The Department of Immigration and Emigration says that prior online registration is now required when applying for a Sri Lankan passport and the new methodology has commenced with effect from today (19).

The department further stated that it is no longer possible to obtain a passport by visiting the department without first being assigned a date and time through the online registration system.

Accordingly, an applicant must reserve a date and time through the http://www.immigration.gov.lk/ website to obtain or renew a passport. 

This requirement applies to both the one-day service and the general service.

However, despite this new system being launched from today (19), a large number of people had arrived at the Immigration and Emigration Department office in Battaramulla this morning to obtain passports without making such reservations. 

After it was announced that only those with a reserved date and time would be served, the applicants who had not registered online in advance had voiced their objections causing a heated situation, resulting in long queues and congestion in front of the department.

Meanwhile the police and the anti-riot units had also been called to control the situation.