Malaysia passport validity policy change

The Malaysian Immigration Department has suspended the issuance of Malaysian International Passports (PMA) with validity periods exceeding 10 years. This decision was made following reports of Malaysian travelers facing difficulties during airline check-in procedures at various overseas airports.

Immigration Director-General Datuk Zakaria Shaaban stated the move aims to standardize the maximum validity period at 10 years to prevent confusion regarding the six-month validity requirement, which has been interpreted inconsistently by international airlines. Although the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) noted there are no formal restrictions on longer validity periods, technical issues with airline databases in certain regions caused practical travel disruptions.

To assist citizens, the department will provide free passport replacements for current holders of PMAs with validity periods longer than 10 years and will grant these individuals priority during the replacement process. The department also plans to issue notification letters to airlines to help mitigate issues for Malaysian travelers currently abroad.