Fifty-one divisional secretariats across the island will start issuing passports via online from yesterday (15), Public Security Minister Tiran Alles said.
The online system to apply for passports will be launched today at the Homagama Divisional Secretariat by President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Public Security Minister.
The minister said that the Department of Immigration and Emigration is introducing the facility to enable applicants to obtain passports at their hometowns without visiting Colombo.
He said the new process aims to streamline the passport application process and ensure that passports are delivered to applicants’ residences within three days.
“Once applicants submit their relevant applications to the nearest Regional Secretariat and complete the required procedures, the passport would be dispatched to their residence via a courier service within three days,” he said.
Necessary facilities will be set up at sub-offices of the Department of Registration of Persons at 51 divisional secretariats across the island to obtain finger prints in this regard.
They said that even after the launch of the new system, anyone who wants to obtain passports can visit the Immigration Department and submit applications and get passports.
The one-day service of issuing passports will also be continued as usual.
