Passport issuance likely to halt after October

Colombo, July 31 (Daily Mirror) - Issuance of passports is likely to come to a standstill after October due to a failure to procure passports, as authorities are preparing to switch to the new e-passport system, which is reportedly facing delays, the Daily Mirror learns.

The Department officially announced last week that the e-passport system will begin on January 1, 2025.

They have also introduced a new application process, requiring prior registration starting July 16, 2024.

Only registered applicants will be permitted to visit the Department's offices.

However, it is reported that the launch of the e-passport system will be delayed beyond January due to several issues. An official claimed that the issue arose because the department did not plan to implement the e-passport system and failed to communicate with the planning services.

Since the department planned to launch the new system by January, it has not started the procurement process for passports under the old system.

A lower number of passport books were printed in anticipation of issuing e-passports. At least 500,000 passport books are required to meet demand, the official said.

"Currently, only 300 passports are issued daily under the existing system, which is expected to last until October. It was reported that applicants cannot even log on to the department's official website to book appointments," the official said. He said it would take significant time to open the portal to register 300 online applicants daily.

Without initiating the procurement process for new passports, there is a risk that the supply may run out before the e-passport system is fully operational.

People now queue at the department every morning to submit their passport applications. The management has decided to accept 50 priority applications for immediate issuance.

People in the queues sometimes become violent when their applications are not accepted. Even Immigration Department officials have been unable to resolve their issues.