A tender for 500,000 machine-readable passports (MRPs) is to be floated in coming days, authoritative sources said, adding that a committee is now drafting the relevant documents.
Meanwhile, the number of passports released daily has been raised to between 2,500 and 2,700 from the previous per-day cap of between 1,500 and 1,800. They include issuances via one-day and normal service, overseas missions and the Department of Immigration and Emigration’s (DIE) four branches.
The quota—which is necessary to stretch current limited stocks as far as possible—was increased on the instructions of the Public Security Ministry. The Sunday Times reported last week that an influx of applications is expected in the coming weeks from candidates aspiring to take the Korean language proficiency test who must furnish passport numbers to qualify to sit.
Read tomorrow's The Sunday Times for full details
The United States has told Sri Lanka that the disposition of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Bushehr and its crew is a matter for Colombo to resolve under its own laws and international obligations, while signalling it is in active talks with Sri Lanka to contain Iran’s threat to US interests.
The government today granted permission for an Iranian warship with 208 on board to enter the country.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism today established a 24x7 Emergency Response Unit to coordinate matters related to the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
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