Passport booklet shortage halts e-passport issuance
As a result, applicants requesting ordinary passports from Saturday onwards will instead be issued non-electronic passports.
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Maldives Immigration has temporarily suspended the issuance of ordinary electronic passports due to delays in receiving supplies required for passport production.
According to Immigration, the disruption is linked to a shortage of passport booklets used to print electronic passports.
As a result, applicants requesting ordinary passports from Saturday onwards will instead be issued non-electronic passports.
Immigration stated that the decision was taken to manage the remaining stock of ordinary electronic passports.
The authority also noted that the non-electronic passport complies with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
According to Immigration, the non-electronic passport is machine-readable and carries a validity period of five years.
The fee for an electronic passport is MVR 1,000, while the fee for a non-electronic passport is MVR 600.
Immigration further stated that individuals who later wish to obtain an electronic passport before the expiry of their non-electronic passport will be able to do so without paying a cancellation fee.
Previously, applicants changing passports before expiry were required to pay such a fee.
