PUTRAJAYA, Feb 19 — The Home Ministry, through the Immigration Department, is conducting a study to extend the validity period of passports to 10 years from the current five.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this was because several countries had already practised the 10-year passport validity period.
“The 10-year passport validity period has been adopted by Asean countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore, as well as by Italy, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom,” he told a press conference after the opening of the Shaftsbury Passport Office, here, today.
Also present was Immigration director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh.
Saifuddin said the study would be concluded within a reasonable timeframe, following which a decision on the matter would be made.
Meanwhile, he said another Immigration passport office will be opened at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Sabah, which is expected to start operating in June this year.
“This way, we can improve the quality of service without adding positions, but by making it easier for dealings between the Immigration Department and the community,” he said.
Regarding the new immigration office, he said it will be the 78th office and will be among those that accept online applications for passport renewal.
Other Immigration offices that accept online applications for passport renewals are the branch offices in Wangsa Maju, Kajang and Kelana Jaya.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said a total of 3,057,825 passports were issued last year compared to 2,574,435 the previous year, an increase of 20 per cent.
— Bernama
