All NIC issuing services suspended until Oct.23: DRP

The Department for Registration of Persons (DRP) yesterday said all services relating to issuance of National Identity Cards on one-day service scheme had been suspended until October 23.

DRP Commissioner-General Viyani Gunathilaka said the decision was taken to control the COVID-19 spread in the country.

He said the main office at Battaramulla and all provincial offices will be closed until next Friday (23).

He requested the people who wish to apply for one-day service to mention the reason with the certification and to hand over their completed applications to the relevant Grama Niladharis or the National Identity Card (NIC) counters at respective District Secretariat offices instead.

“The one-day service will be held for the applicants who reserve a time and a date beforehand. Those applications will be processed free of charge. Printed NICs will be sent to the relevant applicants’ addresses via post,” the Commissioner-General said.

“However, priority will be given to those who require their IDs under urgent circumstances,” he said.

For urgent situations such as issuance of NICs for examinations and to apply for passports, the applicants should inform the department through the telephone numbers of 0115 226 126, 0115 226 115, 0115 226 100 and 0115 226 150.

"People cannot visit the DRP to hand over their applications in person. No decision had been taken to close the DRP office. The jobs which are already in the process would be completed during this period,” he said.

People can contact the Department through the mentioned telephone numbers to obtain further details relating to the services, the Commissioner-General added.  (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)