Maldives Immigration expects to resume issuing electronic passports next month after new supplies required for passport production arrive in the country, according to Controller General of Immigration Ahmed Faseeh.
The issuance of ordinary e-passports has remained suspended since May, after delays in importing the specialised passport booklets used to produce the documents.
Speaking to PSM News, Faseeh said the required materials have already been ordered and are expected to reach the Maldives either later this month or in early August.
He said Immigration plans to restart the service immediately after the shipment arrives.
The temporary suspension prompted Immigration to issue non-electronic ordinary passports to applicants in place of e-passports.
Although they do not contain an embedded electronic chip, the replacement passports are machine-readable, comply with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and remain valid for five years.
Immigration charges MVR 1,000 for an ordinary electronic passport, while the fee for a non-electronic passport is MVR 600.
Unlike conventional passports, e-passports contain an electronic chip that securely stores the holder’s personal and biometric information, allowing travellers to use automated e-gates at airports equipped with self-service immigration systems. The technology reduces processing times and eliminates the need to queue for manual immigration clearance in many countries.
Immigration also announced a concession for applicants who obtained non-electronic passports during the suspension period.
The authority said passport holders wishing to switch to an electronic passport before their current passport expires will be able to do so without paying the cancellation fee that would normally apply when replacing a valid passport.
The move is expected to benefit travellers who require e-passports to access automated border clearance systems or who prefer to upgrade once the service resumes.
Immigration has not announced an exact date for the resumption of e-passport issuance but said services will restart as soon as the necessary materials are received.
