Sri Lanka Customs has made its Paperless Customs Declaration Process mandatory from October 1, 2026, marking a major operational change in the processing of import declarations.
According to Sri Lanka Customs, importers and declarants using the Long Room declaration process are now required to submit Customs Declarations, known as CusDecs, and the relevant supporting documents using valid digital signatures.
Manual processing and submission of Customs declarations and their supporting documents under the previous process are no longer accepted for the mandatory paperless process.
Under the system, Customs declarations are lodged through ASYCUDA with a digital signature.
Digitally signed scanned copies of supporting documents can include commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, certificates of origin, permits, proxy documents and other documents required by regulatory agencies.
Customs officers can review and verify the documents electronically, while queries and requests for additional information can also be handled through the system.
Sri Lanka Customs says the system is intended to reduce physical visits to Customs counters, shorten waiting times and improve the ability to track declarations.
Electronic recording of submissions and decisions is also intended to improve transparency, accuracy and accountability.
The mandatory implementation follows an earlier pilot phase of paperless Customs declarations.
The change should be described as an implemented Customs administrative reform rather than merely a future digitalisation proposal.
Claims about faster clearance, improved transparency or reduced fraud should remain described as intended or expected benefits unless independently measured evidence becomes available.