KOTA KINABALU: The Home Ministry is ready to extend the validity of Malaysian international passports to 10 years, an increase from the present five.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this followed studies and consultations on the suitability of having passports with 10-year validity.

"We are ready to issue passports with a validity of 10 years. At present, the validity period is five years.

"This is not something new as our neighbours like Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore already have 10-year passports. In fact, the United States, the United Kingdom and France also have them

"So, we're ready but the date of implementation will be announced later," he told reporters after launching the Kota Kinabalu International Airport passport office.

Present were Immigration Department director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh and Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ruji Ubi.

Meanwhile, Saifuddin said he was proud that the Malaysian international passport was ranked the 12th most influential passport in the world and fifth in Asia.

"The measure of the reputation or credibility of a passport is based on the fact that many countries give us visa-free entry.

"Whoever holds or uses our travel documents will get visa-free entry privileges in 183 countries worldwide. This is based on the International Air Transport Association Index for 2024," he said.

On the passport office at KKIA, he said this was the 72nd in Malaysia, but the first to be situated in an airport.

"This is the seventh in Sabah. Before this, we had offices in Kota Kinabalu, the Sabah Immigration Department headquarters, the Tawau Urban Transformation Centre (UTC), the Keningau UTC and the Immigration offices in Sandakan and Lahad Datu.

"When we have one (in KKIA), it will benefit the communities in nearby areas, suchh as the Papar, Penampag, Putatan and Kota Kinabalu."

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/1075777/saifuddin-home-ministry-ready-extend-passport-validity-10-years