The Inland Revenue Department has issued Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) to approximately 9 million individuals who had not applied for them.
At a media briefing held at the Government Information Department, Inland Revenue officials revealed that TINs were automatically assigned to Sri Lankan citizens aged 18 and above, as part of an initiative to streamline tax administration and reduce the surge of applicants at regional tax offices.
According to Deputy Commissioner General B.K.S. Shantha, the department has so far issued TINs to 10 million people, with an estimated 7 million more expected to be registered in the near future. He clarified that individuals who had turned 18 by December 31, 2023, and those reaching 18 after January 1, 2024, are legally required to obtain a TIN.
However, due to low application volumes and limited departmental resources, the IRD proactively gathered citizens’ data and opened tax files on their behalf.
“This was done to prevent congestion at our offices and to ensure compliance,” Shantha said, acknowledging that notifying all affected individuals was logistically unfeasible. Many of those assigned TINs remain unaware of the issuance, and some may even be liable for income tax, according to officials.
The IRD urges citizens to check their TIN status by visiting the official Inland Revenue Department website. If the number is not available online, individuals can verify their identity and retrieve the TIN in person at a regional or the head office.
While this move is aimed at tax system efficiency, it has stirred debate over privacy, public awareness, and the burden of tax compliance for those unaware of their newly assigned status.
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