The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the recruitment of additional staff to accelerate the printing of passports and address existing delays.
Speaking at today’s (05) Cabinet press conference, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the government has already initiated the procurement process for 1.1 million “P” category chip-enabled passport booklets, following recommendations from an expert committee appointed to resolve the passport shortage.
To eliminate delays, the Department of Emigration and Immigration plans to operate 24/7, issuing 4,000 passports per day.
Accordingly, the Cabinet has approved a proposal by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to recruit retired department officers on a contract basis with the approval of the Public Service Commission. Additionally, government officers will be temporarily assigned to the department with the consent of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Governments.
