Sri Lankans can apply for passports online starting Thursday (15)

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka launched a new program to apply for passports online, in a bid to reduce congestion at the offices of the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Sri Lanka.

Immigration and Emigration Controller General, Harsha Ilukpitiya said that online applications for passports will commence on Thursday (15), with 51 divisional secretaries around the country to be utilized for the purpose of biometric registration.

"Anyone can forward their passport application from home or from anywhere else to the Department of Immigration and Emigration along with a reference number given to the photograph taken by a registered photo studio. Thereafter, the person can visit one of the 51 divisional secretariats, the Head Office, or the four regional offices in Matara, Kandy, Kurunegala, and Vavuniya for the biometric registration," he explained.

He pointed out that applicants will be able to get the new passports delivered to their residences within a span of three days, under this new procedure.

"The one-day and normal service offered by the Head Office and the four regional offices will continue," said Immigration and Emigration Controller General, Harsha Ilukpitiya.