Vision and Mission

Our Vision

To be the best immigration service in the region

Our Mission

We regulate the entry and exit of persons, and provide citizenship services, while safeguarding the nation's security & social order, and promoting economic development.

Powers, Duties and Functions Of The Immigration and Emigration Department

As mentioned in the preamble of Immigrants and Emigrants act no 20 of 1948 it has been enacted to make provision;

• For controlling the entry into Sri Lanka of persons other than citizens of Sri Lanka,
• For regulating the departure from Sri Lanka the citizens, and persons other than citizens of Sri Lanka,
• For removing from Sri Lanka undesirable persons who are not citizens of Sri Lanka, and,
• For other matters incidental to or connected with the matters aforesaid.

Immigrants and Emigrants Act came into operation with effect from 01-11-1949.

Immigration and Emigration department is established to implement the provisions of the Act.

Powers

The controller and other officers appointed under the provisions of the section 4 of the act are empowered to exercise, perform, or discharge of the powers, duties, or functions, conferred, imposed, or assigned by or under the Immigrants and emigrants act. Powers conferred by section 2 or section 31 or section 52 should be exercised by the minister him self. (See sections 4, 5, 6, & 7 of the act. / See part II of the Immigrants and Emigrants Act for the administrative arrangements. )

Entry into Sri Lanka of persons other than citizens of Sri Lanka is controlled according to the provisions of part III of the act. This part is related to the matters connected with approved ports of entry, documents required at the entry, requirement of visa to entry into & stay in Sri Lanka, medical & other examinations upon arrival, inspection of persons & their belongings and detention & removal of certain persons from Sri Lanka.

Activities of persons other than citizens of Sri Lanka during their stay are supervised under the powers conferred by the part IV of the act.

Removal & deportation of persons other than citizens of Sri Lanka is carried out when necessary within the powers conferred by the parts V & VI of the act.

Departure of persons from Sri Lanka is controlled by the part VII of the act. This part contains the provisions relating to the approved ports of departure, requirement of valid passport and making regulations connected to there in. The provisions of this part apply to the citizens of Sri Lanka as well as foreign nationals.

Duties

• Granting required entry endorsements in travel documents of persons other than citizens of Sri Lanka at approved entry points. (See sections 11 & 13 of the act )
• Keeping and maintaining a register of persons who are non citizens of Sri Lanka at entry points. (See section 26 )
• Stamping the travel documents of persons leaving Sri Lanka at departure points and maintaining records there in. (See regulation 56 )
• Identification of persons entering and leaving Sri Lanka at approved ports. (See section 37 )

Functions

• Exercising the powers vested by or under the Immigration & Emigration Act.
• Performing the duties assigned by or under the Immigration & Emigration Act.
• Issuing visa to persons other than citizens of Sri Lanka to enter and stay in Sri Lanka, and border controlling. (See part III of the act )
• Issuing travel documents to the citizens of Sri Lanka. (See part VII of the act.)
• Maintaining detention places approved by the minister. (See section 48 )
• Conducting investigations on violations of provisions made by or under the act.
• Keeping and maintaining the information and records connected to the functions mentioned above.