Gotabaya Rajapaksa applies for green card to settle in US

Former Sri Lankan president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country on July 9 when the protest was at its peak, has applied for a green card to return to the US and settle with his son and wife there.

According to media reports, in Sri Lanka, Gotabaya’s lawyers have begun the process of applying for the green card to pave way for him to return to the US and live there with his family. His wife Loma Rajapaksa is already a US citizen. Incidentally, Gotabaya had renounced his US citizenship just before running for the presidential elections in 2019, when his dual citizenship ran into a controversy.

Rajapaksa, after fleeing Sri Lanka, reportedly, reached Maldives and then flew to Singapore on a medical visa, which was extended twice. After being in Singapore for a few weeks, Gotabaya moved to Thailand. Sources say that the 73-year old former president has been asked to stay inside the hotel, due to security reasons.

According to the Sri Lankan media, Gotabaya had consulted his lawyers to get back to Sri Lanka. Incidentally, former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, who appeared before the CID over MiG deal probe, informed the media that the former president will return to the country on August 24. He also said that Gotabaya, when he comes back, will not engage in direct politics. It was also said that a permanent residence will be provided for Gotabaya when he returns as his private residence in Mirihana was set ablaze by the protesters.

However, sources say, that Rajapaksa has dropped his plans to get back to Sri Lanka and is working towards applying for a green card to settle in the US. Sources also say that Rajapaksa will be moving out of Thailand on August 24.