The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, under Standing Order 27(2), I raise the following questions.

¶ 02 Obtaining a passport has become a national problem with months-long delays. Although the new Government restarted online appointment scheduling for passports from 4 November 2024, people still wait about three to four months to receive passports. This severely affects those seeking overseas employment. Reports indicate an increase in under-the-table payments to expedite passports. Therefore, I seek clear answers from the subject Minister to the following:

¶ 03 01. As at today, what is the processing time to issue passports under each service category? What are the average numbers issued and applied for daily? What specific reasons have prevented normalization of issuance? By what date is normalization expected?

¶ 04 02. From January 2024 to date, how many applications have been received and how many passports issued? How many remain to be issued?

¶ 05 03. Are there adequate passport booklets for the pending issuance? If not, what is the current stock and what is the plan to procure more?

¶ 06 04. Who is the current supplier of passports to the Department of Immigration and Emigration? Was the contract awarded through a tender process? If so, will all tender details be tabled in Parliament? Is the Government satisfied with the supplier’s performance? If not, why, and will the Government consider changing the supplier?

¶ 07 05. Can the Government assure that the newly issued e-passports meet the required quality specifications? If not, what are the shortcomings? Will changes be made, and if so, what and why?

¶ 08 Hundreds of thousands aspire for overseas employment, which benefits the country through higher remittances. It is your responsibility to facilitate citizens traveling for overseas work and other needs. Please provide a clear response on the steps being taken.