are part of it which they rightly should be. So keeping them away is foolish policy. Lionel Bopage is absolutely correct, give them the Dual Citizenship to who ever wanting (obviously as long as they are Sri Lankans), charge just the admin fee. Sri Lanka has everything to gain and nothing to lose. Finally, as a Buddhist I believe it’s one’s karma to be born where they were born. No one should have the right to question their return. In other words you can take a Sri Lankan out of Sri Lanka but no one has or should have the right to take Sri Lanka out of a Sri Lankan!
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Leena / February 10, 2015
How much is the fee for an Australian PR application? And what is the average salary of a typical Sri Lankan applicant who “invests” in that sort of money?
When expats want the citizenship to be 2000$, they are hoping for something that can be just bought over the counter and kept in the wallet as an added facility.
It’s a citizenship, not a flat-screen TV. Give it some thought, see if you really want it and if so, spend the 5000 dollars.
Don’t expect people to feel sorry for Australian citizens who work hard and pay heft taxes. You do realise that owning a “western” passport has other benefits. You have the backing and the security of your reliable Government, you get good roads, good schools, good infrastructure etc You don’t have to worry about your local coles not being stocked well enough. Your mortgage is going into a property in a nicely paved street that most Sri Lankans can only dream of.
You can try settle of a permanent residency – which let’s you work, invest and live – and just give up your passport for a Lankan one. You will be more than welcome to “return to Sri Lanka”.
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aloalo / February 11, 2015
Whether you have a Foreign passport or just the PR only benefits the owner and no one else. It has no cost to you as a person or Sri Lanka as a country. However you don’t want it benefiting the owner proves your motive is pure jealousy. I urge you to cleanse your self for your own good as the old saying goes. Balla piduru kanneth na, Kana gona ta denneth na! A typical mindset of the modaya! Says a lot about those commenting here against it. They don’t even realize which is how far gone they are.
No one is saying Dual Citizenship should be free. What ever it costs Sri Lanka to process such should be the fee. It clearly does not cost $5000 per person, specially if it is $25000 for a family of 5.
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Leena / February 11, 2015
But I do have dual citizenship and my partner my doesn’t. So what I have done with the Piduru ?
You’re saying that you will gladly buy a Sri Lankan passport for $2000, but it’s not worth the $5000 price tag.
And again, how much does an ordinary LKR earning citizen -and there are thousands of applications annually – pay for a PR application in a western country? How many months’ salaries? And is it only you hardworking suburban people that have mortgages, school fees and cars to maintain?
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Gajaba / February 11, 2015
First of all thank you very much for Dr. Bopage to take his time to present very legitimate and reasonable argument on behalf of immigrants who want to be part of their native communities
Leena
You say that you have a dual citizenship though your first sentence is not clear. So you got your dual citizenship for $ 2000 but you do not like see other people get it at a similar cost.This clearly reflect your selffishness and jelousy of others have the same benefits. Throught all of your comments, you did not make any legitimate argument against Dr. Bopage’s claim. I also got dual citizenship without paying anything just depositing 25000 US $ NRFC account.
This is not the problem of money Leena. If somebody needs it they will get even at 10,000. But we Sri Lankan should not discriminate or neglect our people.
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Prana / February 12, 2015
“Added Facility”. Truly correct. You touched my every part. I love you Leena, the way you expelled the obnoxious Dollar bearers with a staunch message. Let Lanka avoid the torch bearers of the West with it’s $5000 hegemony.
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S.Mahendra (in Swiss) / February 11, 2015
“Lionel Bopage is absolutely correct, give them the Dual Citizenship to who ever wanting (obviously as long as they are Sri Lankans), charge just…….”
It is agreed that the bulk of those applying for dual-citizenship are Tamils from
Jaffna? The Dept. has a pending list of over 90,000. (Rs.18 Mil. Revenue)
Just to indicate the potential economic benefits of dual-citizenship one can see
in the Index change for the first time in INWARD REMITTANCES – the NP beating
WP !!
The 1948 Citizenship Act provisions in regard to Dual Citizenship should be
restored to the last position, viz as at Jany. 2011 (prior to the Oxford debacle
of MR when he in revenge made this ad-hoc “hold”).
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Abdullah / February 10, 2015
Any dependents and Children still studying even at Uni level should be granted a special rate and this is a norm
Malaysia charges only RM 900 for a 10 year multiple visa renewable
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Brinktopia / February 10, 2015
But Malaysian institutions ear a much larger income from them as tuition fees than compared to Sri Lanka.
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paduma / February 10, 2015
this is peanuts for our expats and most of them are professionals who decamped the country after a FREE education at poor taxpayers money and never gave anything in return . This US $ 5000 will never cover the cost of educating this selfish people who decamped when country was down and now want to return in the evening of their life to be a burden again to SL taxpayer for their heakth care etc. FREE RIDE BOTH WAYS !!!
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aloalo / February 10, 2015
Your economy is measured in peanuts? no wonder you sound like a monkey. A jealous one at that. What makes you think they never gave back? Why the heck do you think they want to come back? leaving the free first class Medicare for the overcrowded hospitals full of asses for doctors who think they’re God’s gift to mankind ? Btw how much taxes are you paying? I bet you’re jobless. If most of these expats you talk about didn’t leave they’d be a bum like you too with leaders like the morons you elected so far. At least now they could bring back some of their savings so bums like you may have a prospect of at least cleaning their toilets.
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Leena / February 11, 2015
I’m guessing “peanuts” is a figure of a speech and not an economics index. Maybe Paduma should have compared the fee to a “bigmac”, since that’s actually a legit measurement index.
Also monkeys rarely prefer nuts, it’s the preferred snack of elephants and humans though.
While I’m compelled to agree with some of the arguments presented by Dr Bopage and the Sri Lankan (February 10, 2015 at 8:37 am) but you aloalo sounds like a frustrated disgruntled migrant who regret past decisions.
P.S – Not everyone here is personally responsible for electing morons : )
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aloalo / February 11, 2015
Not at all frustrated. On the contrary, I am happily living the a dream come true life whilst enjoying both worlds and that is exactly because of the decisions made in the past correctly. That is why no one including you will ever be able to take my freedom from living or dying in my mother land. So suck on that Leena!
However you failed to get the point that most people here who oppose providing the dual nationality to others are doing so simply out of jealousy as there is nothing you gain from it nor does the country. Even if your argument was that it justifies the country demanding say $25000 from a family of 5 which would be a pittance compared with the scale of robbery that took place during the previous govt. E.g. 1km of road in the outskirts of Colombo cost us $17Million which equates to 680 migrants paying the $5000 for dual nationality. Mind you 100’s of kms were billed as such. So if the country wants money don’t kill the duck that lays the golden egg. Try to find the money that was robbed. Charge reasonably from those who want Dual Nationality. As one who already claims to have the Dual Nationality you should be ashamed to be supporting a $25,000 fee from a family of 5 as you will know exactly what that means to an average migrant to spare that kind of cash.
As for your argument about fees paid for PR in a foreign country. That is you wanting to pay for PR in another country which not the same as you wanting to be a citizen of your own country of birth and possibly where your parents and family still live. The county you’re applying for PR can charge what ever they want. Even then its most likely the actual cost to process your application at local labor costs in that country.
Lastly I think you need to make up your mind once and for all before opening your mouth. If you agree with Dr. Bopage and ‘Sri Lankan’ then why did you start muttering here about flat screens and going on to say that $5000 is justified? Is your Conscience booting up finally? Tube light?
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Abhaya / February 11, 2015
We got the benifits of free education because we have brains and the world pays for our skills . monkeys like you no one will pay for free education or not .
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OZD / February 11, 2015
Everyone had the same opportunity for free education and we used that to enhance our life by studying hard and later working hard instead of some who got the education and expect everything else too free of charge.
Don’t blame us for free education blame yourself for calling yourelf educated which was free of course but now sitting and crying for either not utilising it effectively or failing the exam. Natanna beri ekata polowa edai kiwwalu.
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Wizard / February 12, 2015
It’d be better with an equally opposite proverb: [Edited out]
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S. Kaunisela / February 12, 2015
“…… because we have brains and the world pays for our skills”.
That’s what you sit with, “Jayawewa for anything” shouting monkeys like you got the government sponsored perks of a free scholarship abroad whence you abscond and sneak out for lucrative jobs.
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L. Perera / February 11, 2015
If all the eligible tax payers of SL pay taxes (and not rort the system), the country’s economy would be in a better shape today.
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Amarasiri / February 10, 2015
Lionel Bopage –
Should Kumar Gunsarsatnum Pay $5,000 and not hide?
FSP Leader Kumar Gunaratnam Goes into Hiding in Sri Lanka to Avoid being Deported to Australia After Expiry of Tourist Visa
Posted by Administrator on 9 February 2015, 5:04 pm
http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/38367
Kevin Kariyawasam and Yohan Perera
The Department of Immigration and Emigration has sought the assistance of state intelligence services to locate Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Central Committee Member Kumar Gunaratnam whose visa had expired ten days ago.
Immigration sources said Gunaratnam arrived in Sri Lanka on January 1 on a 30-day tourist visa which expired on January 31 and since then he is said to be in hiding.
Gunaratnam, a citizen of Australia, was summoned twice by the Department of Immigration to record statements about his involvement in local politics.
Sources said the department had confiscated his passport and asked him to return before January 31, to be sent back to Australia but he did not show up and his whereabouts are not known.
On Tuesday the department wrote to Police Chief N.K. Illangakoon requesting that Mr. Gunaratnam be arrested on sight. A special report was submitted to the Ministry of Public Order with regard to the progress of the inquiry.
Meanwhile, FSP Political Affairs Committee Member Pubudu Jayagoda they had not received any official warning from the police about the arrest of their Leader Kumar Gunaratnam.
He said as such there was no question about Gunratnam surrendering but that his party would seek legal advice and take appropriate action if an official warning was given by the police.
Mr. Jayagoda he said there won’t be any risk of his arrest in Australia in the event he returned there.
Courtesy:Daily Mirror
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Samuel Bandara / February 10, 2015
Actually, Rajapakshes should have gone to nuts not to have blocked even the highly educated lankens that could bring more investments to the country -of getting a dual nationality. Had they already been allowed, more investments could have been flown to the country since 2009. But it was a greater mistake of this abusive dimiwits thought worked for the highest office for such a long time.
There should be a set of categories – so that lanken professionals being given the priority of getting duality. Their credentials are known to both govts so why to look at them with the same manner. Sure that many that would apply for passports will be refugees. However, MR regime to be blind aboutthe professinals that waited long for their passport was a big blunder.
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Samuel Bandara / February 10, 2015
Typo, not to have ALLOWED
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Shan / February 11, 2015
Matilda, your right for someone in Australia it maybe alright, but not for everyone, you forget that not everyone is at your pay-scale and further as Lionel succinctly says when it is a multiple of persons in one family it is pretty expensive.
Further if you compare it with what other countries do it is not just through the roof it seems more likely to have passed the stratosphere.
Australia cost of dual citizenship for an Australian is the cost of obtaining an Aussie Passport
US the same
UK the same
Ireland approx USD800
Jamaica USD 100
Italy Euro 200
In comparison USD 5000 is actually punitive
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Amarasiri / February 10, 2015
Dr Lionel Bopage
RE: Mr. President $5000 For Dual Citizenship Is Too Much
“This appeal of AAGGSL relates to the reinstatement of dual citizenship in Sri Lanka, a matter that has significant relevance to many Sri Lankans living overseas. As an advocacy group for good governance, we promote among other things, forward-looking policies for the advancement of future generations. It is for this reason we thought it necessary to highlight the legitimate concerns of thousands of expatriates, who long to reinstate their Sri Lankan citizenship.”
Here the real question, is the value of the Dual Citizenship, and it’s worth to the individual. It varies. For some it has value. For others the value is less than $5,000.
From the viewpoint of the state, how can they maximize revenue?
$5,000 at 10% return is $500/year.
http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/visainfo/fees.jsp?locale=en_US
Each month Visa Cost, US$15/month or US $ 180/year.
As a dual Citizen, do you pay Taxes to Sri Lanka and save on your taxes? To the other Country? What is it’s value to you?
http://www.immigration.gov.lk/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=152%3Atourist-visit-visa&catid=41&Itemid=180&lang=en
Tourist Visit Visa
Please visit http://www.eta.gov.lk
How can I renew my tourist visa?
Every bona-fide tourist who enters Sri Lanka within the period of the landing permit granted by the Immigration officials at the port of entry can apply for a visa extension before the expiry of the visa. Two (02) months extension beyond 30 days shall be granted at the Department of Immigration Emigration (Head Office) or please contact Visitor Services Centre if required. However further extension shall only be considered with valid reasons. This restriction will not be applicable to Ex-Sri Lankans.
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aloalo / February 10, 2015
Aye fool, how many of the richest (e.g. Rajapase’s and his ministers) paid taxes on every cent they ill got ? Even the most educated such as lawyers and doctors in SL are cheating the taxation system and gettting away. Need I even talk about businessmen ? Why do they all deserve to be citizens ? Atleast the expats are not cheating the system. They are not required to pay taxes. On the other hand, to pay taxes you need to be using the services that you pay for. Ofcourse if these expats return as citizens and use the local services they will pay local taxes and trust me they will pay more than your sorry ass as they are mostly by now used to being honest. Lastly, who then hell is the state or you to tell me if I can or cant be a citizen of my beloved mother lanka? You can …. my ….!
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Imran / February 10, 2015
aloalo
Lovely, lovely… Very well said and very well put. Thank you so much for speaking your mind out. I couldn’t have said it better. Also note your previous entry where you refer to our asses of doctors who think they are gods gift to mankind. Absolutetly true. Kudos and keep it up.
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Cannuck / February 11, 2015
aloalo,
Well said.. great points and I might add that Sri Lanka may in the minority where once loses his/her citizenship when you become a citizen in another country. This whole issue of applying to be a citizen is a cash cow gone wrong with ever increasing fees. I wonder how one can lose their “birthright” just because of a piece of paper issued from another country? This type of narrow minded thinking is what is taking our country backwards in all aspects!
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burt / February 10, 2015
More than 50% of the population that left the country left because of the corruption of the govt and the military and the others left because of the incompetence of a govt and military that could not protect civilians against rebels and milita and a judiciary that had no backbone.
Allowing all those who were born in the country the opportunity is a good thing and way more than what the corrupted drug dealing previous govt did.
Having said that asking these same people to pay anything more than the processing cost is victimizing them twice and 5K I don’t think is reasonable.
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Sopranadu / February 10, 2015
Paper-cuts of Threats and Bombings earned them a livelihood in foreign soil, now what the heck they want back a place in this society. They already neglected they kith and kin for the green pastures and for some, White wives. Now they target to establish their mills in this soil as New entrepreneurs with their syndicated money.
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Largesse / February 10, 2015
All of those who escaped out of the country in false pretext never sculled in their boats but by paying exorbitant sums to smuggling agents and job fixers in Sri Lanka and overseas respectively which could mean that they had the potential to secure much of a huge sum to secure an undefined destination. In this context we shouldn’t count them as paupers prior to departure nor once they arrive. $5000 shouldn’t be counted as a loss to them if they dearly love their motherland.
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Jim softy / February 10, 2015
People went abroad because of Sri lankan free education. So, with $ 5000, they may be paying part of the expenses of their free education.
It is hilarious a former JVPer now enjoying the greener pastures asking for a cheaper deal.
Shameless.
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aloalo / February 11, 2015
“People went abroad because of Sri lankan free education.” – WRONG ANSWER!
People went abroad because Sri Lanka keeps electing Morons as leaders who’s only interest is to line their own pockets and rob the masses en masse. As such, these highly educated people don’t have jobs to feed their kids let alone one day educate them and maybe put a roof over their head. Even if they tried hard it will be not by using their talent but only by becoming the best brown noser to some 8pass minister.
Now that these people have achieved those basic needs overseas they are happy to return and hopefully educate fools like you to elect better leaders so you can one day wipe off the poo that’s caked on your nose over the years.
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Jim softy / February 10, 2015
Misleading the Sri lankan Youth Lionel Bopage may have wasted so much and large amounts of money,by destroying govt properties and lives, and now he is whining about $ 5000.
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Kalana De Silva / February 10, 2015
Dear Mr, No one asked you to become a citizen of another country and neglect your birthrights. So why not pay a reasonable price for your own negligence. This amount should be raised even further up.
Talking about brain darin, “work the best years of your life to some other country and return as carcasses for retirement”,is not a bad idea.
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Shantha / February 10, 2015
The bottom line is, Sri Lankans who live abroad still come home often, spend their money here, buy property, do business, sends money home, and always helps the country at a time of crisis, like the time the tsunami hit. Once you are born here, you are always Sri Lankan, and you should not pay so much to continue to be so. The government should not be greedy and make their own people pay so much. For the country to get the benefits from the Sri Lankan diaspora, and for the diaspora to enjoy the benefits of being Sri Lankan, this application for dual citizenship should be reasonable. Giving citizenship to Sri Lankans from abroad will never deprive those Sri Lankans living here of anything.
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Sylvia Haik / February 10, 2015
These same Sri Lankans are treated as tourists as borne by the fact that tourists figures keep rising but hotel occupancy rates keep falling. That is because these former Sri Lankans stay with their relatives but nevertheless spend more than the short term genuine tourists because they remain longer.
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Harry Hatton / February 10, 2015
people like Lionel Bopage, free education, free health, very cheap transport,very little contribution to the country then join JVP and destroy a lot of government property, then run off to Australia where $ 5000 is nothing. But does not want to even give that to his mother land ! What tight-ass mean hearts have they ?
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Don Quixote / February 10, 2015
Why do we have to pay to retain the citizenship in the Country we were born in ?
Dual citizenship should be granted based on remittances made into the Country and investments held in the Country.
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Above the Rest / February 10, 2015
“Why do we have to pay to retain the citizenship in the Country we were born in?”
Because when things were bad you dropped your citizenship like a piece of bird poo.
“Dual citizenship should be granted based on remittances made into the Country and investments held in the Country.”
Remittances are made not to ‘the country’ but to your relatives. When was your last remittance to ‘the country’?
As far as investments are concerned, are foreigners (born in SL or otherwise) allowed to invest in SL, unless they have dual citizenship? I don’t believe so.
When in Sri Lanka we try to get out of the joint – by hook or by crook. When overseas we become the greatest patriots – not to the country that gave us shelter (in some cases political asylum or refugee status), but to the country that we left in disgust.
Of course we leave our young back there; they have more to offer than us oldies who can do big things in SL with the not-so-big old age pension from the West!
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Ram / February 10, 2015
Most countries DO NOT allow dual citizenship, and you shed one to obtain the other when you qualify to do so. That is a choice you make to discard your birth right. If you for whatever reason value citizenship in Sri Lanka, then be ready to pay to regain it. A guty who cannot afford to pay the US$5000 this is not likely to be able to invest anything in Sri Lanka as claimed.
So it seems that all those stories of roads being paved with gold in the lands across the waters are quite untrue.
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Gunasekera / February 10, 2015
I agree with you Dr. Bopage. It is very unreasonable. I am living in Australia and I have three young children beside my wife. It will cost me $25,000 to obtain dual citizenship for my family. Ravi should know in Australia we live comfortably but we are unable to spare a such exorbitant amount of money to return to the country when we were born. In other democracies they have considered it was an inherent right to return to the country where you were born and there are no hassles to get back your citizenship.
Rs.150,000 was reasonable but that right was denied to us by the previous Government for years apparently for security reasons. It is laughable that just before elections they lifted the ban on the same and the question of security reasons did not arise. We understand that despite the ban some who were known to the former Defence Secretary were given dual citizenship.
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Onna menna / February 10, 2015
The govt should understand that not every citizen desirous of dual citizenship can afford 5K $. This is like highway robbery to them. Citizenship is an inalienable right and those ex-lankans desirous of renewing their lankan ties should in fact be encouraged and helped by the govt. 1K $ in my opinion is reasonable. I hope Mr President would look into this matter with utmost urgency and reduce the burden on the applicants by also streamlining the procedure and avoiding unnecessary red-tape issues.
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sinhalese buddhist / February 10, 2015
Anyone born in Sri Lanka who wants dual citizenship should be able to get such with a simple process.
As for the cost, it should be based on the salary/pension that person makes in the other country of citizenship. The starting salary of a typical IT professional in the US is in excess of $80,000. So I don’t think $5000/= is that much in comparison – most high-end professionals in the US make more than this per month.
Perhaps the higher costs for the wealthy can be used to subsidize the cost for those who are at the lower-end of the income scale.
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Ram / February 10, 2015
You must remember that some tore their passports on the plane in order to pretend that they had no previous loyalty to any country. Do you want them back amongst you.
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Burt / February 11, 2015
Your talking about gross salary before tax without taking into consideration the taxes, cost of living and way of life.
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mechanic / February 10, 2015
Hay Bopage, I just cannot fathom how $5,000 is too much to buy back the citizenship you people abandoned willingly for whatever reason that may be. As far as I am aware, average monthly salary of a professional in developed countries is well over that figure. Also I am told that any hard working average man can earn that much in just two months. In that sense that sum is equal to Rs.50,000 for a Sri Lankan. See, even after ‘yahapalana’ government has come to power, Sri Lankans would willingly pay not $5,000 but $10,000 for a residential visa in a developed country.
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K.A Sumanasekera / February 10, 2015
Military reprisals,Intimidation,Death Threats, Communal Riots, Political Upheaval,and Media Muzzling are the reasons why a couple of hundred thou Srilankans escaped to Australia… says the ex JVP Boss Bopage.
Srilanka must be a real shit place if this is true.
Why would these people want to go back even if they get the Duals free?…. .
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watcher / February 10, 2015
Some of negative comments here are from born losers that does not understand the expats value to SL’s economy.
In China and India, they put red carpet for the highly qualified expats that come back and help the country. They also give tax free allowances and accommodation etc, so that they will settle and do valuable services to the country. In China I get red carpet from Chinese govt. and also I do not need visa to go there and work.
I do come to SL and help countries sensitive areas like defence, Intelligence ,Cyber warfare, cyber crime and other areas free of charge. I do have British and Australian citizenships but got SL working visa via defence ministry.
We need to harvest foreign expertise from our people and encourage them to give their services to the mother country. I suppose guy who is a ltte money launderer(finance min) or illegal PM who want to sell the country via working with right wing christian morons will not value such a services.
Just because MR did bad things these unelected people does not have mandate to do crazy things and they should work for the national interest..
Since when UNP ever work for national interest ? UNP work only for UNP.
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thondamannar / February 10, 2015
hello watcher……….. These expatsare looking for a mat & a pillow to sleepout in their retirement in Sri Lanka, unlike those qualified expats who return to India & China.
Not Red carpets BUT lets have mats for them.
Those who want to assist Sri Lanka can certainly come. Do not ask & grab what the Country has to offer you BUT see what you can offer to the Country.
If you think in this manner any fee is not much.
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crazyoldmansl / February 10, 2015
I think the logic is clear. Sinhalese free – it is our country. Muslims 100 Rupees – just to remind them that this is not their country. Tamils US $ 5000 – so that they cannot afford to pay and will have to stay away.
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Grumpy / February 13, 2015
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
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S.R.H. Hoole / February 10, 2015
I fully endorse Lionel Bopage’s appeal to reduce the charges and in addition I call for making provisions for families and our youth. Indeed, I found the earlier fee of $2000 rather stiff because I had to pay for my wife and 4 children.
A straight forward $5000 is an over-simplification. Consider my nephew whose mother is English. He grew up in Sri Lanka but retained his UK passport because of his mother and because of the reduced tuition in the UK for citizens. Having to leave for the UK for his studies he applied for dual citizenship and it was approved but before he could take it the system closed. If he a student has to pay $5000, I fear that my nephew will never make Sri Lanka his home although it is his real home where he grew up. His three siblings would also be lost to Sri Lanka and to us their loving relations. Their presence in Sri Lanka would make Sri Lanka more of a home to my children who love their cousins dearly and would therefore make it more likely that my children would also make Sri Lanka their home.
The point goes beyond money. It is about making Sri Lanka home to many of us. My nephew Anbsesan Hoole studied in Trincomalee and Mannar in Tamil and entered Cambridge to read medicine. Should we uphold him as a model for all our children or place a $5000 road block before him to prevent his returning home to work here?
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Mali / February 10, 2015
Its funny to see all of you crying over paying $5000 when most of you paid far more than that to get out of the country at one point.
besides, why do you want to come back to Sri Lanka? Don’t give that BS about no one can question the right of blah blah blah….
Sri Lankan managed up to now without the likes of you, who abandoned ship like a bunch of rats… now things are calm, now that enough people have died, and your children avoided being blown to bits or face the enemy bullets, you want to come back? For what? To enjoy the peace dividends? the peace that people in Sri Lanka paid for with their lives while you stayed safe in your adopted country’s?
No thanks
Stay away., I hope they NEVER offer Dual Citizenship.
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aloalo / February 11, 2015
You clearly didn’t fight any wars to pay with your life. So stop lying!!
Clearly fools like you don’t realize that all the $$$ that come into SL is from overseas workers. That is what turns the wheels, even pays for your internet connection to write this drivel. Have you ever thought of that? Have you even attempted to make a coconut scraper to sell overseas ? Earn your first $1 before you pontificate about matters that are beyond your comprehension.
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Bd / February 10, 2015
Lionel, Why do you want duel citizen in the first place ? Do you think this quick change from MR to Sirisena is going to last forever? Just forget about that. The track will be the same after April.
Yes, we had free education, medicine and all. But our fathers and grandfathers paid more than enough tax for this all. Nothing came free of charge, or out of these greedy politicians pockets.
I am not going to pay more than $1000.00 for dual citizenship for myself. It is up to them to use our money or not. If they cannot do it, leave it to them.
I, with my wife earn a small amount as $ 100000.00 a year. Tax, at least 35-40% , Electricity, Gas, Water, Telephone, Insurance (Home, 2-3 Cars, Medical, emergency-Fire etc., ) education, Petrol, council rates, mortgage or rent and what not ? End of the year, how much we have saved for future ? Lucky, our future is secured by the government itself.
Only advantage here, I say again Only benefit here we are living like humans with all human rights. ! We are not paying taxes for barbarian kings, but development of the country.That is worth more than anything.
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W.Milton / February 10, 2015
Ex-JVP terrorist leader of Bopage now talking about dual citizenship!
What a laughing stock of Sri lakan, Terrorist, then goes to other countries ,how they attempted misled public by misdeeds of their past political carrier by dodging democratic .
How long these Terrorist can misled People of Sri Lankan!
World class Terror of JVP outfits are that misused democracy and paly in political hipcoracy by misappropriated safe shelter in oversees or other lands.
JVP ex-terrorist or present terrorist are naked hypotactic.
Their pseudo-knowledge of JVP ex-terrorist of all sorts capitalize on and exploit anomalies in ‘good governances’ of evidence that support their claim, rather than ensuring rights of democracies of people.
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Ram / February 10, 2015
Isn’t it quite laughable that these red-blood Marxists end up in the USA as NeoCons today, and expect handouts from the country they rejected.
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Another John / February 10, 2015
1) Asking for the waiving of a fee is not asking for a handout.
2) Marx too ended up in London
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lynx / February 11, 2015
It is a fact that many Sri Lankans who want dual citizenship are doing it for tax avoidance because they have houses or land which they want to sell but pay the lower taxes applicable to Sri Lankan citizens.
What is needed is a very rigorous screening procedure to weed out the above type of applicant. The Dept. of Immigration needs to become very much more effective and efficient.
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Riyaz Rauf / February 11, 2015
I am living in Canada for the past 5 years to educate my children.
The Amount $ 5000 is on the high side as it cost $ 20,000 to a house hold that can put that amount of money and but a house and pay the mortgage for the balance and own a house.
A better system must be brought about to make revenue but not to burdan the citizens .
May be Tax the head of the family $ 5000 and the rest at $ 1000 may be a justifiable way to go about .
Its wrong to assume that every one living abroad is well off and has the money to spend on such things . as we also have student loans and house mortgages to pay while being under employed in most cases .
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Abhaya / February 11, 2015
[Edited out] . They talk big and now they have no investments . as no body wants to invest in a country that does not honor promises . now aiio sirisena wants to tax the Sri Lankans living aboard .
Cheers
Abhaya
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Vijith / February 11, 2015
We should not pay anything other than an administrative fee for dual citizenship . If they want to discourage Sri Lankan returning to motherland then let it be. This will make expats not to invest anything in Sri Lanka.
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HJ / February 11, 2015
It should be increased to USD 10,000.
You can’ have best of both worlds cheap.If you want it pay for it.
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L.Perera / February 11, 2015
I am confident that Senior citizens who can demonstrate that they have sufficient funds (in foreign currency) to maintain their stay in their
homeland and others who maintain a prescribed amount of foreign currency in Sri Lankan banks and bonds, during their stay – will be exempt from any fees,as was done the past. Subject to SECURITY checks, of course.
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piuma / February 11, 2015
Every body who are living out of Sri Lanka not Professional like Bopage
Most people earning JUST living expenses. People who are in SriLanka
looking at them jealousy. Please, come down long way from $500000,as neighboring country. How ever when they visit SriLanka, they spent
foreign currency.
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Lankan heart / February 11, 2015
My pension is $4,000 + , if I retire in S L it’s pure income for the country each month if I retire in SL, plus il be brining most of my savings to spend in SL ….now if I live 15 to 20 + years that’s severa million $$$ to the SL economy….multiplying that by 1000 s …..I rest my case
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Swithen / February 11, 2015
I have read all the comments and some of them are not worth commenting on. Those with bitterness, warped minds and ignorant as to the life of people outside Sri Lanka know about whom I refer. I kept my SL citizenship for 18 years though living abroad (though eligible for New Zealand Citizenship within 3 years). The only reason I was compelled to become a NZ Citizen was that I had to pay visa fees each time I visited my family members (which was quite often) and this I could not afford. I would have gladly paid the old Family Dual citizenship fee and obtained Dual citizenship BEFORE I got my NZ Citizenship if not for the fact that SL Govt Stopped all applications indefinitely. Don’t think that ALL persons of SL origin have heaps of money and living in the lap of Luxury away from SL. I visit SL once a year with the greatest difficulty to see my parents and immediate family and assist them financially when possible & help them out too. They were hard workers (teachers) who find it hard to buy a bottle of gas and pay the bills unlike the Some living in SL who can afford to spend Rs 40,000 a day in hotels and the lap of Luxury.I would Rather give my mother Rs 500,000 cash (if I could afford it) than pay that much for dual citizenship which is my right (since the facility was taken away) If the Dual citizenship was made more affordable ($2000) I will try to stay longer on my trips to SL and obviously spend more in the process. I could also encourage my kids who left SL when they were young to invest in Sri Lanka !!!
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Jayraj / February 11, 2015
A lot of responses pro und contra. People who possess foreign passports and still want back their Sri Lankan citizenship means they still love their native country. So why not pay 5000 dollars to improve the country’s economy. Of course the main question is, who is going to pocket this money.
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Dolphin Singho / February 12, 2015
“Fond of the country”, they assed the Western institutions and ready to pimp on behalf of them is the secret. Dogs never whack their tails without reason.
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