Colombo (LNW): A new system will be introduced in June, 2023 for the issuance of passports in a period of three days, in a bid to ease the process of obtaining passports, revealed Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, speaking to media today (22).
Accordingly, 50 more offices will be established to collect photographs and fingerprints, the Minister said, adding that these offices will be established at the Divisional Secretariats.
Alles noted that under the new system people will be required to fill out the necessary form online and subsequently the photographs and fingerprints have to be registered at their respective Divisional Secretariats.
“Under the new system, people will be required to fill out the necessary form online. Thereafter, they will have to visit their area Divisional Secretariat to provide their photographs and fingerprints, which can be done at the Divisional Secretariat office. Following this, we expect the passport to be couriered to the applicant within a period of 3 days,” the Minister told media.
He added that the government is also expecting to introduce an e-passport in the near future.
Alles disclosed that 16 brokers who had obtained payments ranging from Rs. 20,000 – 25,000 to get prior appointments at the passport office have been arrested, adding that another officer at the passport office was also arrested recently in connection with a passport racket.
