KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 — The Immigration Department has set the maximum validity period of the Malaysian International Passport (PMA) at 10 years with immediate effect, following issues faced by some Malaysian passport holders travelling overseas with passports valid for more than 10 years.
The department said the move was aimed at standardising the implementation of PMA requirements and avoiding confusion during international travel.
As part of the measures, the department will issue notification letters to airlines to assist affected Malaysian travellers overseas.
It will also stop issuing PMAs with validity periods exceeding 10 years until the issue is resolved with the relevant parties.
Existing PMA holders with validity periods exceeding 10 years will be given free replacement passports, with the new passports having a maximum validity of 10 years.
The department said affected PMA holders would also be given priority for passport replacement.
The Immigration Department said it remained committed to improving the implementation of PMA requirements to facilitate matters for Malaysians and ensure smoother international travel.
