Cross border tale: Sri Lankan woman’s journey to Indian citizenship began with Facebook friendship
Posted on July 30th, 2023
Kanishka Singharia Courtesy The Hindustan Times
The Chittoor district police issued a notice to Vigneshwari, instructing her to either leave the country before the visa’s expiration.
In yet another cross-border love story, a Sri Lankan woman travelled to India to marry her six-year-old Facebook friend, who hails from Andhra Pradesh. According to Hindustan Times’s sister publication, Live Hindustan, Shivakumari Vigneshwari, a 25-year-old woman from Sri Lanka, tied the knot with her Facebook friend, Laxman, 28, at a temple in V Kota on July 20.
The couple’s journey to matrimony began when they first connected on Facebook back in 2017. After years of online friendship, Vigneshwari, who arrived in India on a tourist visa, decided to travel to Andhra Pradesh on July 8 to meet Laxman in person.
Overwhelmed with joy, Laxman received her in Chennai and later brought her to his home. With the blessings of Laxman’s family, the couple solemnized their love in a beautiful ceremony.
The news of their marriage quickly went viral on social media, prompting authorities to take legal action against the couple. Acting in accordance with immigration regulations, the Chittoor district police issued a notice to Vigneshwari, instructing her to either leave the country before the visa’s expiration or apply for an extension. Vigneshwari’s tourist visa is set to expire on August 15.
Undeterred by the hurdles before her, Vigneshwari expressed her desire to remain in India permanently and live with her husband. Seeking Indian citizenship, she appealed to the Indian government for assistance in making her wish come true.
The district superintendent of police, Y Rishanth Reddy, shared that Vigneshwari had been informed about the procedure and criteria for obtaining Indian citizenship. He stated that she is likely to receive an extension on her visa based on her marriage to an Indian citizen.
In light of potential legal complexities that might arise in the future, the police offered some advice to the couple. They encouraged Shivakumari Vigneshwari and Laxman to formally register their marriage.