Find visa optionsFind visas
Menu

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka · residence general

My Dream Home Visa Programme (retirement / long-stay residence)

By · Last reviewed:

Source check: all 11 official citations reconfirmed 13 September 2026

For you if you are an older applicant who wants to retire or live long term in Sri Lanka: the My Dream Home programme grants a renewable residence visa to people who can support themselves from abroad.

No sponsorship requiredDoes not lead to permanent residencyIssued in two-year blocks and renewable while you continue to meet the conditions.
Processing time
Indicative only. Applications are accepted and processed at the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo; confirm current timing on the official page.
Government fees
Indicative only. Visa fees apply in addition to the required deposit and remittance; refer to the official Department of Immigration and Emigration page for current amounts.
Typical duration
Issued in two-year blocks and renewable while you continue to meet the conditions.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
No
Reviewed Department of Immigration and Emigration (Sri Lanka) ↗

In short

As of 10 July 2026, the My Dream Home Visa Programme (retirement / long-stay residence) for Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is an unsponsored Sri Lanka immigration route. Sources: official Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka government pages, reviewed 10 July 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/sri-lanka/my-dream-home-retiree#answer

What is the My Dream Home Visa Programme (retirement / long-stay residence) in Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka?

My Dream Home Visa Programme (retirement / long-stay residence) is an unsponsored Sri Lanka route. Indicative government fees are Indicative only. Visa fees apply in addition to the required deposit and remittance; refer to the official Department of Immigration and Emigration page for current amounts; indicative processing time is Indicative only. Applications are accepted and processed at the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo; confirm current timing on the official page; typical duration is Issued in two-year blocks and renewable while you continue to meet the conditions. This route does not lead to permanent residence.

Verified against Department of Immigration and Emigration (Sri Lanka) on 1 June 2026.

Overview

My Dream Home is Sri Lanka's long-stay residence programme aimed at older applicants who want to retire or live in the country, run by the Department of Immigration and Emigration. It is open to citizens of recognised countries who meet the age and financial conditions, and you can normally bring a spouse and unmarried dependent children under 18. It rests on you supporting yourself from your own funds rather than working in Sri Lanka, typically through a fixed deposit in an approved local bank plus a regular monthly remittance from abroad. The residence visa is issued in two-year blocks and is renewable. Good to know: this is a renewable temporary residence, not permanent residence - Sri Lanka has no permanent-residence or citizenship-by-residence pathway - and the financial figures here are indicative, so defer to the official page.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Confirm you meet the age and financial conditions of the programme.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Open the required fixed deposit and arrange the monthly remittance through an approved bank.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Submit your application to the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo with proof of funds and insurance.

  4. After approval

    Maintain the conditions and renew the residence visa in two-year blocks.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For My Dream Home Visa Programme (retirement / long-stay residence), use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official My Dream Home Visa Programme (retirement / long-stay residence) instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Sri Lanka

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Use official My Dream Home Visa Programme (retirement / long-stay residence) route page ↗

    Use this official page to confirm requirements and follow the government filing route for My Dream Home Visa Programme (retirement / long-stay residence).

    Department of Immigration and Emigration (Sri Lanka) · verified

Also explored by

Indian Filipino Nigerian

Compare Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka with

Related routes

Frequently asked questions

Does the My Dream Home visa lead to permanent residence or citizenship?+

No. It is a renewable long-stay residence visa issued in two-year blocks, and Sri Lanka does not offer a permanent-residence or citizenship-by-residence pathway. You can keep renewing while you meet the conditions, but the status remains temporary. Plan around renewal rather than eventual settlement.

Can I work in Sri Lanka on the My Dream Home visa?+

No. The programme is designed for people who support themselves from their own funds abroad, through a fixed deposit in an approved Sri Lankan bank and a regular monthly remittance. It is not a work visa, so if you intend to take up employment you would need the separate employment-category residence visa. Check the current financial conditions on the official page, as the figures are indicative.

Can I bring my spouse and children on the My Dream Home visa?+

Yes. The My Dream Home programme normally lets you bring a spouse and unmarried dependent children under 18, and the required monthly remittance from abroad is meant to support you and any dependents. The financial figures are indicative, so confirm current conditions on the official page.

What financial proof does the Sri Lanka My Dream Home visa require?+

You must maintain a required fixed deposit in an approved Sri Lankan bank, make a required monthly remittance from abroad to support yourself and any dependents, and hold valid medical insurance applicable in Sri Lanka. The specific amounts are indicative, so confirm the current figures on the official page.

Can I qualify for the My Dream Home visa from savings rather than working?+

Yes, that is the design of the programme: it is for people who support themselves from their own funds abroad rather than working in Sri Lanka, typically through a fixed deposit in an approved local bank plus a regular monthly remittance, and intending to work or earn locally is a common blocker. The residence visa is issued in two-year blocks and renewable while you keep meeting the deposit, remittance and insurance conditions.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Sri Lanka

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Department of Immigration and Emigration (Sri Lanka)

Last checked: 1 June 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

CompareFind visa options