Frequently Asked Questions

How to change the language of the Embassy's website 

On the right hand corner of the menubar of the website there are buttons to change the language to English, Sinhala and Tamil.

What are the working days and hours of the embassy?

Embassy opening days and hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. In addition, for the convenience of those who are unable to visit the embassy on weekdays, services are provided on one weekend per month and the date will be announced through our website and Facebook page. The acceptance of all applications is from 9.00 am to 01.00 pm on all five days of the week. The receipt of complaints on work related issues is daily from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm. 

It is necessary to make an appointment in advance to submit passport applications, birth registration, driving licence applications, ateestation/legalisation of documents and Job Order verification. It is not necessary to make appointments for other services. Please visit our website at https://www.emb-bucharest.gov.lk/en/appointment to book an appointment.

To collect passports and driving licenses received at the Embassy, ​​please visit the Embassy between 1.30 pm and 3.00 pm on working days of the week. We notify the arrival of passports and driving licences via the notices page of the website at this link.

Can I get the information I need over the phone?

Our embassy receives a large number of phone calls on a daily basis and most of them are inquiries regarding the application for the services, supporting documents to be submitted along with application forms and the fees charged for services. As our limited staff provides consular services to the large number of visitors to the Embassy daily, it is difficult to answer telephone inquiries. Therefore, we have provided answers to many of these inquiries on our website in all three languages, so please first go through this content carefully and then contact us by phone or email consular.bucharest@mfa.gov.lk if you have further queries.

If you prefer to call us by phone we ask that you call us on telephone number 031 433 8200 weekdays between 9.00-10.00am for passport inquiries and 3.30-4.30pm for other inquiries. For SMS messages and WhatsApp messages you may use the Number +40773 759 233. Please note that this number cannot be used for phone calls.

How can I make an advance appointment for consular services?

You can visit the https://emb-bucharest.gov.lk/en/appointment link, select the service you want, enter your name and other details and make an appointment.

Can I make an appointment for consular services by phone?

No, appointments can only be made online through our embassy website.

Is advance appointment necessary for consular services?

Yes, in order to provide you with a better service and to determine the number of people who will visit the Embassy on a particular day and plan accordingly, we request you to make an appointment for consular services in advance and arrive at the Embassy. We would like to inform you that if you arrive at the Embassy without an appointment in advance, you will be served only if there is time left after serving all the applicants who come with an appointment. Also, we will have to ask you to make an appointment via the link https://emb-bucharest.gov.lk/en/appointment or via a QR code displayed at the embassy using your mobile phone at the time of your visit before serving visitors who do not have prior appointments. Therefore, it will be convenient for you and us if you visit the Embassy with a prior appointment.

How can I find the details of my Appointment?

When you book an appointment, you receive a confirmation Email to the Email address you provide at the time of booking. Therefore it is important to provide the Email address correctly.You also receive a unique reference number at the time of booking and you can view the booking details using the Reference Number at the "Check Booking Status" Section on our Home Page.

I cannot come to the embassy on the day of my appointment. What should I do?

If you are unable to attend the embassy on the scheduled date, you must cancel the appointment and reschedule for another date. When you make an appointment, you receive a Reference Number and you can access your appointment details using the Reference Number at the "Check Booking Status" Section on our Home Page. There you can cancel the appointment. 

I/my family have to submit more than one application for the same service/different services. Is one appointment sufficient for submission of multiple applications for same/different services?

No, make a separate appointment for each application, whether for the same service or for different services.

I/my family want to book multiple time slots for the same service/different services. However, there are no time slots left to make all the appointments together/on the same day. What should I do?

Please book separate time slots for each application/service as possible. However we will accept all your applications on the same day at the same time.

Application for passports

What documents should be submitted with a passport application?

If you are applying for a new passport after the expiry of 10 years or due to expiry of visa pages in your current passport or if you are applying for a new passport to replace a lost passport or if you are applying for an amendment to your current passport or if you are applying for an emergency passport or if you are applying for an emergency passport or if you are applying for an emergency passport then you can get the required information here.

Instructions for filling passport application form in Sinhala, Tamil and English languages ​​are available on the download page of our website.

How long does it take to issue a passport?

New Sri Lanka passports (except emergency passports) will be issued by the Department of Immigration and Emigration at Battaramulla, Sri Lanka in place of expired/already expired and lost Sri Lanka passports after a validity period of 10 years. Applications for these categories of passports from the embassy are forwarded to the Immigration and Emigration Department of Sri Lanka. New passports issued in Sri Lanka will be returned to this embassy by the Immigration and Emigration Department for handover to the applicants. This process takes 8 to 12 weeks. However, issuing a new passport to replace a lost passport may take longer than this.

Should I personally collect the new passport when it is ready for collection at the Embassy ?

If you live far away from Bucharest, you can get the new passport via the prepaid express service "PrioriPost" of the Romanian post. For that, applicants should submit a self-addressed PrioriPost envelope of format C5 which can be purchased from any post office (price is RON 20.34) at the time of the application. However, the Embassy is not responsible in the event of misplacement or loss in transit.

Do you retain/cancel my current passport when I apply for a new passport?

No, we return your current passport after verification. However, you should re-submit your current passport at the time of the collection of the new passport for cancellation. It it returened to you after cancellation.

I need to submit my passport application as soon as possible. However, there are no time slots left for that on the day I want. What should I do?

Please make an appointment on the next available date but arrive at the embassy on your desired date. If you really need to submit the application as soon as possible we will endeavour to accept your application before the date of your appointment.

However, please note that it is the applicant's responsibility to apply early for the required service without waiting for the last moment.

I live far away from Bucharest. Can I submit my Passport application to the Embassy online, without visiting the Embassy?

At present this facility is not available. However, measures are underway to introduce an online Passport applications system to 25 Sri Lankan Embassies overseas including this Embassy. When that facility has been introduced, we will notify the Sri Lankan community living in Romania. 

How do I know that the Embassy has received my new passport from the Sri Lanka Immigration and Immigration Department?

We will publish the reference numbers of the passports received from the Immigration and Immigration Department of Sri Lanka on our website and on our Facebook page. Please check these links to see if your passport has been received.

Should I call the embassy to find out if my new passport has been received from Sri Lanka?

We kindly request you not to call us to check the progress of your application. When the embassy receives new passports, we publish the reference numbers of the passports we have received on our website and Facebook page.

I want to renew my passport very soon. Is there an express service to get a new passport quickly from the embassy for an additional fee?

Currently such service is not available outside Sri Lanka. One day service is available in Sri Lanka only.

I lost my passport. How to get an emergency passport?

An emergency passport is a document issued on non-machine-readable A4 paper that is valid only for travel to Sri Lanka and is issued at the Embassy with the approval of the Immigration and Immigration Department of Sri Lanka.

A person who has lost his passport should approach the consular section of the embassy with the relevant documents. Details of required documents are available here. An appointment is not mandatory for applying for an emergency passport.

How long does it take to issue an emergency passport?

An emergency passport is issued within 5 working days after the application is submitted to the embassy.

I have only a photocopy of my birth certificate/its English translation. Is it accepted as a birth certificate for passport applications?

The Department of Immigration and Immigration does not accept translations or photocopies of birth certificates. If the original birth certificate is not attached to a passport application, such applications will not be accepted by this embassy. A person born after 1960 who does not have an original birth certificate can obtain a birth certificate through our embassy on payment of a prescribed fee.

Can I obtain the birth certificate required for the passport application directly from the Embassy at the time of submitting the application?

Yes, it can be obtained at that time if the record exists in the Registrar General's Department's online system. If you email the following details to consular.bucharest@mfa.gov.lk, we can inform you in advance whether your birth certificate is available in the Registrar General's Department's online system:

• Place of birth

• District

• Divisional Secretariat Division

• Birth certificate number

• Mother's name

What is the application fee for a passport?

Passport application fees vary depending on whether it is a passport renewal or an application for a passport in place of a lost passport. Information on passport fees is available here.

Birth registration

What documents are required to apply for a birth certificate?

The documents required to apply for a child's birth certificate depend on whether the birth was registered within one year of the birth, or after one year of the birth. Please visit this link for more details.

How much is the application fee for a birth certificate?

Information on application fees for a birth certificate is available here.

How long does it take to issue a birth certificate?

If a child's birth is registered within 12 months of birth, the embassy will issue a birth certificate within 2 weeks of registering the birth. However, if the birth of a child is registered after 1 year of birth, the approval of the Registrar General Department of Sri Lanka is required to register the birth and issue the birth certificate. In such a case, the application is forwarded to the Registrar General's Department at Battaramulla for approval.

There is also a one-day service for registering a birth of a child registered within 12 months of the birth, for which an additional charge is …..

Who can submit an application for a child's birth certificate to the embassy?

If the application is signed by the mother, and if signed by the father, he should submit it.

Do both parents have to visit the embassy to submit an application for a child's birth certificate?

No, as mentioned above, it is sufficientonly for the person who signed the application  to visit the embassy to submit the application.

Do I have to bring the baby to the embassy to register a birth?

No, there is no need to bring the child to the embassy.

Can I obtain from the Embassy a certified copy of my Birth Certificate issued in Sri Lanka ?

Yes, you can obtain certified copies of most Birth Certificates issued in Sri Lanka, particularly those issued after 1960, from the Embassy by paying the prescribed fee. If you can email a clear scanned copy of your Birth Certificate to the Enail address consular.bucharest@mfa.gov.lk, we can let you know whether a Certified Copy of it can be issued by the Embassy

Applying for renewal of Driving Licences and duplicates

Is it possible to use the downloaded MTA 30/2 application form for renewal of driving license?

No, the MTA 30/2 application form which is available for downloading is only for use as a specimen. The proper  MTA 30/2 form is printed on a different size of paper, so a printed copy of it must be obtained from the embassy and filled. 

Is it mandatory to submit a medical certificate for renewal of driving license?

Yes, we will not accept applications if a medical certificate is not attached.

Does the Embassy keep my existing driving licence when I submit an application to renew my driving licence

No, the Embassy does not retain the existing licence. It is returned to you after verification.  

Is it mandatory to submit black and white photographs with applications for renewal of driving licences?

Yes, only black and white photographs are accepted for this purpose.

Can I renew my international driving license issued by Sri Lanka after its one-year validity period has expired through the embassy?

No, you must convert your Sri Lankan driving license into an international license and renew it through the Automobile Association of Sri Lanka.

Should I personally collect the new driving licence when it is ready for collection at the Embassy ?

If you live far away from Bucharest, you can get the new driving licence via the prepaid express service "PrioriPost" of the Romanian post. For that, applicants should submit a self-addressed PrioriPost envelope of format C5 which can be purchased from any post office (price is RON 20.34) at the time of the application. However, the Embassy is not responsible in the event of misplacement or loss in transit.

Payment for Consular Services

How can I pay for Consular Services?

Fees for services may be paid in cash to the Embassy at the time of submission of the application or to the Embassy's official bank account. A receipt will be issued for the payment and it should be kept carefully. If payment is made to the official bank account of the Embassy, ​​the payment should be made at least one day before the visit to the Embassy to avail the service and the name of the payee should be mentioned as reference.

How can payment be made to the Embassy's official bank account?

Please make your payment to the following official bank account of the Embassy

Bank Name - BRD Groupe Societe Generale

Branch Name - ag. Londra - Charles De Gaule

Account Name - Ambasada Republicii Democratice Socialiste Sri Lanka

Account No - RO23 BRDE 445S V224 1930 4450

Currency of Account - RON

SWIFT Code - BRDEROBU

Does the embassy accept credit/debit card payments?

Currently the Embassy does not have credit/debit card payment facility. Therefore, we request you to bring a sufficient amount of money in cash if you have not already paid for your services to our official bank account. There is an ATM machine close to the Embassy to withdraw money, in case you haven't brought sufficient amount of money in cash.

Photocopy facility

Can I get photocopies at the Embassy by paying a fee?

We have no such facility at the Embassy. There are places where applicants can obtain photocopies in close proximity to the Embassy.  

Address of the Embassy 

Strada General Constantin Budișteanu 28,

030167 București.