Alright, guys, let me tell you about this whole rigmarole I went through to get a Sri Lankan passport online. It wasn’t exactly a walk in the park, but I managed to get it done, and I’m here to share the whole shebang with you lot.
First Thing’s First: The Website
So, the first thing I did was hit up the official website. It’s the Department of Immigration & Emigration’s place. Gotta make sure you’re on the right site, you know? There’s a whole bunch of stuff on there, but what you need is the “eservices” section.
Gettin’ Registered
Now, this is important: you gotta register first. Yeah, before you even think about applying for the passport, you need to make an account on their system. It’s not too complicated, just your basic info and whatnot. They call it “prior registration” or something like that. It’s a must-do, so don’t skip it.
Making That Appointment
Once I was all registered, I went ahead and booked an appointment. That’s right, you can’t just waltz in there. Gotta schedule a time through their online system. They’ve got this whole “Make Appointments” thingy on the website, and you can pick a date and time that works for you.
Choosing Your Language
Oh, and get this – they’ve got the system in three languages. I mean, how cool is that? You can choose the one you’re most comfortable with, which I thought was a pretty nice touch.
One-Day or Regular Service?
Here’s where it gets interesting. They’ve got two options: a one-day service or the regular one. I heard some folks talking about needing it urgently for travel, so that one-day service sounds like a lifesaver, don’t it? I opted for the regular one, ’cause I wasn’t in any rush.
Gathering Your Current Passport
They also mention that you should have your current passport with you if you already possess a valid one. I guess that makes sense, for verification purposes or something. Anyway, I made sure to have mine ready just in case.
Show Time!
When my appointment day rolled around, I headed over to the office. Now, they say they’ve got this one-day service in Vavuniya, Matara, and Kandy too, but you still gotta make an appointment beforehand. No walk-ins, people!
The Actual Application
The application process itself was pretty straightforward. I filled out the forms, handed over my documents, and got my photo taken. The staff there were helpful enough, guiding me through each step. Nothing too fancy, just the usual stuff you’d expect when applying for a passport.
And That’s It!
And that’s pretty much it, folks! After that, it was just a waiting game. They told me it would take a few weeks, and true enough, my shiny new Sri Lankan passport arrived in the mail. All in all, it wasn’t too bad of an experience, once you get past the whole online registration and appointment thing. But hey, at least I got it done, right?
So, if any of you are planning to get a Sri Lankan passport, just follow these steps, and you should be good to go. It might seem a bit daunting at first, but trust me, it’s doable. Good luck, mates!
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