Sri Lanka’s Immigration and Emigration Department. (REUTERS / Dinuka Liyanawatte)
Sri Lanka’s Department of Immigration and Emigration says that 911,689 passports were issued in 2022, according to the annual performance report issued recently.
Year 2022 records the highest number of passports issued in Sri Lanka compared to the last five years, the Department of Immigration and Emigration said.
The department further stated that 529,138 additional passports were issued in 2022 compared to 2021.
Last year, the number of people who left the country from the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake stood at 2,008,066. Among them, 1,124,022 are Sri Lankans and 864,648 are foreigners, the Department further stated.
9,158 passport applications received through online system since June 15
9,158 applications have been received through the online system which was launched on June 15, 2023, said Harsha Ilukpitiya, Controller General of Department of Immigration and Emigration in Sri Lanka.
With the new online passport application system, the passports will be issued within three days after submitting the applications.
Earlier it took 14 working days to issue a passport under the normal procedure.
Harsha Illukpitiya further said that the fee for one-day passport service which stands at Rs. 20,000, however if submitted through the online system it will be reduced to Rs.15,000.
