E-passport next year despite key infrastructure costs and revenue loss By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):The Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) of Sri Lanka has mandated prior online registration for passport applications, effective until the e-passport system’s introduction next year. Harsha Ilukpitiya, the Controller General, stated this move aims to reduce congestion at the DIE head office by requiring online appointment scheduling. Sri Lankans applying for new passports must now pre-register online, and this system has been extended to applicants outside Colombo, he added. To manage this, DIE has limited passport issuance until the new supplier can provide the required stocks. The new supplier must provide a high-volume passport printing machine system, costing around Rs.1.5 billion.

Source: Sunday Times July 28, 2024 01:33 UTC