By: Staff Writer
September 16, Colombo (LNW): The Department of Immigration and Emigration in Sri Lanka is generating between Rs. 3 billion and Rs. 5 billion in revenue per month, driven by a marked increase in passport applications.
As more Sri Lankans look to leave the country for work or better prospects, enhanced service delivery from the immigration department has translated into financial gains but not without challenges in efficiency and integrity.
Deputy Controller General Mahesh Karunadasa told reporters that much of the revenue growth comes from faster passport services being implemented.
“We now provide one-day service passports within four hours, issuing around 1,500–2,000 daily via this urgent service. Meanwhile, the standard service issues about 1,000 passports each day.” On a busy day, total passport output including urgent, standard, and other type ranges between 4,000 and 5,000.
Fees are structured so that a normal passport usable for all countries costs Rs. 10,000, while an urgent “one-day” passport costs Rs. 20,000, regardless of whether the application is submitted online or in person.
With thousands of passports being processed daily, the department’s revenue intake on peak days may reach tens of millions of rupees.
Historical data show very high demand: 911,757 passports were issued in 2022, and 908,678 in 2023. In just the first five months of 2024, 381,678 passports had already been issued, putting that year likely on track for totals similar to the prior years.
The pattern continued into 2025, with long queues still common at immigration offices despite improvements in digital services and extension of counter operations.
Alongside passport demand, emigration for work has also increased sharply. According to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, 144,379 Sri Lankan workers left for overseas employment between January and June 2025.
Of these, 88,684 were men and 55,695 women. The top destinations remain the Middle East: Kuwait led with 38,806 departures, followed by the UAE with 28,973, and Qatar with 21,958. East Asia is also rising in importance, with 6,073 going to Japan and 3,134 to South Korea in that period.
Remittances tied to foreign employment are likewise rising. In the first half of 2025, remittance inflows reached US$ 3.73 billion, an increase of roughly 18.9% compared to the first half of 2024, when remittances stood at US$ 3.14 billion.
Net migration statistics also point toward more people leaving than arriving: Sri Lanka’s net migration in 2024 was approximately −27,245 people, a slight increase in the magnitude of emigration compared to 2023.
Despite the revenue and demand, questions about efficiency, transparency, and possible corruption persist. Some applicants report that even when paying for urgent service, delays occur. Others allege unofficial “facilitation fees” or intermediaries demanding extra payments to speed up processing.
While the Immigration Department has made strides in reducing processing times and increasing its online/offline service options, civil society groups maintain that oversight remains weak.
The government’s non-tax revenue targets for 2025 rely heavily on these passport and migration flows. Analysts warn, however, that while high passport issuance and remittances may provide short-term gains, long-term risks include brain drain, diminishing domestic labour supply, and greater dependence on foreign income.
As 2025 progresses, the Department of Immigration and Emigration faces a delicate balancing act: capitalising on rising emigration and passport demand to meet revenue goals, while curbing inefficiencies, ensuring fairness in service delivery, and safeguarding against corruption—anything less could undermine public trust and economic stability.
