• Ministry to assess recommendation and place new order in 2-3 weeks

The expert committee appointed to investigate the controversial passport issue has recommended procuring 1.1 million new machine-readable passports to sustain the issuance process and restore normalcy, The Sunday Morning learns.

Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala has signalled a more cautious approach, stating that the ministry may not place the full order immediately, instead opting to reassess passport needs in anticipation of a court ruling on the e-passport system.

The new passport order is expected to be placed within two to three weeks, although the exact number remains undecided. 

The ministry will conduct further assessments to determine an interim requirement until the e-passport case is resolved.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration currently holds a stock of 550,000 passports, while issuing approximately 50,000 passports per month (or 2,500 per working day), according to Wijepala.

However, to restore normalcy, the department will need to increase the issuance rate to 80,000 passports per month, a figure that underscores the urgent need for replenishment.

Minister Wijepala also emphasised that while the expert committee’s 1.1 million passport procurement recommendation was under consideration, the ministry was awaiting a court verdict on the proposed e-passport system before committing to a definitive order.

“The introduction of e-passports, initially envisioned as a long-term solution, remains stalled in the legal system. Until a judicial ruling is issued, the Government will continue with the existing ‘P’ series of machine-readable passports. 

“Experts from the Universities of Moratuwa and Colombo have advised against shifting to the ‘N’ series which we contemplated. Based on International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, changing the series constantly will lead to a change in the security features of the passport,” he explained.

Despite the committee’s recommendation, Wijepala expressed doubts about the necessity of ordering 1.1 million passports, stating that a more precise estimation would be made in the coming week.