Other document Services in Sri Lanka Immigration matters in Sri Lanka taken to high grounds in the recent past with visa and document services is playing important role. Any document done in Sri Lanka, immigration and work in the country is reviewed. All the foreigners who wish to obtain residence visa and any type of Sri Lankan passports documents done in Sri Lanka are now required to have prior approval from controller immigration and emigration. On receipt of Sri Lankan visa documents, the migration Lanka Services will process the Sri Lankan visas for foreigners. The migration to Sri Lanka confirms that all foreigners entering Sri Lankan must obtain entry visa before entering to the country. Please note that Sri Lankan visit visas are not good enough to apply for Sri Lankan residence visa. It is also the international practice not to permit visit visa to be converted to residence visa for Sri Lanka. Migration Lanka Services is the only registered company in Sri Lanka for foreigners to obtain all types of Sri Lankan visas. Migration Lanka Services offers documentation services, identity cards, birth registration, Sri Lankan passports, business visas, document services, visa services, migration assistance, multiple visas and all other type of Sri Lankan visas. We offer any type of immigration support services in Sri Lanka including visa services to foreigners. What is a passport? 1.3.1 A passport is a formal identity document or certification issued by a national government that identifies the holder as a national of a particular state, and requests permission, in the name of the sovereign or government of the issuing country, for the bearer to be permitted to enter and pass through other countries. Passports are connected with the right of legal protection abroad and the right to enter one's country of nationality. Diplomatic Passports Diplomatic Passports are issued only to those who hold Diplomatic positions for the time being. Eligible persons for Diplomatic Passports will be approved by the Minister who is in charge of the subject of Immigration and Emigration for the time being. The current list of those entitled to Diplomatic Passports appears in Appendix XX Legal Reference for the issuance diplomatic passports Passport (Regulation) and Exit Permit Act. No. 53 of 1971, Para 6 4.3.2 Official Passports Official Passports are issued to those who are not entitled to Diplomatic Passports but hold an eligible official position for the time being. The current list of those entitled to Official Passports appears in Appendix XX. 4.3.3 Ordinary Passports Ordinary Passports are categorised into two types: i) Passports issued valid for travel to All Countries ii) Passports issued valid for travel to Specified Countries. i) Passports issued valid for travel to All Countries The holders can travel to any country of the world on the strength of these passports. This passport contains 64 pages. ii) Passports issued valid for travel to Specified Countries This category of Passports is valid only for travel to specified countries. The list of countries to which the holders can travel are indicated on page 3 of the passport. These passports can subsequently be validated for "All Countries" on payment of the requisite fee. This validation is done in Colombo by means of serially numbered stickers. Sri Lankan Overseas Missions are authorized to do so without stickers. Legal References for passport country validity Passport (Regulation) and Exit Permit Act. No. 53 of 1971, Para 7 The competent authority may, at his discretion, determine the countries of travel for which any passport or emergency certificate shall be issued and such passports or emergency certificates shall be valid for travel only to the countries so specified. 4.4 What is a certificate? Generic term used to encompass all documents which are acceptable proof of identity for the purpose of entering another country. Passports and visas are the most widely used forms of travel documents. Some States also accept certain identity cards or other documents. 4.5 Issuing Authorities of Certificates Sri Lankan Certificates are issued: " In Sri Lanka by the Controller of Immigration & Emigration, his Additionals, Deputies and Assistants. " In other countries by the representatives of the Government of Sri Lanka accredited to those countries. Legal References for the issuing authorities of certificates (Passport (Regulation) and exit permit Act. Nos. 53 of 1971, 1 of 1980, Para 3) It shall be at the discretion of the competent authority to issue or renew a passport or emergency certificate, or to refuse to issue or renew a passport or emergency certificate, and no such refusal to issue or renew a passport or emergency certificate, shall be called in question in any court of law or tribunal by way of write or otherwise. Regulations No. 37 4.6 Types of Certificates 4.6.1 Identity Certificates (I.C.) 4.6.2 Emergency Certificates (E.C.) 4.6.3 Temporary Travel document (I.C.O.M./N.M.R.P/Outpass) 4.6.1 Identity Certificates (IC) An identity certificate is a document (other than a passport) issued by a government to an individual in order to facilitate his/her entry into or exit from the country. These are issued only under the following circumstances: i) To lawful residents in Sri Lanka whose national status is either in doubt or under consideration. ii) To non-citizens of Sri Lanka who for any reasons are not able to obtain national passports to either reside or leave Sri Lanka. E.g. A foreigner who loses his travel document while in Sri Lanka and his country has no consular representation in Sri Lanka. iii) Some Identity Certificates with a special colour are also issued to those who are registered under the Resident Guest Scheme administered by the Board of Investment, Sri Lanka. 4.6.2 Emergency Certificates (EC) Emergency Certificates are issued only to Sri Lankans to facilitate travel to a particular country in an emergency situation. Legal References for the issuance of emergency certificates Sr Lanka Passport (Regulation) and Exit Permit Act. No. 53 of 1971, Para 7(2) Regulations 37 4.6.3 Temporary Travel Document (Identity Certificate Overseas Mission (I.C.O.M.) / Non Machine Readable Passport (N.M.R.P) / Outpass) Temporary travel documents are issued only by Sri Lankan Overseas Missions and only for Sri Lankans if their passports are damaged, lost or expired. As it is issued by the Missions manually, it is a non-machine readable passport. The required fees have to be paid for this passport. Sometimes overseas missions issue a single sheet emergency passport, called an outpass, on which biodata is detailed and to which the holder's photograph is affixed. 2. APPLICATION PROCESS FOR A TRAVEL DOCUMENT An application for a travel document can be made: " directly at the Department Head Office in Colombo. " through the Sri Lanka Over-seas Missions. " through the Regional Offices of the Department of Immigration and Emigration. " through all Divisional Secretaries. IMPORTANT: Presently, applications are only processed and passports are only issued at the Department's Head Office, while I.C.O.M.s and Outpasses are only processed and issued by the Sri Lankan Missions in other countries. The process of accepting applications for Passports, Emergency Certificates and Identification Certificates will begin at the Regional Offices in Kandy, Matara and Anuradhapura under the first stage of the decentralization programme. Processing Applications and issuing Passports will also take place at the above regional offices under the 2nd phase of the programme. However, applications for same day service passports are accepted only at the DIE, Head Office in Colombo. 5.1 Documents required for all types of passports i) Form K (contains 4 pages) with Form I.M.35(B) Appendix XX and XX: These forms are available at the Department's Head Office, Divisional Secretariats, Post Offices and at the Offices of Grama Niladharis free of charge. They can also be downloaded from the Department's website. The same application forms are issued by Sri Lankan Over-seas Missions in different colour so that they can be easily identified. (ii) Three photographs of the applicant as per following specifications: Size 35mm x 45mm, coloured, matt-finish (Gloss or Semi gloss photographs should not be accepted).The face should be straight in the photograph and both ears should be visible. These photographs should be very clear and of good quality, taken within 3 months of the application submitted. (iii) Existing Passport / Travel Documents: The existing passport / travel document is returned to the applicant at the counter after cancellation of the same and accepting photocopies of their data pages. This is not applicable to first time applicants. It is not compulsory to surrender passports which have already expired their validity period of 10 years. If the previous passport is lost, follow the instructions given in section 5.2.6. (iv) Certificate of Birth which has been duly authenticated in manuscript by the Registrar General or his assistants, together with a Photostat copy. English translations, certified by sworn translators, are not accepted as original Birth Certificates. (v) National Identity Card (NIC), if the applicant is over 16 years, with a Photostat copy of both sides. The NIC is returned to the applicant at the Application Receiving Counter, along with receipt of payment for application. (vi) Marriage Certificate with a Photostat copy of the same if the applicant is a married female and wishes to have her husband's surname entered in her passport. Similarly, if she is a divorcee and wishes to remove her ex-husband's surname from her previous Travel Document, a certified copy of the divorce decree is required. (vii) Originals of professional Certificates with copies if the applicant requires the profession to be noted in his/her travel document such as Accountant, Doctor, Engineer, Attorney-at-law, Architect Quantity Surveyor, Nurse and etc., which have governing professional bodies and stipulated periods of training. (viii) A letter from the relevant Ministry or department if the applicant is a staff officer of the Government and if the applicant requires his/her designation to be noted in his/her travel document. Similarly an acceptable letter from the company is required for company executives. (ix) Driving Licence with a copy of both sides if the applicant requires his/her profession to be noted in the Passport as Driver. (x) The prescribed fee -see page 30 - should be paid in cash. Payment of fee in the forms of postage stamps, credit cards, etc., is not accepted. IMPORTANT: If the applicant's previous Passport is of 'N' or 'M' Series, production of the above documents is not compulsory, but if the applicant wishes to have any detail appearing in the previous passport changed, relevant documents for the required changes should be produced. If the applicant produces an 'L' Series passport, either both his/her birth certificate and NIC or one of them should be produced depending on the situation. If the applicant produces a J-Series or K-Series passport, all other relevant documents are compulsory, as the details of those Passports are not computerized and the relevant records have been disposed IMPORTANT: The original documents mentioned in above number iii-ix will be returned to the applicant after inspection. 5.2 Documents required from passport applicants with special circumstances 5.2.1 If the applicant is a Sri Lankan citizen by registration: If nationality is derived under the Indian and Pakistan residents Citizenship act No.3 of 1949 and the Indo-Lanka agreement ((Implementation) act No. 3 of 1967, the citizenship certificate with a Photostat copy is required with all other relevant documents as above. If nationality is derived under the Grant of Citizenship to stateless person act No. 39 of 1988 and act number 35 of 2003, the Citizenship Certificate or an affidavit according to section 4 of the above act with a photocopy is required with all other relevant documents as above. 5.2.2 If the applicant is a minor The following documents must be presented in order to have a child's name and photograph included in a parent's passport, along with all other relevant documents. i) Form IM 35 C ii) Two coloured, clear and recently taken photographs of good quality, of each child (size- 2.5cm x 3 cm). iii) Birth Certificate with a photocopy for each child who is to be included. iv) Birth Certificate issued by the particular Over-seas Mission and the Birth registration certificate (Citizenship Certificate) issued by the Department of Immigration under the section 5 (2) of citizenship act should be submitted if the child has been born in a foreign country. If the Citizenship Certificate is not available, a copy of the receipt of payment for Citizenship Certificate is also acceptable. v) The passport of the spouse with photocopies of the data page and the page assigned for inclusion of names and photographs of children. vi) The National Identity Card of the spouse with a photocopy, if the spouse has not obtained a passport. vii) The letter of consent from the spouse, permitting the applicant to include his/her children's names in the passport. viii) Death Certificates of the spouse if the spouse has died. ix) Divorce Certificate if the applicant is divorced. x) If the mother or father has abandoned the child, a certified copy of the Police complaint and a letter to that effect from the social service officer counter-signed by Divisional Secretary. Legal References regarding age of majority for passports Regulations 39 A parent or duly appointed legal guardian may make an application for a passport, an emergency certificate or an identity certificate on behalf of a child or dependant under sixteen years of age. Regulations 42 The Minister may, by Order made under section 2(2) of the Act, exempt from the requirement of having a passport for leaving Ceylon any person under sixteen years of age, if the particulars of the name, date of birth and sex of such person are entered in a valid passport of the parent accompanying such person. Order No.9 Immigrants and Emigrants Act Every person under sixteen years of age shall be exempt from the operation of sections 10 and 35 of the Act, if the particulars of the name, date of birth and sex of such person are entered in a valid passport of the parent accompanying such person and if such parent is in possession of a visa, except where such parent has been exempted from the requirement of having a visa. 5.2.3 If a minor wants to apply for a separate passport: Even an infant, if he/she is a Sri Lankan, is entitled to obtain a Sri Lankan Passport for which the following documents together with photocopies and duly completed Form K and I.M. 35 (B) should be submitted: i) The Birth Certificate of the child. ii) Birth certificate issued by the particular Over-seas Mission and the Birth Registration certificate issued by the Department of Immigration under the section 5 (2) of citizenship act if the child is born in a foreign country. If the Citizenship Certificate is not available, a copy of the receipt of payment for the Citizenship Certificate is also acceptable iii) A consent letter from parents declaring they have no objection for a separate passport to be issued to their child. If both parents are dead, the legal guardian should produce the consent letter. iv) If both parents are abroad, an acceptable authorization letter given by the parents to the legal guardian, permitting him/her to accompany the child to obtain the passport, should be produced. v) Death Certificate if one parent is dead. vi) Divorce Certificate if the parents are divorced. vii) The passports of the parents with photocopies of Data Page and the page assigned for inclusion children's names and photographs. viii) If the parents do not possess passports, an affidavit declaring that they have not obtained passports and the NICs of the parents with photocopies should be produced. ix) If the mother or father has abandoned the child, a certified copy of the Police complaint and a letter to that effect from the social service officer counter-signed by Divisional Secretary.