With the Malaysian international borders set to reopen on 1st April after two years, many Malaysians are needing to do a passport renewal so they can travel again. This is not a major drama if you are actually in Malaysia, but for many outside the country, it is proving to be a major challenge. A Malaysian passport is one of the world’s strongest passports, with a power level of 12. But if it’s expired, you can’t really go anywhere.
Malaysian passport renewal
Malaysian passports are not expensive, but you’ll need a passport renewal every five years, meaning a whole new book.
Within Malaysia
The Immigration Department has prepared 970,000 passport books for the expected rush of renewal applications once people feel free to travel again. In making the announcement, the Immigration director-general also acknowledged the expected growth in travel and encouraged travellers to use the autogate system instead of the manual counters when entering or exiting the country. As the autogates have been closed for some months, this is welcome news that should speed the transport of travellers through the airport.
There are a few important things to remember:
You must make an appointment
If you plan to go to the Immigration office, you can no longer just turn up and get a queue number.
Make your appointment HERE.
Please note*** Make your appointment early. As at 20th April, no appointments are available at many Immigration offices until the end of May. In the main Kuala Lumpur office, most slots are unavailable until July, so plan ahead.
Make sure you have
- any existing passport
- Your NRIC
- Check first if it needs to be updated
- You can do this online through MYEG
- A printed copy of your appointment confirmation
- Wear a dark coloured shirt for your photo
- If you submit online, make sure your white background is not ‘too white’.
If you get stuck, you can also select from the Immigration Home page
Making an online application
This is now available so it’s worth a try. Of course, you’ll still have to go and collect it when it’s ready. One thing we’re unable to find on the website, is the requirements re your photograph. However, according to the Malaysian High Commission in Australia, you need 4 copies of recent photograph with white background (3.5 X 5 cm). Some photographers can also supply the soft copy, so take a thumb-drive along to the studio.
Make your application HERE. You can also select it from this list, which is under e-Bayaran on the Immigration-online Home page.
- There is a running warning to remind you that if your passport is lost or damaged, you can’t renew it online.
- You have to have your old passport and identity card (MyKad) numbers ready to complete the form.
Making payment
Payment must be made by credit/debit card or Touch ‘n Go e-Wallet. Cash is not accepted over the counter whether for in-person or online applications.
For your 5-year passport, you’ll pay RM200 if you’re between 13 and 59 years old. Senior citizens 60+ and children aged 12 and below pay RM100.
From application (in-person) to receiving your new passport should take about one hour. There may be more appointments given because of the expected rush, but hopefully this will not slow the process.
This FAQ page has answers to a number of immigration questions, but no information on photographs. It was last updated on 1st November 2021.
Outside Malaysia
People living outside the country who were caught outside the country when the borders closed, have had to rely on their Malaysian Embassy or High Commission for renewals. In theory, this should be fairly straightforward, but we’ve had reports that it not necessarily that simple. In UK, you must go to London. Head for Washington DC if you’re in the US. In Australia, there are Consulates in Melbourne and Perth as well as the High Comm in Canberra.
Melbourne (Level 1, 432 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne 3004, Telephone: +61-3-9573 5400 (Reception)/+61-3-9573 5407 / 5406 (Immigration Unit)
Website: https://www.kln.gov.my/web/aus_melbourne
Email:
- mwmelbourne @kln.gov.my /
- [email protected] /
- Immigration: [email protected]
Melbourne appointments currently stretch out into next year.
Perth (252 Adelaide Terrace telephone – 8 9225 7055 or by email ([email protected]).)
as well as the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra. 7 Perth Ave, Yarralumla ACT 2600, Phone +61 2 6120 0300
The High Commission has issued this flyer with information to those trying to renew their passports and notes that there is “No penalty for having an expired Malaysian passport.”
We’ve heard anecdotally that you can get 2 years extension in Canberra or Perth, but we can’t get definitive confirmation on this.
Useful to know
When you make an appointment for an in-person application in Malaysia, you’ll get this helpful information along with the appointment confirmation. (Translation by Google) There are a couple of contradictions with information elsewhere, so you will need to confirm – especially point no 2, if you are overseas.
1. Each applicant must have a valid and unexpired identification reference. MALAYSIAN IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT reserves the right to cancel/reject applications that are found to have dubious or false identification information and personal details.
2. The applicant must have a valid passport and has not yet expired. Passports that have expired must be renewed with the respective embassy before applying for an appointment. If found no. Passport has expired when applying, automatically this appointment is void. The Malaysian enforcement reserves the right to take appropriate legal action and the MALAYSIAN IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT will not be responsible for problems or issues that arise when legal action is taken by the enforcement.
3. Applicants who do not attend the appointment 2 times will be blocked and blacklisted from applying for an appointment.
4. Appointment slip is only for internal use of the MALAYSIAN IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT only and cannot be submitted for the purpose of legal action and court cases handled by the MALAYSIAN ENFORCEMENT AGENCY from 01 February 2022 for applications starting from 01 January 2022
5. THE MALAYSIAN IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT has never appointed any third party to make an appointment on behalf of the applicant. Appointment application through this system is free. The department will also not be responsible if legal action and court cases involving the applicant are imposed.
6. If the employer manages the employee’s documents without the need for the employee to attend the immigration office, please enter the details of the employer as the applicant.
7. Applicants must provide complete documents when attending the appointment. Information and a list of documents that need to be brought for each transaction requested can be found on the website of the Malaysian immigration department (www.imi.gov.my). The department reserves the right to refuse an appointment if it is found that the documents are incomplete.
This Post Has 0 Comments