You Can Renew Your Passports Online From 1 September Onwards... But There's A Catch
On the plus side, no more queueing and waiting for hours!
By Samantha Khor — 29 Aug 2016, 09:31 AM
Starting 1 September, the MyOnline Passport system will go live, allowing Malaysians to renew their passports via the Immigration Department's website
For the time being, the service will run in four states and two Urban Transformation Centres (UTC) - Putrajaya, Penang, Pahang, and Sarawak, as well as Pudu Sentral, KL and Galleria@Kotaraya, Johor.
Director-general of the Immigration Dept. Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali hopes that the online renewal system will ease congestion in Immigration offices, adding that it will be extended to other states if the pilot programme goes well
"The application for passport renewal online can be done from anywhere, including via mobile phone, regardless of the time or day," Mustafar explained.
The MyOnline Passport system requires people to update their details, upload the required photo, and make payments via debit or credit card in order to renew their passport
The online renewal system was quietly introduced sometime in 2012 but discontinued shortly thereafter in view of the Immigration Department implementing upgrades to Malaysian passports in 2013. The system was said to be undergoing an extensive revamp in December 2013, with the Immigration Department expecting to launch it in 2014.
However, you still have to drop by an Immigration office to collect your new passport. Plus, you might have to make extra trips if there are issues with your application, especially concerning the photo.
Thankfully, you can choose whichever Immigration office you wish to pick up your passport from.
"The applicants are allowed to choose any of the passport issuing counters in the four states involved, for example, the online application is made in Johor, but (the applicant) may want to collect it (passport) at the Immigration Department counter in Penang," Mustafar said.
The online renewal system has yet to be launched, but you should be able to access it come 1 September here