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How to Renew a Sri Lankan Passport

Verified · 4 Nov 2026Partly online

Renewing works like a new application: fill in form K 35 A, get a digital photo at an authorised studio, and apply in person at the Department of Immigration and Emigration Head Office or a regional office with your current passport, a copy of its data page, your birth certificate and NIC. It costs Rs. 10,000 (30 working days) or Rs. 20,000 for the one-day service. Regional offices need an online appointment. If you live in Sri Lanka and your passport is still valid, you can also submit your application online and then give your fingerprints at an office. If you live abroad, apply through the Sri Lankan mission there.

At a glance

Fee
Rs. 10,000
See all 7 fees
Time
30 working days, or the same day with the one-day service. Online, 30 days (normal) or 3 days (urgent) after your fingerprints are taken
Where
Passport Division, Department of Immigration and Emigration Head Office, Suhurupaya, Sri Subhuthipura Road, Battaramulla
+ 3 more places
Online?
Partly online
Form
K 35 A
+ 4 more

Do you need this?

When you need it

  • Your passport has expired or will expire soon.
  • Your passport is full, or you need a new one for another reason.
  • If you only need to change a detail such as your name, an alteration may be enough instead of a new passport.
  • If your passport is lost or stolen, see the lost passport guide.

Who can apply

  • You must be a Sri Lankan citizen.
  • In Sri Lanka, you must give your fingerprints in person if you are above 16 and below 60, whether you apply at an office or online.
  • For a child under 16, both parents or the legal guardian must come, with a letter of consent.

Documents you need

Documents to bring

0 of 9 ready

  • The same form is used for new passports and renewals.

  • Printed photos are not accepted. An authorised studio sends your photo to the Department and gives you this acknowledgement.

  • The Department lists these for adult applicants.

Only if…

Process at a glance

  1. Step 1
    Get your digital photo

    Have your photo taken at a studio authorised by the Department, or at the studio in the Head Office or a regional office. Keep the acknowledgement the studio gives you.

  2. Step 2
    Fill in form K 35 A

    Download the form, fill it in, and add your mobile number so you can be told by SMS when the passport is ready.

  3. Step 3
    Optional
    Book an appointment for a regional office

    You must book online (opens in a new tab) to hand in a one-day or normal service application at Kandy, Matara, Vavuniya, Kurunegala or Jaffna. Regional offices do not accept applications without a valid appointment.

  4. Step 4
    Apply in person with your current passport

    Take the form, your current passport and all documents with photocopies to the Passport Division at the Head Office in Battaramulla or a regional office in Kandy, Matara, Vavuniya, Kurunegala or Jaffna. Your fingerprints are taken there.

  5. Step 5
    Pay and collect

    Pay Rs. 10,000 for the normal service, collected after 30 working days, or Rs. 20,000 for the one-day service, issued the same day.

  6. Step 6
    Optional
    Or submit your application online

    You can use the Department's online system (opens in a new tab) if you are a Sri Lankan citizen living in Sri Lanka, are above 15 and have a valid existing passport. You need a mobile number and an email address.

  7. Step 7
    Living abroad? Apply through a Sri Lankan mission

    Submit form K 35 A and your documents to the Sri Lankan embassy, high commission or consulate in your country, or the nearest one. Sign the Client Undertaking Section of the form; applications without it are not accepted.

  8. You're done

Step by step

  1. Step 01

    Get your digital photo

    Have your photo taken at a studio authorised by the Department, or at the studio in the Head Office or a regional office. Keep the acknowledgement the studio gives you.

  2. Step 02

    Fill in form K 35 A

    Download the form, fill it in, and add your mobile number so you can be told by SMS when the passport is ready.

  3. Step 03 · optional

    Book an appointment for a regional office

    You must book online (opens in a new tab) to hand in a one-day or normal service application at Kandy, Matara, Vavuniya, Kurunegala or Jaffna. Regional offices do not accept applications without a valid appointment.

  4. Step 04

    Apply in person with your current passport

    Take the form, your current passport and all documents with photocopies to the Passport Division at the Head Office in Battaramulla or a regional office in Kandy, Matara, Vavuniya, Kurunegala or Jaffna. Your fingerprints are taken there.

  5. Step 05

    Pay and collect

    Pay Rs. 10,000 for the normal service, collected after 30 working days, or Rs. 20,000 for the one-day service, issued the same day.

  6. Step 06 · optional

    Or submit your application online

    You can use the Department's online system (opens in a new tab) if you are a Sri Lankan citizen living in Sri Lanka, are above 15 and have a valid existing passport. You need a mobile number and an email address.

    • Scan your NIC and birth certificate, plus your marriage certificate, Dual Citizenship Certificate, citizenship certificate under section 5(2) or 11 of the Citizenship Act, or employer's letter if they apply. Each file must be a JPEG under 5 MB.
    • Fill in the application in English and choose the urgent or normal service. If you already have a photo acknowledgement, enter its number.
    • Choose where to go, either the Head Office, a regional office or a Department for Registration of Persons unit at a Divisional Secretariat (DS-DRP)
    • Pay by credit or debit card, or print the receipt and pay at a Bank of Ceylon branch. Fees are non-refundable.
    • Wait for the SMS saying the Department has accepted your application. Do not go to the office before you receive it.
    • Go to the office you chose to give your fingerprints and signature, and have your photo taken if you do not have one. Bring your appointment notice, birth certificate, NIC and current passport.
    • Receive the passport by courier (urgent) or registered post (normal). The Department pays the delivery charge.

  7. Step 07

    Living abroad? Apply through a Sri Lankan mission

    Submit form K 35 A and your documents to the Sri Lankan embassy, high commission or consulate in your country, or the nearest one. Sign the Client Undertaking Section of the form; applications without it are not accepted.

Fees

Fees

Online application, normal service
Rs. 10,000
Online application, urgent service
Rs. 15,000

Issued 3 days after your fingerprints are taken.

Passport photo at a DS-DRP unit (online applications)
Rs. 350
Renewal, normal service (10 years)
Rs. 10,000
Renewal, one-day service (10 years)
Rs. 20,000
Child under 16, 3-year passport
Rs. 3,000

Rs. 9,000 with the urgent service. A 10-year passport for a child costs the same as an adult's.

Alteration instead of renewal (name change, NIC number, profession and others)
Rs. 1,200

Takes about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Where to go

Forms

More detail

Contact the Department of Immigration and Emigration

  • Hotline: 1962
  • Phone: +94 112 101 500
  • Overseas applications: +94 11 2101524, acom@immigration.gov.lk
  • Address: Department of Immigration and Emigration, "Suhurupaya", Sri Subhuthipura Road, Battaramulla

Common problems

I only need to change my name or add my NIC number.
Ask for an alteration instead of a new passport. It costs Rs. 1,200, takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, and the change is recorded on the passport's Observations and Alterations page. For a name change, bring your birth or marriage certificate.
My passport was issued abroad and I have not given fingerprints.
When you next arrive in Sri Lanka, report to the Immigration counter or the Chief Immigration Officer at the airport. You get a Biometric Data Acquisition form; take it to the Head Office or a regional office to give your fingerprints.
The office would not accept my printed photo.
Printed photos are not accepted. Use a studio authorised by the Department.
Someone offers to renew my passport faster for a fee.
Do not pay. The only faster route is the Department's own one-day service at Rs. 20,000.

FAQ

How much does it cost to renew a Sri Lankan passport?
Rs. 10,000 for the normal service and Rs. 20,000 for the one-day service, the same as a new passport. Online, the urgent service is Rs. 15,000.
How long does passport renewal take?
30 working days with the normal service, or the same day with the one-day service. Online applications take 30 days (normal) or 3 days (urgent) after your fingerprints are taken.
Can I renew my Sri Lankan passport from abroad?
Yes. Apply through the Sri Lankan mission in your country, or the nearest one, using form K 35 A. The Department's Overseas Missions Branch processes it, and mission fees are set in the Department's circulars.
Do I need to bring my old passport?
Yes. The Department asks you to submit your current passport with a photocopy of its data page.
Can I renew my passport online?
Only if your passport is still valid. If it is, and you live in Sri Lanka and are above 15, you can submit your application and pay online, then give your fingerprints and signature at the Head Office, a regional office or a DS-DRP unit. If it has expired, apply in person.

Official sources

Checked against these official pages4 Nov 2026

Independent, not official

HowToSriLanka.lk is an independent information platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Sri Lanka.

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