Sri Lanka Residence Visa in 2026: investor routes, Golden Paradise and where a villa fits
You are buying, or already own, a villa on the south coast and want to spend long periods in Sri Lanka. Here is which visa fits which profile, what a villa purchase does and does not do for residency, and what it costs.
General information as of October 2026, not legal or tax advice. Applications are coordinated with our independent partner immigration lawyers.
Which residence visa can a foreign villa buyer get in 2026?
Three routes are realistically open to someone who buys a villa and wants to spend long stretches in Sri Lanka. None of them is granted because you bought a villa.
The Investor Visa
USD 100,000 for 5 years or USD 200,000 for 10 years, routed through dedicated bank accounts. The only investor route open to new applicants in 2026.
DetailsThe Digital Nomad Visa
If you work remotely for clients or an employer abroad: USD 2,000 a month in income, one year at a time, renewable.
DetailsLong tourist stays
A 30-day ETA, extendable, for owners who spend a few months a year at their villa. Free for 40 nationalities since 25 May 2026.
DetailsRetirement schemes are closed to newcomers: “My Dream Home” and the Resident Guest Scheme are listed as extension-only for existing visa holders (see retiring in Sri Lanka).
Every residence route, compared
Thresholds, durations and status as published by the Department of Immigration and Emigration (checked October 2026). Fees and rules change by regulation: check the source before you act.
| Route | Who it’s for | Minimum | Duration | Status in 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Investor Visa | Foreign investors, with spouse and dependants | USD 100,000 (5 years) or USD 200,000 (10 years), routed through an IIA and a Visa Programme account | 5 or 10 years | Open to new applicants | Investor Visa guideline (PDF, Oct 2025) |
| Golden Paradise Visa | The 2022 deposit scheme many people still search for | USD 200,000 deposit (raised from USD 100,000 in October 2022) | 10 years | No longer listed on the Residence Visa page; check with the Department | Golden Paradise page (2022) |
| Digital Nomad Visa | Remote employees, freelancers and owners of a business outside Sri Lanka | USD 2,000 a month in income remittances | 1 year, renewable | Open since February 2026 | Digital Nomad guideline (PDF, Jan 2026) |
| Tourist ETA + extensions | Owners who spend a few months a year at their villa | No investment; ETA fee waived for 40 nationalities since 25 May 2026 | 30 days, extendable (fee bands run to day 270) | Open | Visa fees page |
| My Dream Home (retirees) | Existing visa holders only | Not open to new applicants | 2 years, renewable (existing holders) | Extension only | My Dream Home page |
| Resident Guest Scheme | Existing visa holders only | Not open to new applicants | Extension only | Extension only | Resident Guest page |
IIA: Inward Investment Account. Tourist extension fee bands are published per nationality on the Department’s visa fees page.
The Investor Visa: thresholds, fees and who it covers
The Department of Immigration’s “Investor Visa Category”, often called the individual investor residence visa, is the only investment-based residence route open to new applicants in 2026. It rests on immigration regulations published in November 2023 (Extraordinary Gazette No. 2360/24), and the first visa under the scheme was issued on 1 October 2025. The rules below come from the Department’s Investor Visa guideline.
How it works
- Who is covered: the foreign main applicant, the spouse and dependants. Each person pays the USD 200 annual fee.
- The money route: you open an Inward Investment Account (IIA) and a Visa Programme Foreign Currency Account (VPFCA) with a licensed commercial bank. Funds arrive in the IIA from abroad, then are invested through the VPFCA.
- The 10-year tier is 5 + 5: the visa is first endorsed for five years, then the Department issues an official letter extending it for a further five.
- One VPFCA per person, which can be held jointly with dependants. No capital transaction outside Sri Lanka may go through it, and cash withdrawals in foreign-currency notes are capped at USD 10,000.
Staying in good standing
- Material changes must be notified to the Department within 2 months.
- The investment project is reviewed every 2 years by the Department’s Investigation Division.
- Ending the project takes 2 months’ written notice, and leaving Sri Lanka permanently 14 working days’ notice. When you leave for good or the visa expires, VPFCA funds can be sent abroad under the foreign-exchange rules.
- The guideline publishes no fixed lock-in period. Conditions on keeping the investment in place are reviewed by the Department every two years: ask before you sell or withdraw.
- Visa holders must comply with Sri Lankan tax and legal obligations.
What counts as a qualifying investment, and what doesn’t
The Investor Visa guideline lists five permitted investment categories, all funded through the VPFCA:
- a.
Company shares
Voting shares in a Sri Lankan company, at least 10% of its voting share capital, within the sector exclusions and limits of the foreign-exchange rules.
- b.
An overseas company’s place of business
Setting up a registered place of business of an overseas company in Sri Lanka.
- c.
Government or Central Bank debt
Debt securities in rupees or foreign currency issued by the Government or the Central Bank, with a maturity of at least 5 years.
- d.
Term deposits
Term deposits in rupees or designated foreign currencies with a licensed commercial bank.
- e.
Immovable property
“Acquisition of immovable property, subject to other written laws of Sri Lanka”, which include the rules on what a foreigner can hold.
Not covered, or not confirmed
- Money paid outside the IIA → VPFCA route. No published source says a purchase already paid some other way counts. Plan the bank route first.
- A villa held on a registered lease. Whether it qualifies is not spelled out in the published guideline (October 2026). It must be confirmed with the Department of Immigration, through our partner immigration lawyers, before you commit funds.
- The old condominium visa thresholds. A dedicated condominium route announced in 2022 is no longer listed on the Department’s site (October 2026).
Golden Paradise Visa: what happened to it?
The Golden Paradise Visa was approved by the Cabinet in April 2022 and launched that year: a 10-year residence visa against a deposit of at least USD 100,000 in a dedicated foreign-currency account. In October 2022 the minimum was raised to USD 200,000, with up to half withdrawable after the first year. At the time, the deposit could fund approved investments, a condominium purchase, land and buildings taken on lease, or development bonds.
Since then, the Central Bank has re-designated Golden Paradise accounts as Visa Programme Foreign Currency Accounts (2024), and the Department of Immigration’s Residence Visa page now directs investors to the Investor Visa Category. The old Golden Paradise page (last updated in 2022) is still online.
So the name is still widely searched, but as of October 2026 the live route for investors is the Investor Visa Category. Check with the Department before applying under the Golden Paradise name.
Golden Paradise vs Investor Visa
- 2022 launch
- USD 100,000 deposit, 10 years
- From October 2022
- USD 200,000 deposit, 10 years
- Investor Visa today
- USD 100,000 for 5 years or USD 200,000 for 10 years, through an IIA and a VPFCA
Does buying a villa get you a residence visa?
Not automatically, and anyone who promises otherwise is ahead of the published rules. Here is how each way a foreigner can hold a villa lines up with residency.
A registered lease of up to 99 years
The usual route for a villa, since foreign individuals cannot hold land outright in their own name. The Investor Visa guideline speaks of “acquisition of immovable property” and does not mention leases, so a leasehold villa is not confirmed as a qualifying investment. It may be considered case by case, to be confirmed with the Department before you rely on it.
A condominium unit
Foreigners can buy a condominium unit, paid for by inward remittance. A dedicated condominium visa route announced in 2022 is no longer listed on the Department’s site. Rare on this coast in any case, where most homes are villas.
A Sri Lankan company, ≤ 49% foreign
Holding through a local company does not in itself create a residence right. The Investor Visa’s share route needs at least 10% of a company’s voting shares, funded through the VPFCA; whether a property-holding company qualifies must be checked case by case.
BOI projects and other exemptions
BOI-linked residence visas are tied to employment in an approved project, not to buying a home. Dual citizens and inheritance follow their own rules, assessed by your lawyer. And never buy through a nominee.
What we do: when a buyer wants residency in the picture, we structure the villa purchase and its fund flow with our independent partner immigration lawyers, so the option stays open while they confirm the position with the Department. We do not file visa applications or give legal advice, and no one can guarantee a visa.
Before choosing a structure, read what a foreign buyer can legally hold in Sri Lanka, and browse our off-plan villas on the south coast.
Retiring in Sri Lanka: what’s open, and what isn’t
As of October 2026, no retirement visa is open to new applicants. The Department of Immigration lists both former retiree routes as “extension only for the existing visa holders”:
My Dream Home
The senior and retiree scheme. Extension only for people who already hold it.
Resident Guest Scheme
Investor and professional categories. Extension only for people who already hold it.
A retiree today usually looks at the Investor Visa, if a USD 100,000 or USD 200,000 investment through the visa accounts fits their plans, or at extended tourist stays spread over the year. The Permanent Residence Visa introduced in 2024 is aimed at people of Sri Lankan origin, former citizens and their families, not at foreign buyers in general.
Check immigration.gov.lk for updates: a new scheme could be announced.
The Digital Nomad Visa for owners who work remotely
Operational since February 2026, it suits an owner who keeps working for clients or an employer abroad while living at the villa. Details from the Department’s Digital Nomad Visa guideline, checked October 2026.
- Who: aged 18 or over; a remote employee, a freelancer or the owner of a business not registered in Sri Lanka, serving clients outside Sri Lanka.
- Income: at least USD 2,000 a month in income remittances, plus USD 500 a month for each dependant beyond two.
- Fee and duration: USD 500 per person per year; valid 1 year, renewable annually with proof of tax registration with the Inland Revenue Department.
- Extras: international health insurance covering Sri Lanka, a recommendation from the Ministry of Digital Economy, proof of remittances, a police clearance under 3 months old and a medical clearance.
- What it allows: living in Sri Lanka for up to 12 months at a time, personal bank accounts, property rental or lease agreements, and schooling for children at international or private schools.
- What it doesn’t: local employment. All income must come from foreign sources, and changes must be notified within 30 days.
Spending a few months a year at your villa on a tourist visa
Most owners who spend the winter season at their villa never need a residence visa. The tourist route, as published on the Department’s visa fees page and the ETA portal (checked October 2026):
30 days, double entry
The tourist ETA (or on-arrival visa) is valid for up to 30 days. For most non-SAARC nationalities the fee is USD 50 online, USD 60 on arrival.
Free for 40 nationalities
Since 25 May 2026, nationals of 40 countries, including France, the UK, Germany, the USA and Australia, get the 30-day ETA free for an initial one-year period. The ETA is still mandatory.
Extensions up to day 270
Stays can be extended with the Department. Fee bands are set per nationality for days 31–90, 91–180 and 181–270; for France, the UK and Germany, USD 100, 150 and 200.
Don’t overstay
Overstaying more than 7 days costs USD 250 plus the visa fee; more than 14 days, USD 500 plus the fee.
Check eta.gov.lk before you travel: the free-ETA scheme is time-limited and under review.
Ask about long stays at a villaPlanning a villa and a long stay in Sri Lanka?
Tell us how you plan to use the villa. We plan the project with you and bring in our partner immigration lawyers for the visa side.
How to apply for the Investor Visa
The order matters: the bank route comes before the investment, and the investment before the application.
Documents
- Application form and a request letter
- Passport valid for at least 6 more months, and 2 photographs
- An investment proposal
- Marriage and birth certificates for the spouse and dependants
- Security clearance form and medical clearance report
- Police clearance certificate from your home or residence country, no more than 3 months old
- A bank letter confirming the VPFCA and its balance
- 1
Plan the fund flow first
With your lawyer and your bank, before any money moves or any purchase is signed. The guideline only describes money that passes through the visa accounts.
- 2
Open the two accounts
An Inward Investment Account (IIA) and a Visa Programme Foreign Currency Account (VPFCA), with any licensed commercial bank.
- 3
Transfer the funds
From abroad (or an offshore banking unit) into the IIA, then into the VPFCA.
- 4
Make the investment
From the VPFCA, in one of the permitted categories, and keep the paper trail: the bank letter confirming the VPFCA and its balance is part of the file.
- 5
Enter Sri Lanka
Usually on a tourist or business visa, then apply from inside the country.
- 6
File at the Residence Visa Division
Department of Immigration and Emigration, “Suhurupaya”, Battaramulla, with the full set of documents below.
- 7
Get the endorsement
The visa is endorsed in your passport: 5 years, or 5 + 5 years for the USD 200,000 tier.
- 8
Keep it in good standing
Report material changes within 2 months; the investment project is reviewed every 2 years.
For every residence visa
- All applicants, new or renewing, must take the Ministry of Health’s Health Protection Plan.
- Your passport should remain valid at least 2 months beyond the end of the intended stay.
- Police clearance certificates must be no more than 3 months old when you file.
- Processing times aren’t published: allow several weeks and plan your stay accordingly.
The points to raise with your adviser
A residence visa and a villa purchase share the same bank plumbing. These are the facts to have in mind; your lawyer, your bank and an independent tax adviser confirm how they apply to you.
- Money for a property purchase should arrive through an Inward Investment Account: it is what allows you to send funds back out later.
- Local banks do not give mortgages to non-resident foreigners; most buyers use their own funds or finance raised at home.
- Stamp duty on a lease has been 2% since 1 April 2025, and the former 15% lease tax was abolished by Act No. 3 of 2017.
- Tax residence is decided by the Inland Revenue Act’s tests (such as 183 days or more in a 12-month period), not by your visa. General information only: speak to an independent tax adviser.
For the full picture of costs and timelines on a new villa, see our 2026 guide to the cost of building a villa and our study of the south-coast villa market.
Sri Lanka residence visa: your questions
Under the Department of Immigration’s Investor Visa Category, it is USD 100,000 for a 5-year visa or USD 200,000 for a 10-year visa. The funds go through an Inward Investment Account into a Visa Programme Foreign Currency Account at a licensed commercial bank. These are the figures published by the Department of Immigration (checked October 2026); confirm them with the Department before you transfer anything.
Where to check before you act
Every figure on this page was checked against these sources in October 2026. Rules and fees change by regulation: the Department of Immigration and Emigration has the final word.
- Investor Visa Category guideline (PDF, October 2025)Department of Immigration and Emigration
- Residence Visa categoriesDepartment of Immigration and Emigration
- Digital Nomad Visa Category (PDF, January 2026)Department of Immigration and Emigration
- Visa fees: residence, ETA, extensions, overstayDepartment of Immigration and Emigration
- Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) portalGovernment of Sri Lanka
- Golden Paradise Visa page (2022, historical)Department of Immigration and Emigration
Tell us about
your villa and your stays
How long you plan to spend in Sri Lanka, your budget and the area you like. We plan the villa project with you and coordinate the visa questions with our independent partner immigration lawyers.
General information on Sri Lankan visas, checked against the Department of Immigration and Emigration’s published guidelines in October 2026. It is not legal, immigration or tax advice, and it does not guarantee eligibility for any visa. Maison Ceylon is a design, construction and villa-management company, not a law firm or an immigration agent: visa applications are prepared and filed by independent licensed professionals we coordinate with, and the Department of Immigration and Emigration alone decides on them.
**This page is provided for information only and does not constitute investment, legal or tax advice. Independent legal and tax advice is recommended before any investment.
Legal sourcesLegal & tax framework, foreign land ownership, leasehold and company rules: Land (Restrictions on Alienation) Act No. 38 of 2014 (as amended 2017 and 2018). Taxes (capital gains tax, stamp duty): Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department. Fund repatriation (Inward Investment Account): Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Investment incentives: Board of Investment of Sri Lanka. Laws and rates change; this is general information, not legal or tax advice. Verify your position with an independent Sri Lankan lawyer and tax adviser.