If you thought the long queues in Sri Lanka were a thing of the past, think again! The island nation is experiencing déjà vu as a new queue stretches out the door of the Department of Immigration and Emigration, rivaling the infamous lines for fuel and gas during the 2022 economic crisis.
This time, it’s not about fuel or cooking gas but passports. Yes, those little books that let you travel to exotic places—or, in some cases, just visit relatives abroad. The reason for the passport pandemonium? The government has run out of blank passport books, prompting a scene reminiscent of Sri Lanka’s recent economic woes.
Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, channeling his inner apology expert, addressed the media with a mix of regret and a touch of bemusement. “There is a deficiency. I apologize on behalf of the government. It happened because we have migrated to a new electronic passport system,” he confessed, possibly adding “Sorry for the inconvenience” to his email signature.
High Tech
Sabry went on to explain that while the new high-tech electronic passports are on their way, they won’t be arriving until October 16. Until then, Sri Lankans will have to make do with the dwindling stock of the old-fashioned kind. “I agree that we could have kept a large number of blank passport books and managed this better. I also accept that this should not have happened,” he said, presumably with a sigh of “How did we end up here again?”
The Department of Immigration and Emigration, ever the bearers of good news, issued a statement saying that the new digital passports are being eagerly awaited from an international bidder. They’ve already awarded the tender to a foreign firm, which promises to deliver 50,000 new blank passports by the end of October—or possibly later, depending on how quickly the firm’s intergalactic courier service works.
In the meantime, the Department has taken a bold stance by urging the public to get their passport only if it’s absolutely necessary. A clever move, considering that only 23 percent of last year’s passport holders actually ventured abroad. The remaining 77 percent might be holding onto their passports just for sentimental value
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