The Department of Immigration and Emigration issued a notice to all those waiting in queue, except for urgent purposes, should refrain from coming at this time to obtain foreign passports.
Meanwhile, the Additional Controller General of the department Bandula Harishchandra urged pregnant women not to wait in queues to obtain passports.
He further stated, “We urge the public not to come to obtain passports at this point of time, unless it is very urgent, because if they all flock to obtain passports, those in urgent need will lose their opportunity to obtain their passports. Therefore, unless it is very urgent please don’t come to obtain passports at this point. We have implemented a mechanism at our regional offices. Except in Kurunegala, we have implemented a booking system and 150 one day services will be performed in addition to the normal issuance.”