• Over 1, 100 new travel documents issued under the one day service  

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana 

Ending prolonged delays and hassle to the public the Department of Immigration and Emigration yesterday commenced issuing the newly imported ‘P’ series passport packed with novel security features and refined look.  

The department had managed to issue about 1,100 new passports under the one day service yesterday with its new navy blue colour cover of the ‘P’ series travel document, in lieu of the exhausting stocks of the previous ‘N’ series normal passport with its maroon colour cover. 

Sources at the department said the issuance of the new ‘P’ series travel document will continue unhindered by giving priority to those who apply under the one day service with a fee of Rs.20,000. 

The new machine-readable passport (MRP) will be slimmer with 48 pages compared to the previous 64-page ‘N’ series passport and bears brand new security features.

 Thales DIS Finland Oy, a trusted partner to Finnish authorities in providing passports, ID cards and driving license have secured the tender to provide 750, 000 machine-readable passports as the previous order to purchase five million e-passports had been halted with a Court of Appeal injunction till November 6th.

Minister of Public Security Vijitha Herath previously said 47,500 passports will be imported in the first batch between October 15th and 20th whilst the second batch of 100,000 new passports will arrive towards the end of November.  The department sources however said last week that initially a batch of 10,000 passports will reach the country and the latest consignment had arrived on October 19th. 

 The remaining ‘N’ series passports, which will amount to little more than 1,200 pieces will be issued to those who have already applied under the normal service with a fee paid of Rs.10,000, the sources said.