Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has revealed all Maldivian students studying in Sri Lanka are allowed to obtain visa until they are 18 years of age regardless of their gender.
Speaking with PSM News, Foreign Minister Shahid said after the decision by the Sri Lankan Government to grant Maldivians 3 months of on arrival visa, a decision was also reached to grant students visa for students, while parents and guardians of the students are also allowed get visa for the same period.
The foreign minister also said new-borns who are too young to attend school will not encounter any problem of staying in Sri Lanka under the new visa agreement. Under the previous agreement, only female students were allowed to obtain 18 years of visa, while male students were allowed visa for just 16 years.
In his address to the Parliament of Maldives, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wikramasinghe has stated arrangements will also be made for grandparents of Maldivian students to obtain visa.