Jan 06, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government prepares to resume granting of dual citizenships from this month with a tougher screening procedure.

According to local media reports applicants for dual citizenship will face a tough screening procedure including a one-to-one interview with a panel.

The interview panel is to be headed by Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and would include External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunatilaka Amunugama and Public Administration Secretary P.B. Abeykoon.

Amunugama has explained that the interview panel will look into the applicant's professional qualifications, investment capacity and the need to obtain dual citizenship.

He has observed that close attention would be paid for the reason for applying for dual citizenship since most applicants have left the country in their youth.

Reportedly some 2,000 applications for dual citizenship are pending before the Immigration and Emigration Department.

Processing dual citizenship applications was suspended in early 2011 in order to draft the new stringent criteria.

The dual citizenship scheme was introduced in 1987 and over 4,000 persons have been granted the facility.