Okay, so I needed a new Sri Lanka ID card. My old one was, let’s just say, a little worse for wear. So, I decided to do the whole process online. Figured it would be easier than trekking all the way to some office.
First, I gotta find the right place to start. I remember seeing something about a “Department for Registration of Persons.” I think that was it. So I just searched for it on my phone.
Found it! It’s all in, like, three languages. English, Sinhala, and Tamil, I think. Anyway, I just stuck with the English, thank goodness. There was a big section on “National Identity Cards.” Bingo!
- Reading the instructions: I dived into the instructions, reading through all the requirements, which was a bit of a headache, but I managed. They talked about needing some kind of digital photos, some forms filled out, and a few other documents scanned in. There were specific instructions for different cases, like for students, or women applicants, or those who want to include their occupation in the ID card, and also instructions for those who were born outside Sri Lanka.
- Gathering my documents: Luckily, I had most of the stuff they wanted already scanned in from some other application I did a while back. Saved me a ton of time. I found my old ID card, and my driver’s license.
- Filling out the forms: The online forms were pretty straightforward, but there were a lot of them. Name, address, birth date, the usual stuff. There were a few questions that I was a bit unsure about, but I just gave it my best guess. Also, there were some forms for different situations, and I chose what is applicable to me.
- Uploading everything: Once I had all the forms filled out and the documents scanned, I uploaded them to the website. It took a little while, but eventually, everything went through. I made sure I double-checked everything before I hit that submit button!
- Paying the fee: Of course, there was a fee. But I could pay it online too, which was convenient. I just used my credit card, and that was that.
- Waiting game: After I submitted everything, it was just a waiting game. They said it would take a few weeks to process everything. I kept checking my email like a hawk, waiting for any updates.
- Success! Finally, after about three weeks, I got an email saying my new ID was ready! They gave me two options, go to their office in Battaramulla, or go to Galle. Since I was lazy, I chose to get it delivered through the post. It took another week, and I got my new ID card at my doorstep.
Honestly, the whole process was pretty smooth. The hardest part was just making sure I had all the right documents and filled out the forms correctly. But doing it all online definitely saved me a lot of time and hassle. If you need a new Sri Lanka ID card, I’d definitely recommend doing it online. Just make sure you read the instructions carefully!
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