By: Staff Writer
February 16, Colombo (LNW): The Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs has announced that Sri Lanka is preparing to implement an electronic passport (e-Passport) system. Deputy Minister of Public Security, Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala, confirmed that all legal barriers have been removed following the lifting of a court injunction. With agreements signed with relevant companies, the issuance of e-Passports is expected to commence within the next eight months.
Currently, passports are being issued through traditional methods. However, to meet anticipated demand, the government is making arrangements to import one million new passports. Furthermore, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananda Wijepala, disclosed plans to recruit 186 Immigration and Emigration officers to facilitate the proposed 24-hour passport issuance service.
To expedite recruitment, a request has been submitted to the Department of Examinations to schedule a relevant examination for graduate applicants. Once a date is confirmed, an official Gazette notification will be issued. Additionally, a list has been forwarded to the Public Service Commission for the temporary recruitment of 14 Assistant Controllers to support the Department of Immigration and Emigration in launching the rapid passport issuance service.
The long-anticipated e-Passport initiative, featuring biometric chips compliant with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, is expected to be introduced by the end of the year.
Sources from the Department of Immigration and Emigration confirmed that the project, which had been stalled for nearly nine years, has now resumed.
The bidding process for procuring five million e-Passports recently concluded, including necessary software updates required for system implementation.
A senior department official noted that the selected supplier would need several months to finalize the system, with the goal of rolling out the e-Passport project by the last quarter of the year.
The e-Passport will feature a microchip embedded into the existing passport structure, containing biometric data such as fingerprints and a standardized photograph.
The previous government had halted the project due to high costs and concerns raised by suppliers regarding eligibility criteria and additional security features.
Consequently, the prior Expression of Interest (EOI) was withdrawn in August last year, leading to a fresh tender announcement in November 2023.
A senior Ministry of Public Security official stated that the country needs to issue over 700,000 e-Passports annually, with the project expected to cost approximately USD 15 million.
The revised e-Passport tender issued in November introduced new specifications.
Unlike the earlier approach, the latest tender only requires suppliers to provide passports with embedded chips, both with and without a polycarbonate biodata page.
Notably, the chip placement follows a decades-old design, where it is embedded in the passport cover rather than using the latest technological advancements.
In parallel, the government is enhancing security and operational efficiency at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) through the integration of advanced biometric technology.
This upgrade will facilitate the seamless processing of e-Passports for local travelers, aligning Sri Lanka with global security and travel efficiency standards.
