Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission in Chennai conducted a ceremony on January 19, 2024 to hand over the first batch of passports to Sri Lankan nationals resettled in Tamil Nadu under a new initiative of the Government of Sri Lanka to issue “All Country Passports” to the resettled Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu, India, a statement from the mission said.
As per the directives of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission in Chennai in consultation with all stake holder institutions successfully implemented the initiative and the first batch of 197 passports were issued under the project were handed over to the concerned applicants during the event.
Dignitaries representing the Central Government of India and the State Government of Tamil Nadu including Gingee K.S. Masthan, Minister of Minorities Welfare and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare of the Government of Tamil Nadu Arun Shakthi Kumar, Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Tamil Nadu B. Krishnamoorthy, and Commissioner of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils attended the event.
Mrs. Kshenuka Senewiratne ,the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India and Senthil Thondaman, Governor of the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka also grace the occassion.
Mr. Sagala Ratnayake, Senior Advisor to the President and senior officials from related government stake holder institutions in Sri Lanka attended the event virtually.
This is a historic initiative of the Government of Sri Lanka in which the Sri Lankans who left the country since 1983 owing to socio/political developments and long prevailed ethnic conflict are receiving legitimate Sri Lankan travel document after a decade.
