Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena instructed the Registrar General yesterday (02) to immediately cancel the circulars that cause obstacles to the registration of marriages between foreigners and Sri Lankans. The Prime Minister gave these instructions while participating in the progress review meeting held yesterday in the Ministry of State Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government.
The Prime Minister advised that the Circular No. 18 of 2021 issued by the Registrar General’s Department has imposed various restrictions on the registration of marriages between foreigners and Sri Lankans and that the said circular should be immediately revoked in order to avoid the obstacles faced by them. Accordingly, in the above circular, those intending to marry should obtain a security clearance report from the Ministry of Defense and the Immigration and Emigration Department, and a self-declaration to confirm the health status of the foreigner concerned. It was also mentioned in the above circular that only additional registrars should be used to perform such marriages.
When registering a marriage between a foreigner and a Sri Lankan under the Marriage (General) Ordinance (112th Authority), passport, civil status certificate (divorce documents, widowhood documents as required) obtained by the foreign party. and birth certificate (only if required to prove date of birth) documents alone are sufficient. Minister of State for Provincial Councils and Local Government Mr. Janaka Wakkambura, the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government and other officials of the institutions affiliated to the Ministry participated in this event.