The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the publication of a new Immigration Bill in the Government Gazette, paving the way for its submission to Parliament for approval.
The proposed legislation is intended to replace the Immigrants and Emigrants Act No. 20 of 1948.
A previous Bill drafted for this purpose had been presented to Parliament, but further proceedings were halted following the dissolution of the Ninth Parliament on September 24, 2024.
Following the dissolution, the government reviewed the legislation in light of a Supreme Court determination on the previous Bill. Cabinet approval was subsequently granted on August 18, 2025, to prepare a new Immigration Bill.
The Cabinet later approved, on December 10, 2025, the inclusion of provisions relating to the country’s forthcoming electronic passport system. Under the proposed provisions, the Secretary to the Ministry in charge of Immigration and Emigration will be designated as the Country Signing Certification Authority (CSCA) responsible for implementing the mechanism to incorporate biometric data into the electronic passport chip.
The Cabinet approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to publish the Bill, prepared by the Legal Draftsman, in the Government Gazette and subsequently submit it to Parliament for approval.
