Lanka upgrades border control system with UK help

Colombo: Immigration and Emigration Department has recently introduced several state-of-the-art technologies to upgrade the country’s border control system, through a project funded by the UK.

The British High Commission in Colombo said the modifications made to the current system at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to improve the border control procedures were made possible as part of a Border Management Project implemented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Under this project full page passport readers have been installed at the BIA. These readers can capture the full data-page image of the passport during passenger inspection at the time of entry and departure.

According to the High Commission the readers will provide an electronic confirmation as to authenticity of the passport, identify possible tampering and forgeries to the passport.

Further, the new system which is equipped with a state-of-the-art photo verification technology can match the holder’s photo in the data-page to the photograph stored in the passport chip.

The Immigration and Emigration Department has also modified its electronic Passenger Alert List Referral Mechanism by introducing an integrated module to provide fast and secure referral mechanism, the High Commission highlighted.

Adding to the upgrade, the Department has also installed a CCTV monitoring system to monitor on-line the airport operations from its headquarters in real-time.

Thanking the UK Government and IOM for supporting Sri Lanka’s border management programme, Controller General of Immigration and Emigration Chulananda Perera has said that ability to address border management issues comprehensively and cooperatively is becoming a fundamental requirement for effective national governance and international relations as well as to achieving the country’s development goals.

British High Commissioner, Dr. Peter Hayes, reiterating his government’s commitment to maintain a close working relationship with the Department of Immigration and Emigration has expressed hope to work even closer together in future to achieve the joint objectives of UK and Sri Lanka.

Richard Danziger, Chief of Mission, IOM has noted that Sri Lanka Immigration has made considerable progress in the border control procedures and assured the IOM’s continued engagement to assist Sri Lanka with the help of the UK and the international community. - ColomboPage