Issuance of passports temporarily suspended

The Department of Immigration and Emigration says that the issuance of passports has temporarily been suspended due to a breakdown in the computer system.

Accordingly, the relevant department announces that it has suspended issuing passports via all regional offices including the Head Office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Battaramulla.

The decision has been taken due to a breakdown which occurred in the computer system of the department.

Accordingly, the Department of Immigration and Emigration has suspended accepting applications for passports until the system is restored.

As a result of this, a heated situation had reportedly occurred in front of the Immigration Department this afternoon as a large number of people who had arrived to obtain their passports had voiced their protest. 

However, the officials of the department and police officers had then arrived and explained the situation and sent them away.