THE Immigration Department has stopped issuing Malaysian International Passports (PMA) with validity periods exceeding 10 years after some travellers faced difficulties using the documents for overseas travel.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the decision was made following several cases involving Malaysian passport holders with extended validity periods who encountered problems during airline check-in procedures abroad.
He said the department had previously referred the matter to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which found no issue with the issuance of passports beyond the 10-year validity period.
However, Zakaria said confusion emerged after some airlines interpreted international travel requirements differently, particularly over the requirement for passports to have at least six months’ validity remaining.
“Following this, the Immigration Department has decided that the maximum validity period for Malaysian International Passports will be limited to 10 years,” he said in a statement.
The decision is aimed at avoiding further confusion among travellers and ensuring passport validity requirements are applied consistently by airlines.
The department will suspend the issuance of PMAs exceeding 10 years until further discussions are held with airlines and ICAO.
Malaysians who already hold passports with validity periods of more than 10 years will be allowed to replace them free of charge. The replacement passports will carry a maximum validity period of 10 years.
Zakaria said affected passport holders would be prioritised for the replacement process, while notices would also be issued to airlines to assist Malaysians affected by the issue overseas.
He said the Immigration Department would continue engaging relevant parties to address the matter and ensure Malaysians are able to travel internationally without unnecessary complications. – August 12, 2026
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