How to apply for a UK passport in Sri Lanka

Before reading this page please consult the British Passports in South Asia page, which gives an overview of our operation, in particular our focus on preventing attempted passport fraud.

Where can I apply?
Passport applications are accepted at the following locations:

British High Commission, Colombo

What forms do I need to fill in?
You will need to fill in the following forms.

What photos do I need?
You will need to provide two identical passport photographs that meet the standards set out.

What supporting documents do I need?
We request a range of different documents depending on the type of passport application. Further details are listed here. If invited for interview you may be asked to produce more documents.

Will I be called for interview?
Our specialist teams will carry out an initial assessment of your application, including checking the integrity of the documentation submitted, after which it will be decided whether or not we will need to call you for interview. We will get in touch as soon as this decision is made.

How much will it cost?
The current fees in local currency are as follows:

32 page passport Rs 24800.00
32 page child (under 16) passport Rs 15800.00
48 page ‘jumbo’ passport Rs 30000.00
Emergency passport Rs 13800.00
Please be aware that fees are non-refundable even if your application is unsuccessful.

How can I pay?
You can pay by cash in person

How long will it take to get my passport?
Renewals of exisiting passports usually take around 10 working days (not including postage time). However first time applications can take ten weeks or more to process.

You should not make any travel arrangements until the new passport is received and we cannot be held responsible for costs incurred as a result of disrupted travel plans.

How do I keep in touch about the progress of my application?
We will let you know when your passport is ready for collection. Please note that due to the need for our staff to focus on core assessment task we will only respond to queries on applications that our office have had for more than ten working days.

What should I do my passport has been lost or stolen and I need to travel urgently?
Please see the information on our Lost, stolen passports.

Anything else I should know?
Frequently Asked Questions