New passport issue from today

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE

The Immigration and Emigration Department will put into practice a new method for issuing passports from today.

Considering the inconvenience faced by applicants when renewing passports, a new simple method will be introduced, an Immigration and Emigration Department official said.

According to the current practice when renewing a passport a set of documents has to be produced to the Immigration and Emigration Department. Instead of this lengthy procedure which caused severe inconveniences to the public, a new simple method will be introduced. Under this new method only a simple short application form has to be filled.

Accordingly, an applicant has to submit only the name, date of birth, identity card number, signature and a new passport size photograph, the official added.

The new method is convenient for both applicants and the department since the method reduces the processing time.