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I heard that the monk candidates outside of Sri Lanka have to make two trips to Sri Lanka in order to get an extended visa. I would prefer just making one trip to Sri Lanka(in the future) being enough to get an extended visa to be able to ordain as a monk. Is there a special way that don't require the foreigner monk candidates to make two trips to Sri Lanka?

Note: I would like to ask the same question for the foreigner monk candidates in Thailand but I heard that they don't accept foreigners to be monk there anymore. If anyone has any informations about the foreigner monk situation in Thailand I would be glad If they inform me.

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    Sir, I don't know whether this is helpful or not. But in this ebook, visa process mentioned very briefly: Na Uyana Monastery Information.pdf
    – Damith
    Mar 5, 2019 at 4:45
  • @Damith thank you very much. I recorded the link.
    – Murathan1
    Mar 5, 2019 at 4:53
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    Sir, this ebook has a detailed information about the visa process: Buddhist Forest Monasteries and Meditation Centres in Sri Lanka. To be eligible for free one year residence visa, monk photo in the passport is necessary. Otherwise you have to pay for one year residence visa. Since you cannot use money after ordaining as a monk, you have to make prearrangement for that (visa renewal).
    – Damith
    Mar 5, 2019 at 5:56
  • @Damith thank you for the e-book. It has very detailed explanations about the visa process. From what I understand is I have to make two trips to Sri lanka, first with tourist visa, find a monastery and ordain as a monk there. And then I have to leave Sri Lanka and apply for an entry-visa with the help of the monastery that I ordained as a monk. After Sri Lanka's police checking of me is finished they will send me an e-mail and then I can return to Sri Lanka with the required documents.
    – Murathan1
    Mar 5, 2019 at 7:55

2 Answers 2

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Previous discussion from Dhamma Wheel.

1) I have obtained a residency visa by this method in the past and it states it clearly in the NUA information:

  1. After arriving in Sri Lanka with the entry visa, you can apply for the resident visa. You will be given a 30 day-visa on arrival, and the monastery will help you to apply for the resident visa. Visas for monks and nuns are free. Lay people need to pay for the application. (~Rs 20,000/USD200 per year).

In relation to the visa, understand that Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country and the religion carries great influence in the secular sphere as well, it is part of Sri Lankan nationalism, just as Hinduism is in India. Don’t worry about the visa, if you have a genuine intention to become a monk, then NUA will organise it.

2) This, including the language barrier, has a disadvantage for foreigners, as they are regarded as outsiders and you will have to find your own way within the monastic system. You will be able to choose your own teacher and in many other ways will have to make your own decisions. The situation will not be a clear-cut training as you expect. It is not a training monastery (pirivena).

NUA APPROXIMATE TIMELINE TO BHIKKHU ORDINATION

1-4 months: Upāsaka (8 Precepts) 6-12 months Pabbajjā (going forth) and abiding as a Sāmaṇera (Novice monk) (10 Precepts and 75 Sekhiya rules) January – March: Vinaya Classes April: Vinaya Exam June: Upasampadā (higher ordination) at Galduwa Monastery

3) You should be familiar with the eight precepts and the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka as custodian of the dhamma after it declined in India.

https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=30722

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  • Thank you for the information about visa and other details of ordination.
    – Murathan1
    Mar 5, 2019 at 5:04
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Wouldn't it be not more important to think about how to leave ones land without duties left and then look around if there are places who still accept a homeless state? It might be the times are already gone and householder domain remain where there was once a way out.

How could a monk, taking his mode of live serious, look after such as Visa, makes contracts, ask for stay... that's nonsense or?

Look discussion about the matter here, a very serious one.

If wishing to walk a juristic way, a lay person could possible walk, ask as refuge for asylum.

[Note that is not an answer to feed ones stackes, or for exchange, trade, Buddh-ism, but as always an compassionate advice for simply ones liberation, so one may delete it if the place is not given for such but up to bind people.]

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  • Sorry my English is not good enough to understand you but my main purpose for asking this question is I don't want to make two trips to Sri Lanka because the plane tickets and other costs in a foreign country are expensive
    – Murathan1
    Mar 3, 2019 at 9:41
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    My person would also not like to come back. Risky. Leaving home is good if just a one way ticket. So good to have nothing that actually pulls one back. As told, the problem actually might be to get released from ones state. Whether there are some who still accept (tripple gem) refuges or not, who knows... Nyom Murathan. Mar 3, 2019 at 10:10
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    @Murathan1 I think this was another example of "advice" instead of "an answer". The advice seems to be, 1) Make sure there's nothing in your old country to hold you back 2) Find a place that accepts the homeless 3) Do you really have to worry about secular visas etc.? 4) Read the linked page (the second half is English) 5) A sentence which includes "refuge" (a Buddhist term) and "asylum" (a political term), suggesting the two might sometimes be related -- IDK, perhaps that hints as e.g. SarathW's answer about a monastery handling visa details.
    – ChrisW
    Mar 3, 2019 at 12:10
  • @ChrisW thank you for the explanation, it's very helpful. I will try to fulfill all the requirements for ordination.
    – Murathan1
    Mar 5, 2019 at 7:45

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