Immigration extends validity of expired passports by one year until e-passport issuance

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana

The Department of Immigration and Emigration has extended the validity of all passports that expire from June end by one year until the issuance of the e-passport project takes off in January next year.

The department announced that passports that expire after a period of ten years by June 30th will be extended up to one year free of charge. The new electronic chip-inserted e-passport will be issued to the public by January next year, and the public is encouraged to get their new passport converted to an e-passport.

A senior Immigration official told the Daily Mirror a company had been selected after calling bids to grant the printing of the new e-passport and the process is underway at present.

The department is hoping to issue about 700,000 e-passports annually once the project is underway.