Sri Lanka’s ongoing passport crisis remains unresolved, with the country grappling to meet the growing demand for travel documents. A tender for 500,000 machine-readable passports (MRPs) is set to be issued in the coming days, as the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) seeks to address the backlog. However, despite efforts to manage the crisis, significant challenges remain.
Currently, the DIE is issuing between 2,500 and 2,700 passports daily, an increase from the previous limit of 1,500 to 1,800. This increase is aimed at extending the current passport stocks, but the supply is still running low. With the upcoming influx of applicants—especially those hoping to sit for the Korean language proficiency test—there are growing concerns about passport availability. Foreign job agents are also pushing for intervention to ensure an uninterrupted flow of passports for migrant workers, with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) stepping in to guarantee 200 passports per day for labor migrants.
Despite the increase in daily issuances, the backlog of passport applications has not been cleared, and the current stock of passports is expected to run out between July and September. The Public Security Ministry is preparing to float a tender for 500,000 MRPs next week, with plans to issue a separate tender for personalizing the passports. This will likely lead to the introduction of a new passport series.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s previous attempt to tackle the crisis with ePassports remains in limbo, as the results of the tender for these passports are currently under legal challenge. The Sri Lankan partner of the winning bidder, Thales DIS Finland OY, is facing a lawsuit from the losing bidder, Epic Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. The DIE is now using an emergency batch of 750,000 MRPs purchased from Thales to address the immediate shortage.
In conclusion, while steps are being taken to resolve the passport issue, Sri Lanka’s passport crisis remains far from over, with many hurdles to overcome before the country can ensure a steady supply of travel documents for its citizens.
