Immigration temporarily extends passport validity amid booklet shortage

Maldives Immigration will temporarily extend the validity of expired and expiring passports instead of issuing new booklets as its passport stock runs low following a delay in supplies from its overseas manufacturer.

Immigration confirmed the shortage in an announcement on Thursday night following reports on social media about the availability of passport booklets.

The agency said the shortage resulted from technical problems with printing machinery at the German company that supplies Maldivian passports. The company has supplied passports to the Maldives since 2016.

According to Immigration, the technical problems have now been resolved, but repairs took longer than expected and prevented the supplier from delivering the new stock on schedule.

The supplier has informed Immigration that the next shipment of passport booklets is expected to arrive by the end of September.

Immigration said temporary measures will take effect from Friday to manage the remaining stock until the shipment arrives.

Under the arrangement, Maldivians currently in the country who apply to renew passports that have expired or are nearing expiry will have their existing passports extended until 30 June 2027. The extension will be provided without a fee.

For first-time passport applicants travelling for short periods to countries commonly visited by Maldivians, including India and Sri Lanka, Immigration will issue an eight-page Emergency Passport without a fee.

The measures are intended to preserve the remaining passport booklets while allowing Maldivians to continue travelling until new supplies arrive.

“Although changes have been introduced to the issuance of Maldivian passports, this agency fully assures that no Maldivian citizen will face any obstruction to travelling abroad,” Immigration said.

The agency also apologised for inconvenience caused by the temporary changes.