President Wickremesinghe Takes Responsibility for Passport Shortage, Vows E-Passports by October

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Colombo, September 4 – President Ranil Wickremesinghe has called on Sri Lankan citizens not to rush to leave the country, assuring them that the nation’s situation is improving and progressing towards digitalisation.

Speaking as the Presidential candidate at a recent forum with professionals in Colombo, the President addressed concerns about the long queues at the Immigration and Emigration Department. He announced that the new e-passport system would be available within two weeks, apologizing for the current issues and delays in transitioning from conventional passports to e-passports.

Acknowledging the challenges in the procurement process, President Wickremesinghe took responsibility on behalf of the government. Despite criticism over the passport shortage, he assured that by October, everyone would have their e-passports, resolving the issue.

The President emphasized that the department is working to expedite passport issuance in the next two weeks and highlighted that the new e-passport will be more affordable than the current one. He also urged the public to be patient as the government continues to advance the country towards the next stage of digitalisation.