50 foreign nationals arrested for overstaying business visas

50 foreign nationals arrested for overstaying business visas

April 21, 2026   09:24 pm

A total of 50 foreign nationals who had entered Sri Lanka on business visas and continued to remain illegally after their visas expired have been arrested this afternoon (21) by a group of officers from the Investigation Division of the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

Among those arrested are 47 Chinese nationals, two Malaysian nationals and an Indian national.

The suspects were apprehended while staying at a house in Negombo, following intelligence received by the Immigration Department’s intelligence unit. The arrests were made under the instructions of the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration.

The arrested foreigners are currently being detained at the Welisara Detention Centre and arrangements have been made to deport them from the country promptly.

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