The Island
The Department of Immigration and Emigration earned a total revenue of Rs. 2,000 million (Rs. 2 billion) from January to July this year (2010). Rupees 1,244 million was earned through the issue of passports, Rs. 326 million from visas, Rs. 240 million from granting of citizenship and Rs. 485 million from oveseas missions.
A total of 296,822 passports were issued during this period with 220,974 from Colombo, 24,854 from Kandy 10,843 from Matara, 16,489 from Anuradhapura and 23,662 from Sri Lankan Missions overseas. 171 foreign nationals were arrested and deported, 97 were arrested by the department, 43 handed over by the Prisons Depart-ment and 28 arrested and handed over by the Police.