Renew a 10-year passport online from 2 November at RM350

Malaysians can renew a 10-year passport online from 2 November. The option runs through the MyOnline Passport service.

The Immigration Department announced the change on Facebook. Until now, online renewals covered only five-year passports, so a longer validity meant a trip to an office.

Here are the fee, the age rule and what is still unclear. Another ID service has also moved online: see MyKad replacement on MyGOV.

Who can apply and what it costs

First, the fee. A 10-year passport costs RM350, while a five-year passport costs RM200.

Next, the age rule. The longer validity is for Malaysians aged 18 and above.

Also, the choice is yours. Renewing applicants can pick the validity without visiting an immigration counter.

However, no online fee or delivery charge has been published in the reports so far.

Then, your current passport. An older passport with more than six months of validity remains valid for travel.

Overall, the redesigned passport has been on offer since 1 July.

Two five-year passports over a decade would cost RM400, so the 10-year option saves RM50.

It works out at RM35 a year, against RM40 a year for the shorter term.

The longer validity also means no renewal for a full decade.

Applicants under 18 are not covered by the 10-year option.

It should suit frequent travellers who would rather not renew every five years.

What changes for applicants

First, the route. MyOnline Passport now offers both validities, and the official MyOnline Passport page carries the announcement.

Before this, 10-year applications could only be made in person. The five-year option was already available online.

Immigration made the announcement in a Facebook post.

Next, the rollout. Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the online option will expand gradually.

He said this depends on all issuing offices finishing their rollout. The system must also prove stable.

Also, the office wait. Zakaria said a new passport takes about one hour on average after payment is made.

Meanwhile, demand has favoured the shorter term. From 1 July to 30 September, 627,142 passports were issued.

The figures cover the first three months of the redesigned passport.

Of these, 541,994 were five-year passports and 85,148 were 10-year passports. That puts the 10-year share at about 14%.

What is still unclear

First, new applications. Immigration describes the option as a renewal service, so first-time applicants should not assume it applies to them.

Next, the steps. The login method, photo rules and documents needed have not been spelled out.

Also, delivery. The reports do not say how online applicants will collect the passport or how long it takes.

Then, minors. The reports do not say how applicants under 18 should renew.

Also, the cost of going online. Immigration has not said which payment methods it accepts.

Finally, the processing time. The one-hour wait quoted is for office visits, not online renewals.

No dates have been given for the wider rollout.

For now, renew early if your passport is close to expiry.

We will update this story when Immigration publishes the steps.

In short, use only the official MyOnline Passport page. Check Immigration’s own channels for the steps and any extra fees.