Issue of Passports
Guidelines, required documents, application forms, submission offices, and processing fees for Sri Lankan Ordinary, Diplomatic, Official, and Minor Passports.
Apply Online for Sri Lankan Passports
Citizens can submit their new or renewal passport applications and schedule appointments via the official e-Services portal.
Ordinary Passports
Passports Valid for All CountriesWhat are the documents required to be submitted along with the completed application form ?
- Current passport with a photocopy of the Bio data page. (Please see below for details*)
- Photo studio acknowledgement (Find an Authorized Photo Studio)
- Original Birth Certificate of the applicant with a photocopy.
- Original National Identity Card of the applicant with a photocopy
- Marriage certificate with a photocopy where it is necessary (To confirm the name after marriage)
- Educational Certificate related to the profession and an acceptable document to confirm your service and photocopies thereof. (Acadamic certificate & service certificate)
For Buddhist priests:
It is mandatory to submit the Samanera certificate or Higher Ordination certificate along with photocopies.
*If you already have a valid passport it should be submitted along with the application.
Where can I obtain an Application Form ?
What are the delivery times for All-Countries Passport ?
What are the processing fees for All-Countries Passport ?
Diplomatic Passports
These passports are valid for all countries and the validity period is 10 years unless otherwise specified in the passport. This passport is issued to VVIPs, Members of Parliament and Persons Posted to prescribed positions at Sri Lankan Overseas Missions.
Where can I obtain an application form ?
What are the documents required to be submitted along with the completed application ?
- Current passport with a photocopy of the Bio data page. (Please see below for details*)
- Photo studio acknowledgement (Find an Authorized Photo Studio)
- Original Birth Certificate of the applicant with a photocopy.
- Original National Identity Card of the applicant with a photocopy
- Marriage certificate with a photocopy where it is necessary (To confirm the name after marriage)
- For MPs-A request letter from the Parliament
- For Foreign Postings- A request letter from the Ministry of External Affairs
- Others- A request letter from the Line Ministry
*If you already have a valid passport it should be submitted along with the application.
Where can I submit my duly completed application ?
Head office of the Department of Immigration & Emigration, Battaramulla
What are the processing fees for Diplomatic Passports ?
Official Passports
Who can apply for official passports ?
Official Passports are issued to the following categories of persons –
- Members of Provincial Councils
- Mayors
- Chairpersons of Local Government Bodies
- Officers of All Island Services
- Identified Staff of Members of Parliament (See Ministry of Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development & Cultural Affairs Circular 01/2016 for eligible officer''s list)
Where can I obtain an application form ?
What are the documents required to be submitted along with the application ?
- Current passport with a photocopy of the Bio data page. (Please see below for details*)
- Photo studio acknowledgement (Find an Authorized Photo Studio)
- Original Birth Certificate of the applicant with a photocopy.
- Original National Identity Card of the applicant with a photocopy
- Marriage certificate with a photocopy where it is necessary (For getting married name)
- A request letter from the Head of line ministry, Department or Provincial Council
*If you already have a valid passport it should be submitted along with the application.
Where can I submit my completed application ?
Head office of the Department of Immigration & Emigration, Colombo
What are the processing fees for Official Passports ?
NMRP (Non- Machine Readable Passports) & Temporary Travel Documents
What are these documents ?
These are documents issued to Sri Lankans whose passports have been lost, stolen or expired whilst in a foreign country.
Where can I obtain them ?
You can obtain these documents from Overseas Sri Lankan Missions (Find an Overseas Mission ↗)
When can I apply ?
If you intend to come back to Sri Lanka within a short period of time, you may apply for an NMRP or a Temporary Travel Document.
What is the duration of validity period ?
An NMRP or a Temporary Travel Document is valid only for one way travel to Sri Lanka.
Where can I obtain an application form ?
How can I submit the Application ?
You can submit it to the Overseas Sri Lankan Missions (Find an Overseas Mission ↗)
Identification Certificate
What is an Identification Certificate ?
This is a document issued to a foreigner whose passport or travel document has been lost, stolen or expired whilst in Sri Lanka.
How can I obtain an Identification Certificate ?
Call in personally at the Head Office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration. You will be able to collect the Identification Certificate on the same day at a processing fee of LKR 3500.00.
Sri Lankan passports for Underage (Minor) Applicants/ Adopted Children (Validity period for 3 or 10 years)
Who is a minor ?
Any person below 16 years of age is considered as a minor for this purpose.
How can a minor apply for Sri Lankan passport ?
Either the both parents or the legal guardian of the applicant should accompany him/her when the applicant comes to the application accepting office to submit the application. A letter of consent from parents or the legal guardian should be attached to the application.
What are the documents required to be submitted along with the completed application ?
- Original Birth certificate of the applicant with a photocopy.
- Photo studio acknowledgement (Find an Authorized Photo Studio)
- Parent’s Passport (with photocopies of data page & child page).
- If parents do not have passports submit the National Identity Card.
- Consent Letter of the Parents. (Either the parents or the legal guardian of the applicant should accompany)
- Current passport with a photocopy of Bio data page (If available)
If applying passport for an adopted child, following additional documents are required
Special Notes – Originals of the documents must be submitted along with photocopies. The following documents should be submitted under the special circumstances mentioned below.
- If the applicant is born outside of Sri Lanka, Consular Birth Certificate and Citizenship Registration Certificate.
- If parent(s) of the applicant do not possess a valid Sri Lankan passport, an affidavit confirming that fact and the National Identity Card.
- If parent(s) of the applicant are dead, Original Death Certificate(s), Legal Guardian’s Identification Document, Guardian’s consent letter and a report from Grama Niladhari attested by the Divisional Secretary.
- If one or both parents are abroad, the consent letter and the passport copies of parents should be certified by the relevant Sri Lankan Mission.
- If both parents are abroad acceptable authorization letter given by the parents to the legal guardian should be certified by the relevant Sri Lankan Mission.
- If the parents are divorced, Original Divorce Certificate and the court order stating the right to the custody of the child/ children.
- If the child has been abandoned by the parents, certified copy of the police report and a confirmation letter from the Grama Niladhari countersigned by the Divisional Secretary.
What are the processing fees for All-Countries Passport (below 16 years of age) ?
Validity period for 3 years
Validity period for 10 years
Including a Minor in a Parent’s Passport
Who is a Minor ?
Any person below 16 years of age is considered as a minor for this purpose.
Can children included in parents’ passport ?
Inclusion of children in parent passports will not longer be allowed. Children irrespective of age should obtain a separate passport.
Sri Lankan Passport for a Dual Citizen
An individual who holds citizenship in both Sri Lanka and another country can obtain a Sri Lankan passport by submitting the following documents.(Download printable versions of the Application Forms here )
- Completed application form
- Photo studio acknowledgement (Find an Authorized Photo Studio)
- Dual Citizenship Certificate with a photocopy.
- Foreign passport with any Sri Lankan passport if there is (with photocopy of Bio data pages)
- National Identity Card with a photocopy. A person who has obtained dual citizenship under section 19(2) of amended Citizenship Act 18 of 1948 should be obtained a new National Identity Card.
- Birth Certificate with a photocopy.
The following documents should be produced in case of a lost passport.
- Original of the complaint made to the police including the lost passport number. If the lost passport number is not available, you can obtain it from the Colombo Head Office or a Regional Office. (View Offices)
- If the passport was lost abroad, the temporary travel document (NMRP) used to arrive in Sri Lanka (with a photocopy). (See NMRP Details)
Special Notes – Originals of the above documents must be submitted along with photocopies.