Over 9,000 online applications for passports received

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Sri Lanka’s newly established online system run by the Passport Office had received 9,158 applications between 15 and 24 June seeking new passports, Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, Harsha Illukpitiya, told journalists on Sunday. President Ranil Wickremesinghe recently launched the system to accept applications for passports.Illukpitiya said that passports would be issued within three days after receiving applications online.

Illukpitiya added that prior to digitisation, it took 14 working days to issue a passport.The Department of Immigration and Emigration introduced the online passport application platform to remove the need for those living out of Colombo to come to the Head Office, in Colombo, to renew, or apply, for a passport, he said.

Illukpitiya mentioned that applicants could submit fingerprints necessary for the passport at the Department for Registration of Persons sub offices established in 51 places, countrywide.

A large number of Sri Lankans, seeking foreign jobs have been applying for new passports, since the economic crisis of 2022, he said.This had led to long queues at the Colombo Head Office and has caused great inconvenience to applicants, he said.