A new Sri Lanka passport is issued by the Controller of Immigration and Emigration, Colombo. Sri Lanka Missions abroad are authorised only to issue emergency travel documents and make certain endorsements on passports. Therefore applicants are advised to apply for new passports well in advance with all supporting documents.

A Sri Lanka Passport is valid for an overall period of 10 years from the date of issue. If at anytime there is no further space for visas, or a passport is more than 10 years old, a fresh passport must be obtained.

A new series of machine readable passports with facility for the digital transfer of photograph and signature of the holder to prevent photograph substitution was introduced, by the Controller of Immigration & Emigration in Colombo from 02 September, 1996.Applications received at the Embassy are processed and forwarded to the Controller, Immigration & Emigration in Colombo. This process may take approximately 05 to 10 weeks

A temporary travel document (Non-Machine Readable Passport) valid for six months may be issued to enable a Sri Lankan national to return to Sri Lanka only, due to an emergency.

Indian Nationals as well as Nationals of countries listed in Schedule "A" may visit Sri Lanka for 30 days without obtaining a visa prior to arrival in Sri Lanka, provided they are traveling as bona fide tourists with valid passports and travel tickets for their onward journey. Such persons may obtain a visa free of charge on arrival in Sri Lanka.

All tourists / business travelers from SAARC countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan) are not required to obtain prior visas and may obtain visas for 30 days on arrival in Sri Lanka.

Tourists visiting the country for any period exceeding 30 days and nationals of countries other than the countries listed in Schedule 'A' are required to obtain visas from this mission. Visas also can be obtained from the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi and the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai.

Visas are required for persons proceeding to Sri Lanka for other purposes such as business, lectures, educational assignments, academic research, employment, voluntary work in social service organizations, attachment to diplomatic missions and other international organizations or to join their spouses in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Missions abroad are authorised to issue single-entry visit visas valid for a maximum period of three months only. Visitors could get their visas extended for another three months at the Department of Immigration and Emigration. Those who intend to apply for a residence visa should contact the Department of Immigration and Emigration either themselves or through their local sponsor in order to obtain a pre approved visa prior to their arrival in Sri Lanka.

Transit visas are issued by Sri Lanka Missions, normal visa fee is recovered.

For business visas, a letter from the employer detailing the reasons for the visit to Sri Lanka, and a sponsor/invitation letter from the business contact in Sri Lanka is required to be submitted along with other documents.

Multiple entry visas for Sri Lanka are usually issued for genuine investors and businessmen and not for tourists and other categories of visitors. Multiple entry visas valid upto 12 months are issued by the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo or Sri Lanka Missions abroad with the approval of the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

Please note that under no circumstances the status of visas will be changed after arrival in Sri Lanka (e.g. from a tourist visa to other category of visa such as residence visa). If changes are required, such applicants will have to leave the country first and then apply for a fresh visa from the nearest Sri Lanka Mission abroad.

The registration of birth of a child under the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance must under normal circumstances be made within three months of the birth.

However, if a child of a citizen of Sri Lanka is born abroad, there is an additional requirement under the Citizenship Act that such birth should be registered within one year at the office of the Representative of Sri Lanka in the country of birth or at the Citizenship Division of the Ministry of Defence in Colombo and such children should obtain a Citizenship Certificate from the same Division. Therefore, when an application is made for the registration of birth under the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, a valid application for the registration of the child under the Citizenship Act should also be made. Such applications for Citizenship Certificates are forwarded to the Citizenship Division which will process the application and send the Citizenship Certificates to the same Embassy/Consulate for onward transmission to the applicant.

The Citizenship Division of the Ministry of Defence is now located at 3rd Floor, 41 Ananda Rajakaruna Mawatha, Colombo 10, Sri Lanka (Phone: 94-11-5329240).

If the application for registration of birth is made after 03 months, the reason for the delay should be given in writing at the time of making the application. If the application is made after 1 year, such applications are forwarded to the Registrar General in Colombo for a decision. In such cases an additional declaration form should be completed.

A child's birth may be registered in Sinhala, Tamil, or English languages and when the application is made for the registration of a birth, the preferred language should be indicated. For registration of a birth of a child of a national of Sri Lanka -born outside of Sri Lanka- the father or mother of the child should be a citizen of Sri Lanka at the time of the birth of the child. The father or mother of the child may make the application for registration of the birth which should be made in duplicate. The father must be present at the Consulate General to make the application. Mother's presence is not compulsory. At the time of making the application for the registration of birth, an application can be made to include the child in mother's or father's passport.

Declaration of Death has to be made by a close relative or friend or any other person who was with the deceased at the time of death.

The following documents are required for registering the death:

a. Original Death Certificate issued by the relevant Authorities.
b. Coroner's Report
c. Passport and other available identification documents of the deceased, to prove Sri Lankan Citizenship.

Police clearance for migration purpose will be issue by Police HQ, Colombo

This Mission will issue you with a receipt for payments and your application together with a copy of the cash receipt will immediately be forwarded to the Police Headquarters in Colombo directly or through the Consular Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka for issuance of the certificate. Police Headquarters will issue the certificate on completion of necessary investigations and transmit the same to the respective Mission.

Due to the prevailing security situation in Sri Lanka there will be a delay in obtaining these reports from Colombo. Therefore, applicants are advised to submit their applications well in advance.

All journalists/media personnel coming to Sri Lanka need to obtain visa from prior to their arrival in Colombo. Media accreditation will not be recommended for media personnel who obtain tourist visas on arrival at the airport, which is intended only for tourism purposes.

A list of equipment carried by TV media should be sent to the Public Communications Division/Ministry of External Affairs through the this mission in advance, to facilitate clearance at airport Customs. The list should be accompanied by a letter of undertaking from the relevant media organisation that the equipment would be carried out of the country upon the departure of the media personnel.

All foreign media working in Sri Lanka are required to obtain media accreditation from the Government Information Department, issued upon recommendation from the External Affairs Ministry. All visiting media are therefore requested to contact the Public Communications Division of the Ministry of External Affairs upon arrival in Colombo regarding media accreditation.

Journalists should obtain a temporary import document known as “Carnet” for their professional cameras and media equipment to facilitate immediate customs clearance. In the absence of a “Carnet” he or she should submit a bank guarantee for the value of imported items. If the visit is sponsored by any state institution, a guarantee letter from the institution to ensure that the equipment will be re-exported is required.

Personal cameras and personal video equipment need not be declared. The Carnet/bank Guarantee/ Guarantee letter from the state institution is required for professional media equipment only.

A prior license from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission is necessary for telephone equipment such as satellite phones

In terms of the Cir. No. 5/2005 dated 25.11.2005 issued by the Director of Pensions, any Sri Lankan pensioner resident in Southern India may draw their pension through this Mission.

Following documents have to be submitted to this Mission to obtain a life certificate and to get the Pension Receipt Form certified.

A certified copy of the passport ( Photo Page and Visa Page)

A certified copy of the Pension Card ( If available)

A Letter from the Physician/ Notary/ Nearest Police station to proof of Living

Duly filled Pension Receipt Forms

Letter of request signed by the pensioner

This Mission sends the certified documents to relevant Sri Lankan authorities such as Banks, Divisional Secretariat Office, Pension Department etc.