ශ්‍රී ලංකා ප්‍රජාතාන්ත්‍රික සමාජවාදී ජනරජයේ තානාපති කාර්යාලය

இலங்கை ஜனநாயக சோசலிச குடியரசின் தூதரகம்

Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

斯里兰卡民主社会主义共和国大使馆

Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm
Consular Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am-11:30am
Emergency Contact Number: +86 10 65321861/2

Payment of Pensions to Sri Lankan Pensioners Resident Abroad

Pensioners residing abroad will be able to submit the LIFE CERTIFICATE Download Here for certification until 01 December, 2024.

Pensioners residing abroad are not allowed to transfer their pension to any other person, to grant power of attorney or to deposit in the name of another account holder.

As per the Pension Circular No.01/2018, foreign pensions could be paid to the pensioners receiving their pensions through the Divisional Secretariats and the pensioners whose pensions are initiated to be paid by the First Payment Division of the Department of Pensions. Citizenship of the Pensioner and the period of residence abroad will be taken into consideration for the payment of foreign pensions.

Pensioners listed under below mentioned categories are considered as pensioners residing abroad.

01.  Pensioners holding citizenship of another country

Even though these pensioners reside abroad for a long time period or reside in Sri Lanka or reside abroad and visit Sri Lanka from time to time, the payment of their pension may only be done by the Foreign Pension Division of the Department of Pension.

02.  Pensioners holding dual citizenship

Payment of pensions of these pensioners may compulsorily be made only by the Foreign Pension Division of the Department of Pension, irrespective of their period of stay in abroad.

 

03.  Sri Lankan Pensioners going abroad for a period of more than two years

If a Pensioner leave the country for a period of more than two years, arrangements should be made by himself/herself to receive his/her pension from the Foreign Pension Division of the Department of Pensions, informing the same to the relevant Divisional Secretariat from which he/she drew his/her pension at present.

04.  pensioners who are going abroad for a period of less than two years on service requirement and pensioners who are going abroad for a period between six (06) months to two (02) years on their personal requirements

 

Payment of the pension of the pensioners who are going abroad for a period of less than two years on service requirement and pensioners who are going abroad for a period between six (06) months to two (02) years on their personal requirements, will be done by the Division Secretariat to which they belong.

Pensioners going abroad for a period not exceeding six months (06) on their personal requirements (pleasure, pilgrimage or private visit etc.), are not considered as foreign pensioners. Accordingly, their pensions should be paid through the Divisional Secretariats as usual.


Granting Life Certificates

All pensioners residing abroad should furnish their life certificates every year with the period from 01 December to 31 March of the ensuring year. Pensioners who possess the citizenship of another country, pensioners who have dual citizenship and Sri Lankan pensioners going abroad for a period of more than 03 years and whose payments are made by the Head Office, should submit the life certificates to the Head office by visiting the Front Operation Counter of the Department of pension or Foreign Missions.

Pensioners going abroad on exigency of the service and whose payments are made by the Divisional Secretariats should submit their Life Certificates obtained through Foreign Missions, to the Divisional Secretariats.

Pensioners who are unable to visit the Embassy due to aging or sickness should submit their Life Certificates obtained from a recognized medical officer of the relevant country, by getting it certified by the Embassy. Life Certificates not certified by the Embassies will be rejected.


General Information

The power of attestation of the Life Certificates submitted by the pensioners is vested only with the following officers.

  1. Director General of Pensions

  2. Authorized officers of Foreign Missions

  3. Director of Pensions

  4. Assistant Director of Pensions

  5. Head of Branch (Foreign Pensions)

 

Pensioners who intend to receive foreign pension belonging to the category 4 should furnish the following documents to the Divisional Secretariat to which they belong and those who belong to the category 1,2 & 3 should furnish the same documents to the Foreign Pension Division of the Department of Pension, two months prior to their departure from Sri Lanka.

  1. Duly perfected bio data sheet

  2. Request letter for obtaining foreign pension

  3. Two recently obtained (within 06 months) colour photographs of 3.5cm*4.5cm

  4. Visa confirming the visit abroad or certificates of permanent residence or citizenship certificate or if going abroad on contract/temporary/casual service basis, a photocopy of the service agreement certified by the pensioner.

  5. A copy of the valid passport issued either by the Government of Sri Lanka or a foreign country.

  6. Life Certificate issued for the relevant year

 

If pensioner cannot directly appear either before the relevant Divisional Secretariats or Foreign Pension Division of the Department of pensions, he/she should furnish the documents duly certified only by an officer of the Sri Lankan Embassy/High Commission office or the Foreign Mission of the country of residence.

(Documents certified by any other officer/person/institution will not be accepted)


Commencements of the payment of pensions for pensioners residing abroad.

Payments of pensioners holding the citizenship of another country, holding dual citizenship and Sri Lankan Pensioners going abroad for a period of more than two years are made by the Foreign Pension Division of the Department of Pension only through the Special bank accounts maintained at the following branches.

  1. Bank of Ceylon – Metropolitan Branch

  2. People’s Bank – Queens Branch

  3. Pan Asia Bank – Borella Branch

  4. Hatton National Bank – Maligawatta Branch

The Pensioner should open an Individual Savings Account in any one of the above banks. For the said purpose, the following should be duly completed;

·       Account opening form of the relevant bank

Bank of Ceylon – Metropolitan Branch

People’s Bank – Queens Branch

Pan Asia Bank – Borella Branch

Hatton National Bank – Maligawatta Branch

 

·       Letter of Consent

 

·   KYC (Know Your Customer) and submitted to the relevant bank after appearing in person and obtaining approval for the same from the Foreign Pension Division of the Department of Pensions or else they should be provided to the relevant bank, after getting the said documents certified by an authorized officer of the Sri Lankan Embassy/High Commission or Foreign Mission of the country of residence and obtaining approval of the Foreign Pension Division.

 

 

Rejection of a Life Certificate:

It is mandatory for the officer attesting the signature to place the official stamp which contains the Name, Designation and Office Address of the officer concerned and incomplete certificates will be rejected. Similarly, the life certificates certified by persons other than the aforesaid officers will also be rejected.

The name list of rejected Life Certificate holders will be available on the Department’s website from 01-30 April in the same year. A relief period to submit Life Certificates for only those rejected will be given from 01-30 April in the same year. Payment of pension of the pensioners who have not submitted the Life Certificate by 31 of March and the pension of pensioners who have not submitted correct Life Certificates by 30 April in place of incomplete once, will be temporarily suspended from the month of May in the relevant year.

Pensions of pensioners who obtain their pensions through Embassies/ High Commissions, which have been temporarily suspended due to the non-submission of the Life Certificate will be reactivated only after opening bank accounts as mentioned above.


Contact Details for further information

You can obtain further information in this regard on www.pensions.gov.lk


Address

Foreign Pension Branch

Department of Pensions, Sri Lanka

Colombo-01

Tel: +94 112 327 752

Fax: +94 112 386 469

Email: foreign@pensions.gov.lk