It is convenient to obtain a new passport at least six months prior to the expiry of your current passport, as many countries have now adopted the ‘six-month rule’ for border entry. Many airlines have enforced this rule, at times refusing to board passengers with insufficient passport validity period. 

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED:

A. Duly filled Application  -(click here for Application)

    How to fill the application? – (Click here for specimen form)

B.Three Photographs - (click here for specifications)

C. Current passport.

D.Original birth certificate (or a fresh copy of the original) or a certificate to prove Sri Lankan citizenship (click here for a list of accepted citizenship certificates).

If the birth certificate or the citizenship certificate is only a certified copy and not the original, then the copy should be certified by a competent authority of the GoSL within six months of the date of this application. Translations are not accepted.

If the applicant does not currently have the original or a certified copy of the birth certificate in his/her possession, and if the certificate is not available in the Electronic Certificates of Birth/ Marriage/ Death (EBMD) system, it could be submitted later directly to the Department of Immigration and Emigration through a representative of the applicant. The Embassy will inform you on the availability of the certificate in the EMBD system.

If you wish to apply for a new birth certificate through the Embassy, please use the following link: https://www.slembassyusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2711&Itemid=219

E. Original Dual Citizenship Certificate and a copy of valid Foreign Passport (If the applicant is a dual citizenship holder)

F. If you wish  a profession to be included on the passport;

• For other/executive professions, the applicant must provide academic/professional certificates and a letter of appointment/offer letter.
• For skilled professions, a service letter from the current employer should be provided.
• No documents are required for unskilled professions (i.e., laborers and house maids).

Notes:  If the profession is already included in the previous travel document, no additional document is required.

If you do not wish to include a profession on the passport, you may leave the field ‘profession’ empty in the passport application.

G. Original Marriage certificate (if you changed your maiden name)

H. Documents to prove the visa status: (i.e., Certified photocopy of current visa/permanent resident card, or an affidavit). If the applicant is an Asylum or Refugee seeker,  then he/she should submit Asylum/Refugee rejection letter and affidavit.(Click here for the affidavit format) 

I. Copy of the Sri Lankan National Identity Card. 

Note:If you neither obtained a Sri Lankan National Identity Card nor have a copy of it, you are required to submit a letter with an undertaking that you will obtain a new National Identity Card during your next visit to Sri Lanka.

Dual citizens under the resumption category are also advised to obtain a new Sri Lankan National Identity Card. (for information please visit www.drp.gov.lk)

J. Police Report and form 'D' (in case of lost passport) (Click here for form 'D')

K. If the applicant is under 16 years age:

Parent's consent letter signed by both parents (click here for the specimen letter format) 

            If both parents are not present to submit the application, they could sign the letter in the presence of a notary and duly notarized.

• duly notarized copies of bio pages of passports of both parents (children endorsement page if available)
• If the minor is applying for a passport for the first time, submit the Consular Birth Certificate and Citizenship Certificate (or payment receipt paid for citizenship certificate).

Notes: 

The inclusion of children in the parents’ passports will no longer be allowed, and the children will be issued separate passports. Children under 16 years of age should also obtain separate passports with the consent of both parents.

L. If the applicant was born outside Sri Lanka, a copy of the Sri Lankan citizenship Certificate should be submitted along with the application. If the applicant is over 21 years old, he or she should submit an affidavit that confirms the retention Sri Lankan citizenship in addition to the citizenship certificate.(Click here for the specimen affidavit)

The original documents should be submitted along with the photocopies.

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING THE APPLICATION:

1. Application should be filled in BLOCK (CAPITAL) letters
2. Three photographs should be furnished as specified in the application. (A clear, good quality, fresh (current picture) without spectacles and without covering ears)
3. Signatures should be placed within the cages provided immediately below the photographs.
4. If the applicant doesn't submit the application in person to the Embassy, the signature of the applicant in the client undertaking section should be verified by a Hon. Consul of Sri Lanka, notary, medical practitioner, solicitor, chief incumbent of Sri Lankan temple, professor of university or a person of similar stature living in the USA. The person verifies the authenticity of the signature should place ‘signed before me’. 

HOW TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION:

Based on your State of residence the passport applications could be submitted at the following Sri Lankan Consulates:

Sri Lanka Permanent Mission to the United Nations: New York (NY) for the residents of:

• New York (NY)
• New Jersey (NJ)
• Connecticut (CT)

Consulate General of Sri Lanka – Los Angeles, California (CA): for the residents of:

• California (CA)
• Nevada (NV)
• Oregon (OR)
• Arizona (AZ)
• New Mexico (NM)
• Colorado (CO)
• Idaho (ID)
• Utah (UT)
• Montana (MT)
• Washington (WA)
• Wyoming (WY)

Embassy of Sri Lanka – Washington D.C.: for the residents of the other 36 States and in the District of Columbia (DC).

You can submit the application to the Consular Division of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington D.C by post or by hand. The Consular Division is open from Monday to Friday (9 am to 5 pm). 

The physical and mailing address:

3025 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington D.C., 20008

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

          This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PRESCRIBED FEE:

For new passports

• For M or N series passport holders - $ 158.00 
• For L,K and J series passport holders - $ 373.00
• Minor passport (validity is only 3 years) - $ 129.00 

For lost passports:

• If the passport copy is available – $ 373.00
• If the passport copy is not available- $ 473.00

METHODS OF PAYMENT 

• By cash - This could be done if the application is delivered by hand. 
• Money orders or certified checks - These should be made in favor of the "Embassy of Sri Lanka". Personal checks will not be accepted.

At present there is no facility to make payments by credit/debit cards at the Embassy. 

PROCESSING TIME

At present, typically it takes around 4 to 6 months to process a passport application (from submission to receipt). 

Please note that this processing time may be varying from case to case. The Embassy can not guarantee the issuance of passports within a specific time period. Therefore, applicants are advised to apply for new passports well in advance with duly filled applications along with all supporting documents to avoid any delays and inconveniences.

RECEIVING THE PASSPORT 

Your documents & the old passport will be returned with the new passport. The Embassy will notify when the new passport is received by the Embassy and ready for collection. 

You can check the status of your passport by click here.

If you wish to receive documents/passports by courier following additional charges will be applied :

Federal Express (FedEx) - $ 20.00 

International mailing fee - $ 35.00 (for applicants from Mexico)

Please note that prepaid self addressed envelopes/shipping labels are not accepted.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Submission of forged documents and making false declarations relating to citizenship are punishable offences. In such circumstances, fees will not be refunded.

Incomplete applications will be returned, and consular fees will not be refunded.

The validity of a passport cannot be extended beyond 10 years from the date of issue.

The Embassy will not be responsible for the loss of documents which are not required to be submitted to obtain a new passport. 

CHECK LIST 

Please see a check list (click here to download) of documents that you need to submit to obtain a new passport. A duly filled and signed checklist should be submitted along with the application form and the supportive documents (as the cover page).