Cabinet Approves Bilateral MoU Between Sri Lanka and China on Immigration Control Cooperation

The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to enter into a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on immigration control cooperation between the Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka and the National Immigration Administration of the People’s Republic of China, subject to confirmation at the next cabinet meeting.

The proposed agreement aims to establish a framework for direct engagement and high-level dialogue between the institutional heads and official delegations of both nations. It seeks to facilitate the exchange of crucial official data and intelligence, while adopting an active and constructive approach to streamline visa, immigration, and emigration processes for citizens operating across key sectors, including business, investment, tourism, technology, and science. Furthermore, the deal focuses on implementing strict joint enforcement against organized crime, human trafficking, and smuggling, alongside conducting specialized workshops to build the operational capacity, skills, and expertise of immigration officers.

Clearance for the draft MoU has already been secured from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, as well as the Attorney General’s Department. Consequently, the Cabinet approved the proposal submitted by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to officially sign the agreement.