IMMIGRATION MULLING 10-YEAR PASSPORTS
Department obtaining feedback on increasing validity period
THE Immigration Department is looking into extending the validity of passports from five to 10 years.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail yesterday said the department would obtain feedback from stakeholders.
This move would be in line with the practice in other Asean countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines.
“A decision will be made after the department is done studying the matter.”
He said this at the launch of the department’s passport office at Shaftsbury Mall here.
“Priority is being given to research. Italy, France, the United States and the United Kingdom have also implemented this policy,” he said.
Malaysian passports are now valid for up to five years.
Previously, the Immigration Services Union of Peninsular Malaysia suggested that the validity of Malaysian passports be increased to 10 years.
Its president, Ajeet Singh Gurbax Singh, had said more than 100 countries had introduced passports that were valid for 10 years.
“The passport book with the existing pages can be used, but just extend the validity period.
“This will save the government cost, in addition to increasing national revenue.
“The five-year passport is maintained and the people will have a choice.”
Saifuddin said the Immigration Department’s passport office at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport in Sabah was set to start operations in June after undergoing renovations.
“This is another commitment from us to facilitate dealings with the public by expanding our offices without increasing staff positions.”
He said the Shaftsbury Mall passport office was the Immigration Department’s 78th one and accepted only online renewal applications.
“We now have four offices handling online passport renewals. The other three are in Wangsa Maju, Kajang and Kelana Jaya.”
He said 3,057,825 passports were issued last year compared with 2,574,435 in 2022, marking an increase of 20 per cent.