Kuala lumpur: The Immigration Department has suspended the validity of Malaysian International Passports (PMA) with validity periods exceeding 10 years until the issue is resolved with airlines and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban stated that holders of the affected PMAs would be given priority for passport replacement, and notification letters would be issued to all airlines to assist affected Malaysian travellers abroad.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the decision follows several cases where PMA holders with validity periods exceeding 10 years faced problems during check-in procedures with several airlines overseas. Zakaria explained that to address this confusion, the department has stipulated a maximum validity period of 10 years for PMAs. This measure aims to standardise the validity period and avoid confusion over the additional six-month validity requirement, which some airlines interpret differently.

Zakaria further clarified that under the 10-year renewal option, the remaining validity of the old passport, up to six months, would not be carried forward to the new passport. This means applicants opting for a 10-year renewal will receive a passport valid for exactly 10 years. In contrast, for a five-year passport renewal, the remaining validity of the old passport, up to six months, could still be carried forward.

He noted that only 26,000 PMAs with validity periods exceeding 10 years had been issued since July. Viral reports highlighted difficulties faced by several PMA holders with extended validity periods when travelling abroad. The matter was referred to ICAO, and feedback received did not prevent the implementation of extended validity PMAs; however, confusion arose during check-in processes with certain airlines.

Zakaria expressed the department's commitment to continuously improving PMA implementation to facilitate smoother international travel for Malaysians. Recently, claims on social media highlighted a Malaysian traveller's difficulties in Dubai, Johannesburg, and Windhoek due to her passport's extended validity. The Immigration Department launched the new-structured PMA with a validity period of up to 10 years on July 1, aiming to reduce passport renewal frequency and facilitate travel. The fee for a 10-year PMA is RM350, while a five-year PMA remains at RM200.