A total of 29,578 people have applied online to obtain passports since the launch of the service at 51 Divisional Secretariats across the country last month, Public Security Minister Tiran Alles said.

He said out of those, 5,294 people have submitted applications for one-day service and 24,285 for the normal service.Online applications for passports commenced with 51 Divisional Secretariats around the country on June 15 this year to enable applicants to obtain passports from their hometowns without having to visit Colombo.

The Minister said the Immigration and Emigration Department has received 29,579 applications within 30 days since the launch of the service. He pointed out that it is necessary to visit any of the 51 designated Divisional Secretariat offices for the registration and that the relevant payments can be made online or by visiting a branch of the Bank of Ceylon.

He said the long queues in front of the Battaramulla Immigration and Emigration Department office have also ended after the launch of this system.