Sri Lanka rolls out e-BMD system in 62 missions worldwide

Sri Lanka’s digital services for citizens abroad have reached a major milestone with the successful rollout of the e-BMD system in 62 foreign missions, enabling faster access to birth, marriage, and death certificates, according to the President’s Media Division.

A press release issued today (February 14) said the Electronic Birth, Marriage and Death (e-BMD) system now allows thousands of Sri Lankans living overseas to obtain certified civil documents quickly and efficiently through embassies and high commissions.

The digital transformation programme was launched with the support of the Presidential Secretariat, demonstrating strong commitment at the highest level to modernising public services.

According to the latest progress report of the Registrar General’s Department, the system has been fully implemented in 62 Sri Lankan diplomatic missions worldwide. This marks a major step in improving services for citizens living outside Sri Lanka.

Following a successful pilot phase in early 2025, the full system now enables overseas citizens to receive certified copies of birth, marriage, and death certificates directly from foreign missions. This removes the need to travel back to Sri Lanka or depend on slow manual procedures.

Within one year of its full launch, more than 8,000 certified documents have already been issued through overseas missions, showing strong public confidence and high usage of the new service.

The services have reached Sri Lankan citizens living in many countries, including major diaspora centres such as the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Malaysia, and India, as well as several European, Middle Eastern, and Asian nations.

Officials said the wide geographical coverage proves the system’s ability to provide equal access to essential civil documents regardless of where citizens live.

The e-BMD platform is a key part of the Government’s wider public sector digitalisation programme, aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, and convenience. By linking foreign missions directly with the Registrar General’s Department, processing times have been significantly reduced while maintaining document security and authenticity.

Real-time technical support from the RGD’s ICT Division has helped ensure uninterrupted services by quickly resolving technical issues and maintaining system reliability across different countries.

The initiative has been described as highly beneficial for Sri Lankans abroad who need official documents for employment, education, immigration, and legal purposes.

By removing bureaucratic delays and geographical barriers, the e-BMD system has eased administrative work for both citizens and diplomatic missions, improving the overall quality of consular services.

The successful implementation of the system highlights the Government’s commitment to building a modern, technology-driven public service that meets the needs of citizens at home and overseas.

With thousands already benefiting and services available in dozens of countries, the e-BMD initiative stands as a strong example of how digital innovation is being used to strengthen governance, improve service delivery, and maintain closer ties with Sri Lanka’s global diaspora.