Govt. targets stability in passport services by August

Friday, 24 January 2025 00:23 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala

Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala says Govt. plans to float tender for 500,000 new passports on Monday
Acknowledges online one-day passport service sees a surge in demand, standard online reservation system has five-month waiting period
States urgent passport cases are expedited via dedicated committee in DIE

Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala yesterday expressed confidence that the Government would be able to stabilise the passport issuance by August 2025, citing planned improvement in the system.

To address the growing demand, he also revealed that the Government plans to float a tender for 500,000 new passports. Responding to a question raised by Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, Minister Wijepala said applicants can book a date online to receive their passports on the same day, but one-day passport service sees a surge in demand.

He acknowledged that the standard online reservation system currently involves a five-month wait. “The earliest available appointment for new reservations is currently on 24 June 2025,” he disclosed.

However, he said a mechanism is in place for addressing urgent cases, which allows applicants to receive their passports on the day.

“A committee within the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) is tasked with evaluating and processing urgent passport applications. Those with pressing needs can present their cases to this committee, which ensures that the process is expedited,” the Minister explained. Wijepala said the high demand and insufficient stock maintenance stretched the Department’s resources.

He affirmed that around 2,900 passports are issued daily at present, exceeding the planned capacity of 2,500 – largely due to the volume of urgent requests.

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