Malaysian Passport 2026

The Malaysian International Passport is an ICAO-compliant biometric e-passport with a polycarbonate data page and an embedded chip. In 2026 two things changed at once.

First, from 3 June 2026 the Fees (Passports and Visas) (Amendment) Order 2026 introduced a 10-year validity option for the first time, sitting alongside the long-standing 5-year book. You now choose the validity — and pay the matching fee — at the point of application.

Second, a more secure passport book began rolling out from around 1 July 2026 across approximately 69 domestic locations and 7 overseas missions.

The headline decision for most people is simply 5-year vs 10-year:

• 5-year — cheaper (RM200 adult), and the only option you can renew through MyOnline Passport.
• 10-year — longer, more expensive (RM350 adult), and currently a counter-only application at rollout locations.

Everything else — where to apply, documents, biometrics, the 90-day collection window — works largely as before. The rest of this guide walks through fees, the online-vs-counter split, documents, timing, and every special case.

These are the official Immigration Department rates effective 3 June 2026. Treat exact amounts as approximate and confirm at the counter or imi.gov.my. Fees are for the passport book itself; payment online is by credit/debit card only, while cash is accepted at the counter.

A key quirk: seniors 60+ pay a reduced fee, not a full exemption. The only full exemption for the 10-year book is for registered OKU cardholders aged 18+, who are issued the 10-year passport free of charge.

Discount categories are steered to the counter. The MyOnline system may charge the flat adult rate (RM200) and rely on an officer to apply the age- or status-based discount in person, so seniors, students and OKU applicants are generally directed to walk in.

MyOnline Passport (imigresen-online.imi.gov.my, also promoted as an app) is a renewal-only channel, and only for the 5-year book, for straightforward adult renewals. You log in with your MyKad, fill in your details, upload a photo, pay by card, and pick a collection office.

You must apply in person at an Immigration office or UTC if any of these apply:

Biometric enrolment (photo and fingerprints) is required at least once, which is why first-timers and children cannot complete the process fully online. If you qualify for online renewal, it is the fastest route; if you are unsure, a UTC walk-in covers every case.

Bring originals — Immigration verifies against your MyKad chip and, for children, the birth certificate.

All applicants

• MyKad (or temporary ID KPPK 09) — mandatory
• Previous/current passport (for renewals)
• Payment receipt (auto-generated for online applications)

Child under 18

• Child's original birth certificate (sijil kelahiran)
• Child's MyKid/MyKad (or KPPK 09)
• One parent must attend with their MyKad; copies of both parents' MyKads are typically required
• Non-Malaysian parent brings their original passport
• In divorce/custody or single-parent cases, a court custody order or additional consent documentation may be required

Sabah/Sarawak applicants may need additional supporting documents — check with your local office.

Photo rules. At the counter, your photo is taken on-site using IMI's Facial Live Capture device (you do not bring your own): eyes open, mouth closed, facing the camera, no hats/headwear, hair off the face, no spectacles, and no coloured/decorative contact lenses during capture (plain corrective lenses are generally fine). For online renewal, upload a recent passport photo on a white background, dark clothing, 35mm x 50mm. Children under 4 submit one physical photo, 35mm x 50mm, white background.

Malaysia's standard passport service is effectively same-day, so there is no separate paid express/urgent tier in the published fee schedule.

• Same-day collection: complete the application (online or at the counter) before 3:00pm on a working day and the passport is usually ready to collect the same day. Submit after 3:00pm and it is typically ready from around 10:00am the next working day.
• UTC / walk-in: often ready within 1-2 hours if you submit early. UTCs (e.g. UTC Shah Alam, UTC Johor) usually open extended hours, including weekends.
• Peak periods — festive seasons, school holidays, year-end — can stretch processing to several working days.

Collection is in person, within 90 days. You must sign the passport in front of an officer, so there is no general postal or courier home-delivery for domestic collection. Bring your MyKad and payment receipt.

When to renew. You can renew at any time before expiry — there is no published hard cap on how early you may renew. As a practical guideline, renewing about 6 months before the expiry date is recommended, especially if you have upcoming travel. This matters because of the 6-month rule covered below.

Applying for a child's passport is always an in-person process — first-time child passports cannot be done fully online, because biometrics are captured at the counter.

Who must attend. Both the child and at least one parent/guardian must appear in person at an Immigration office, UTC, or overseas mission. The child is present for biometric capture regardless of age.

What to bring. The child's original birth certificate, the child's MyKid/MyKad, and the original MyKad of the legitimate parent(s)/guardian — copies of both parents' MyKads are typically required for under-18s. A non-Malaysian parent brings their original passport.

Consent. Parental/guardian consent is mandatory. In divorce, custody or single-parent situations, expect to provide a court custody order or additional consent documentation.

Fees and validity. Children 12 and below pay RM100 (5-year); those 13 and above follow the adult schedule (RM200, 5-year). Note the 10-year book is not available to under-18s. A child still receives a standard-validity passport — Malaysia does not issue a shortened-validity child passport.

Both loss and damage carry escalating compounded penalty fees and require an in-person application — they cannot be handled online.

If lost or stolen — report first. File a police report immediately (a missing-passport report from the nearest police station). Overseas, report to the local police and then the Malaysian mission. Then apply at any Immigration office (or mission) with the police report, MyKad/MyKid and a birth-certificate copy (plus parents' MyKads if under 18). The old passport number is cancelled/flagged.

If damaged. Bring the damaged passport itself plus standard documents. A police report is generally not required for damage, but the Immigration officer assesses whether it was deliberate/negligent and decides the compound.

Under the Fees (Passports and Visas) (Amendment) Order 2026 (effective 3 June 2026), replacement fees are set by category:

Under the 2026 schedule the statutory range now runs from about RM200 up to RM1,350 — the higher figures reflect the reformed penalties that accompanied the new passport, and the widely reported headline is "RM550 to RM1,350" for adults. Repeated or suspicious losses can trigger an investigation and delay — the outcome, decided by the Director General of Immigration, can take on the order of 10 working days (sometimes longer if flagged for investigation); confirm the timeframe with the issuing office.

Renewing abroad. Malaysians overseas renew at the nearest Malaysian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate (for example, the High Commission in Singapore) — not a foreign immigration office. Follow that mission's published process and fees; overseas fees may be charged in local currency at equivalent rates.

Expect it to be slower. Because books are printed/verified centrally and couriered, overseas processing typically runs about 2 to 4 weeks — some posts quote 5-10 working days, others up to 8 weeks. The renewal window is the same as at home: you can renew any time before expiry, with about 6 months out recommended. If you have urgent travel, a mission may issue an emergency/temporary travel document while the replacement is processed.

The 6-month validity rule. Most destination countries require at least 6 months of remaining validity on the date of entry (some require 6 months beyond your intended departure). This is an entry requirement of the destination country, not of Malaysia, but it is why Malaysia advises renewing at least 6 months early — an under-6-month passport can lead to boarding denial. Check your specific destination's rule before you fly.

The Malaysian International Passport is one of the world's more powerful travel documents.

• Henley Passport Index: as of the mid-2026 update, ranked around 6th globally with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to approximately 183 destinations. Earlier in 2026 (the January release) it stood at 9th with about 180 destinations — the index is refreshed periodically, so rank and destination counts move during the year.
• It is among the strongest passports in Southeast Asia, behind Singapore.
• Technically it is an ICAO-compliant biometric e-passport — polycarbonate data page and embedded chip — and the 2026 book adds further security features.

A strong ranking does not remove the 6-month validity requirement many countries impose on entry, and visa-free access still means adhering to each country's permitted stay and entry conditions. For where Malaysians can go visa-free and how visas work for visitors to Malaysia, see the related guides below. Always verify the latest entry rules for your specific destination before booking, as visa-free lists and conditions change.