Press Release

Announcing a General Amnesty period from 20th April to 20th May 2024 for sailors, who have been Absent Without Leave (AWL), to obtain official discharge.

This General Amnesty is applicable only for sailors (except all Artificers, Professional Medical and Professional Dental sailors) who have been AWL prior to or as at 31st December 2023. All sailors who have been AWL must obtain their clearance after reporting to the nearest Naval Base.

Under the above General Amnesty, absentee sailors (except all Artificers, Professional Medical and Professional Dental sailors) who are currently overseas are allowed to obtain official discharge, without reporting back.

Absentees who are currently abroad are required to submit the following documents/information through following e-mail addresses nhqdgp@gmail.com.

A. Name, rate, official number.

B. Date of desertion.

C. Scanned copy of biometric page of the passport.

D. Scanned copy of alterations and observations page.

E. Scanned copies of emigration stamps.

F. Scanned copies of past and present VISAs.

G. Contact details of locally based representative.

In the event of absentee who is overseas following guidelines need to be followed:

A. Sailors subject to pending disciplinary action (other than AWL) cannot be discharged by a Power of Attorney while abroad, and they must report to the Navy and complete their disciplinary actions.

B. When an absentee living overseas is cleared to be discharged, when he is eligible for clearance after verification of records held by the Navy. He can submit a registered Power of Attorney who can take discharging procedure in liaison with Director General Personnel.

C. Power of Attorney needs to be legally drafted and to be registered in the Registrar General’s Office (SL)

D. Any pending recovery of the absentee to the Government of Sri Lanka or the Sri Lanka Navy needs to be recovered through his Power of Attorney.

E. Such absentee needs to assure he will delete the reference “Naval Person” (or any other reference to that effect) in his passport at the first instance he will return to Sri Lanka.

F. An absentee whose oversees leave is taken on MOD approval, needs to fulfil requirements of their overseas leave bond.

G. Any clarification regarding Power of Attorney or any other documents, to be got down from Director Naval Legal Services.

Discharge action will be initiated upon verification of above information through respective institutions.