You May Soon Be Able To Extend Your Passport Validity To 10 Years
The Home Ministry is conducting a survey to evaluate the feasibility of extending Malaysia's passport validity.
By Laila Zain — 20 Feb 2024, 10:23 AM
The Immigration Department is exploring the possibility of extending the validity period of Malaysian passports from the current five years to 10 years
Speaking to the press, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the department is conducting a survey to assess the feasibility of extending Malaysia's passport validity.
The survey will study neighbouring countries that have already extended passport validity to 10 years, such as Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore.
Saifuddin Nasution expressed confidence that the insights gathered from this survey would inform policy decisions regarding the transition from a five-year to a 10-year validity period for Malaysian passports.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (left) at the opening of the Shaftsbury passport office in Putrajaya. With him is Immigration director general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh (right).
Image via Bernama via The Edge MalaysiaThe Home Minister also announced plans to establish a passport office at Kota Kinabalu International Airport in Sabah, with operations expected to commence in June
This initiative aims to enhance accessibility for communities dealing with the Immigration Department, demonstrating a commitment to streamlining passport services.
The establishment of the passport office in Kota Kinabalu would be achieved without the need for additional staff hiring. Instead, personnel for the new office will be sourced through transfers from the Immigration Department headquarters, ensuring efficient resource allocation.
"This shows our determination to facilitate the communities in dealing with the Immigration Department by adding passport offices without additional staff," he said, as quoted by Malay Mail.
Saifuddin was speaking to reporters during the inauguration of the new passport office at Skyfunnel Zone Shaftsbury Tower in Putrajaya on Monday, 19 February.
