Immigration Department confirms expired passports cannot be extended

Monday, 8 July 2024 02:37 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Immigration and Emigration Department Controller General I.S.H.J. Ilukpitiya

Says Department will issue passports as usual for those expired valid for 10 years
Reveals five-year contract for 5 m e-passports awarded to Thales

By Charumini de Silva

Immigration and Emigration Department Controller General Harsha Ilukpitiya confirmed that the validity of expired passports cannot be extended by a year following a query to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

“The Department sought clarification from the ICAO regarding the possibility of extending the validity of already expired or nearly expired passports. The ICAO responded, indicating that such extensions could pose problems for individuals at border entry points due to the limited advancement of the Sri Lankan passport. While the ICAO had permitted such extensions during the COVID-19 pandemic, this flexibility is no longer available,” he told the Daily FT.

Against this new development, the Immigration and Emigration Department will issue passports as usual for those expired valid for 10 years.

In the move towards modernising Sri Lanka’s passport system, Ilukpitiya revealed that the contract for the e-passport project has been awarded to Thales, a leading global company. “It is a consortium or a joint venture. They have a local partner,” he said.

The agreement entails the delivery of 5 million e-passports over five years.

“The company is currently working on the artwork and once it is approved by the Department, the first batch of 100,000 passports is expected to be ready within five months or July 2025,” he added.

Subsequently, Thales will deliver 1 million passports annually, ensuring a steady transition to the more secure and advanced e-passport system.