By Ida Lim
KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — If your Malaysian passport is expiring soon and you want to apply for the newly-launched passport version, here is a quick guide on how soon you can get it in the Immigration Department’s 69 offices nationwide and seven locations outside Malaysia.
Launched on June 30, the new passport comes with more security features, and most importantly, allows you to choose if you want the five-year option (RM200) or the new 10-year option (RM350).
But if your passport is not nearing its expiry, you can continue using it until it expires, and there is no need to rush to change it yet.
However, your passport must be valid for at least six months before you can travel abroad so do renew it if it expires in six months or less.
Here is the full list from the Immigration Department of the dates when you can apply for the new passports as they will be rolled out in seven stages locally:
These are the 14 Immigration offices where you can already apply for the new Malaysian passport (available since July 1):
• The Putrajaya headquarters, Menara Ikhlas;
• Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur;
• Kelana Jaya;
• KLIA;
• Melaka;
• Seremban;
• Eight UTC locations: UTC Puduraya, UTC Selangor, UTC Johor Bahru, UTC Pasir Gudang, UTC Ipoh, UTC Kedah, UTC Sungai Petani, UTC Seberang Prai.
Next Monday (July 6) and onwards in eight locations:
• Kajang, Setia Tropika, Kulai Jaya, Kulim;
• UTC Sentul, UTC Keramat, UTC Melaka, UTC Pulau Pinang (Komtar)
Next Thursday (July 9) and onwards in seven locations, including in Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu:
• Shaftsbury Putrajaya, Shah Alam (PKNS), Kluang, Batu Pahat;
• UTC Kuantan, UTC Kota Bharu, UTC Kuala Terengganu
July 13 and onwards in nine locations:
• Kuala Selangor, Wangsa Maju, Puchong, Port Klang, Besut, Segamat, Muar, Kukup, Taiping
July 21 and onwards in 10 locations, including in Perlis:
• Lumut, Teluk Intan, Alor Setar, Kuala Langat, Kuala Kubu Baru, Temerloh, Raub, Port Dickson, Mersing, UTC Perlis
By the end of this month, it will also start to be available in parts of Sabah and Sarawak:
July 27 and onwards in 11 locations:
• Chukai, Pengkalan Hulu, Cameron Highlands, Bintulu, Sri Aman, UTC Kuching, UTC Miri, UTC Sibu, UTC Kota Kinabalu, UTC Tawau, UTC Keningau
August 3 and onwards in 10 locations:
• Langkawi, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kuching, Lawas, Limbang, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, LTA Kota Kinabalu, Lahad Datu, UTC Labuan
If you are based abroad, this is when and where the new passports will be available at Immigration attache offices in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, the UK and US:
August 18 and onwards: Jeddah, Jakarta, Hong Kong
August 25 and onwards: Singapore, Melbourne, London, New York
The new Malaysian international passport. — Picture by Yusof Isa
Bonus tips
If you are thinking about what to choose, the 10-year passport offers a better value as it will save you RM50 and time when compared against a five-year passport renewed twice.
But the Immigration Department in a Facebook post also informed Malaysians that currently the online passport renewal method (MyOnline Pasport website) is only available for applications for passports with a five-year validity period.
“For applications for passports with a 10-year validity period, applicants have to walk in at the nearest passport-issuing office,” it said in its announcement.
This means if you want a 10-year Malaysian passport, you will have to wait till it becomes available in the list of passport-issuing offices above.
Please keep your passport safe
While having a 10-year passport will reduce how often you have to apply for a new passport, do note it also comes with higher passport replacement fees if you lose it.
For example, if you are aged 18 to 59, you will have to pay replacement fees for a 10-year passport at RM550 (first time), RM850 (second time), RM1,350 (third or subsequent times).
If you are aged 60 and above, the replacement fees for a 10-year passport is RM375 (first time), RM675 (second time), RM1,175 (third or subsequent times).
If you are aged 13 to 59, you will have to pay replacement fees for a five-year passport at RM400 (first time), RM700 (second time), RM1,200 (third or subsequent times).
If you are aged 60 and above, the replacement fees for a five-year passport is RM300 (first time), RM600 (second time), RM1,100 (third or subsequent times).
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