In a major digital upgrade to its consular services, the Sri Lankan government has approved a project to facilitate faster, secure passport issuance for Sri Lankans living abroad through the use of biometric technology.
The initiative will be implemented across 20 diplomatic missions worldwide, significantly easing the passport application process for the diaspora.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal jointly submitted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, and the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs.
Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced that the system will allow Sri Lankans residing overseas to apply for passports digitally via Sri Lankan missions, eliminating the need to travel back home for renewals or new documents.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has agreed to provide financial assistance, technical expertise, and equipment to support the project.
This includes setting up biometric data capture stations, supplying necessary hardware, and establishing secure digital connectivity between overseas missions and Sri Lanka’s Department of Immigration and Emigration.
“This project will improve service delivery for our expatriates and reduce administrative delays by enabling digital passport processing at foreign missions,” Dr. Jayatissa told reporters at the post-Cabinet media briefing on July 15.
He highlighted the significance of the diaspora’s contribution to the economy through remittances and noted that enhancing such services could further incentivize visits to Sri Lanka, boosting foreign exchange inflows.
Under Cabinet Paper 22/2025, biometric stations at selected missions will enable Sri Lankan citizens to submit applications and provide biometric data such as fingerprints and photographs on-site.
The system will be integrated with the Department’s online passport application platform, forming part of a broader digital transformation of government services.
While the specific locations of the 20 diplomatic missions have not been publicly revealed, government sources indicated that missions in countries with large Sri Lankan expatriate communities will be prioritized.
This move is aligned with global trends where countries are adopting biometric systems to improve the efficiency and security of citizen services and border control. Nations like Switzerland have already implemented similar systems.
The biometric passport initiative is the latest in a series of digital modernization efforts by Sri Lanka. Earlier in 2025, the government began issuing 700,000 biometric national identity cards and participated in the Digital Public Infrastructure Summit, demonstrating its commitment to building a secure, technology-driven public service infrastructure.
The Cabinet communiqué described the project as a step toward delivering faster, safer, and more reliable consular services to overseas Sri Lankans. It also ensures that the biometric data collection adheres to international privacy and security standards, as guided by IOM.
The Department of Immigration and Emigration will manage the technical infrastructure and operational processes, overseeing data capture, verification, and secure document issuance.
This move is expected to streamline bureaucratic processes, bolster digital identity management, and reinforce Sri Lanka’s global shift toward smarter, tech-enabled governance.
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