Guidance

Sri Lanka: Knowledge Base profile

Published 28 July 2025

Version 4.0

About: Sri Lanka

This document contains useful information about Sri Lanka which will assist His Majesty’s Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the guidance and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the guidance has factual errors then email HM Passport Office’s Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this guidance (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the guidance then you can email the Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 4.0
• published for Home Office staff on 18 July 2025

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated with formatting changes.

Sri Lanka: names

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in Sri Lanka.

A Sri Lanka citizen’s name does not have a specific order.

Sinhalese names

Sinhalese names usually include patronymic names, taken from the father or another ancestor, and have the suffix ‘-ge’.

Sinhalese names consist of a:

• first name, usually the patronymic name
• personal name
• surname

Tamil names

Tamil names usually do not contain a family name.

Tamil names usually consist of:

• their father’s personal name
• a personal name

Change of name

The name used on all official documents must be the same.

Name changes are allowed in Sri Lanka and can be done through Sri Lanka embassies and consulates overseas.

The Sri Lanka passport will show the holder’s change of name in an observation and on the alterations page. The personal details page will not be changed.

Name alignment

HM Passport Office will not ask the customer to align their Sri Lanka passport where the details on the observation and alteration page match the name on the application for the British passport.

Sri Lanka: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Sri Lanka.

Dual nationality is acceptable under certain circumstances in Sri Lanka.

A citizen who obtains another nationality must apply to retain or resume their Sri Lanka nationality.

Sri Lanka: legitimacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy in Sri Lanka.

Legitimacy

Sri Lanka recognises a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births.

A child will be considered:

• legitimate:
  • if their parents are married at the time of the birth
  • if the parents marry after the date of birth
• illegitimate, if they are born to unmarried parents who never marry

Sri Lanka: adoption

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in Sri Lanka.

Adoption is legal in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka: surrogacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about surrogacy in Sri Lanka.

Surrogacy is legal in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in Sri Lanka.

Transgender citizens are recognised in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka: civil partnerships and marriage

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about civil partnerships and marriage in Sri Lanka.

Civil partnerships and same sex marriages are not legal in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka recognises:

• Civil marriage
• Islamic marriage
• Kandyan marriage
• Buddhist marriage
• Hindu marriage
• Christian marriage

For a marriage to be legal under Sri Lanka law, it must be registered with a Marriage Registrar’s Office or the Divisional Secretariat in the area where the marriage takes place.

Sri Lanka: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents in Sri Lanka.

Birth certificates

Birth extracts issued by hospitals and midwives (after a home birth) are used by parents to register their child’s birth at the Registry Office. Birth certificates are issued following the registration of all births in Sri Lanka.

All births must be registered within 41 days. Late registrations are allowed with a past birth declaration form sent to the Divisional Secretariat.

A central register of birth records is held in the Department of Registrar General. The Registrar General issues one type of birth certificate.

If a mistake is identified on a birth certificate, a marginal note will be added to the original birth certificate. The birth certificate will not be reissued.

Hospital records are available.

Marriage certificates

In Sri Lanka, there are two types of wedding ceremonies and certificates, these are:

• civil ceremony
• religious ceremony

All marriages must be registered with the District Registrar within 7 days and a marriage certificate will be issued. A central register of marriage records is held in the Department of Registrar General.

Death certificates

Death certificates are issued following the registration of all deaths in Sri Lanka.

All deaths must be registered within 5 days. Late registrations are allowed with a letter of explanation.

One type of Sri Lanka death certificate is in circulation.

Identity documents

Sri Lanka has a mandatory national identity card. They are issued to citizens from 18 years old.