Special Immigration teams to shorten passport processing

PUTRAJAYA: The Immigration Department will set up special teams to approve passport applications and renewals.

Its director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said this move was to shorten the application and renewal process.

“We recently sent eight officers to Johor to help with the passport approval process there and it has been quite successful, which is why we are planning to use the same formula in the Klang Valley.

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“We are now in the midst of gathering officers from other Immigration offices nationwide for this initiative,” he told reporters here on Friday (June 10).

He said this initiative was expected to be implemented in the Klang Valley next week.

On a related note, Khairul Dzaimee said the department was also studying the use of photographs of passport applicants above the age of 30 that are already in its system.

“The approval process doesn’t take too long but when large crowds gather at our offices to have their photographs taken for their passports, that takes time.

“This is why we are looking into using photographs that are already in the system,” he said.