No need to rush to replace passports, says Immigration D-G as new rollout begins July 1

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — Malaysians are urged not to rush to replace their existing passports as the rollout of the country’s new passport begins on July 1 in phases, says Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban.

He added that passport renewals should only be carried out when necessary, such as when a passport has expired or when a new application is being made.

“We appeal to Malaysians not to rush to change their passports. If your current passport is still valid, continue using it until it expires.”

“There is no necessity to replace it simply because a new version has been introduced,” he told reporters after the launch of the new passport by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at Parliament today.

He then said the new passport will first be issued at 14 state-level passport issuing offices in the initial phase, including UTCs.

He added that the new passport features significantly upgraded security elements, with the number of security features increased from 49 in the previous version to 94 in the new document.

He also said that Malaysia currently produces between 180,000 and 220,000 passports each month, and expects demand to increase following the introduction of the new version.

“In terms of production, on average we issue between 180,000 and 220,000 passports a month. That is the current range.”

“We expect the numbers to increase slightly with the new passport, as demand may rise,” Zakaria added.

In a separate statement, the Home Ministry said that beginning July 1, Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above will have the option to apply for the Malaysian International Passport with a validity period of either five or ten years, depending on their preference.

The introduction of the 10-year passport is expected to reduce the frequency of renewals, save users time, and facilitate smoother travel arrangements both domestically and internationally.

The ministry said the fee for the 10-year passport has been set at RM350, while the 5-year passport remains at RM200.

It added that the 10-year option also offers savings of RM50 compared to renewing a 5-year passport twice over the same period.