The letters are typically 'used as evidence that a person resides in a particular location, and usually mention the length of time the person has resided there' (ibid.). According to the same source, the documents are 'generally in the form of letters written by the Grama Niladhari or letters written by the subject and endorsed with a rubber stamp by the Grama Niladhari' (ibid.).

According to the Canadian official, the letters are 'not reliable or verifiable they have no security features, standard format or registry of issuance,' nor are copies kept by the Grama offices (Canada 18 Feb. According to the 'Services Offered' section of the website of the Medirigiriya Divisional Secretariat, an individual seeking a 'residency certificate' must meet with the Grama Niladhari of their Grama Niladhari Division, who will then issue a 'certified copy of a regular format or handwritten/typed letter,' which the applicant must then send to the Divisional Secretariat for counter signing (Sri Lanka 21 Nov. Information on the appearance of a residence certificate produced by a Grama Niladhari was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an official at the Immigration Section of the High Commission of Canada to Sri Lanka in Colombo stated that these letters are 'required by the Sri Lankan authorities when a person needs to provide foundational evidence of their residential address' (ibid.).įor further information on certificates of residence provided by Grama Niladharis, see Response to Information Request LKA105207. According to sources, issuing a 'resident certificate' is one of the duties of a Grama Niladhari (ibid. According to the webpage of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Public Administration and Management, there are 14,022 Grama Niladhari Divisions under 331 Divisional Secretary's Divisions throughout the country (ibid.). Tissera and Fernando 2014, 235 Sri Lanka n.d.a). Sources describe Grama Niladhari Divisions as falling under the Divisional Secretariats (ibid. Sources state that the 'Village Headman' is called a Grama Niladhari (Sri Lanka 16 Aug.

Sri lanka grama niladhari divisions