Immigration blames airline systems for long-validity passport headaches

The Immigration Department in Malaysia has blamed airline systems for issues faced by holders of Malaysian International Passports (PMA) with validity periods exceeding 10 years during international travel, rather than the immigration control systems of foreign countries, according to Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, the Immigration director-general.

Zakaria explained that while passports with validity periods exceeding 10 years do not pose an issue according to border controls and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, airlines have a problem with this due to their system setting the maximum passport validity period at 10 years. He further revealed that Malaysia would bring this matter to ICAO for coordination with airlines, but no timeframe could be given for resolving the issue as it falls outside the department’s jurisdiction.

Additionally, existing passport holders with validity periods exceeding 10 years can obtain replacement passports free of charge.

Brief written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.