Immigration unsure when e-passport issuance can resume, a week since suspension

Maldives Immigration is unsure when it can resume issuance of ordinary electronic passports (e-passports), a week since it was forced to suspend the service due to a shortage in material needed to produce it.

Immigration had suspended the issuance of e-passports on May 9, due to delays in shipments of booklets needed to print e-passports.

It has been over a week since then.

The agency has stated that people who apply for passports were being issued non-electronic passports.

An official from Immigration told Sun on Sunday morning that the agency still hasn’t received a new stock, and is usure when e-passport services can resume.

Immigration charges MVR 600 for ordinary non-electronic passports, and MVR 1,000 for ordinary e-passports.

The suspension of e-passport services comes with the Eid al-Adha holidays set to begin next week.