19-2-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) The Malaysian government is contemplating extending the passport validity period from the current five years to a decade, according to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. A survey will be conducted to gather public feedback on this proposal, and a policy decision is expected to follow based on the survey results.
Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated, “I believe we will come to a policy decision within a reasonable amount of time following the results of the survey on whether or not the passport validity is retained at five years or extended to 10.” He highlighted that several countries, including France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States, have already adopted the 10-year validity period.
The 10-year passport validity is currently in effect in neighbouring countries such as Thailand and Singapore. The proposal to extend the validity period was put forth by the Immigration Services Union, aiming to alleviate congestion at passport application counters.
Speaking at the launch of the new Immigration Department passport centre in Shaftsbury Putrajaya on Monday, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail explained that the new centre would exclusively cater to applicants who apply for passport renewal online. He emphasized the department’s goal to encourage more online applications, pointing out that last year, out of 3,057,825 passports issued, almost a million applicants applied online, marking a nearly 20% increase from the previous year.
