Different types of passports issued to citizens of Malaysia for travel

Malaysian citizens can obtain different types of passports. These include ordinary passports, diplomatic passports, and service passports. Additionally, there are identity cards, although they are no longer issued in this country.

The most common passport in Malaysia is the ordinary passport, which is a standard passport issued to Malaysian citizens for international travel. It allows holders to travel abroad for leisure, business, or personal reasons and features an iconic red cover," according to the SAYS website.

In 1998, biometric data was added to the regular passport, making it machine-readable. This allows passport holders to pass through immigration control at airports faster and increases security. The Malaysian passport is currently ranked 12th in the world according to the Henley Passport Index.

Diplomatic passports are issued to Malaysian diplomats, government officials, dignitaries, and their dependents. They grant diplomatic immunity and facilitate travel on official government business.

In Malaysia, diplomatic passports are issued by the Department of Immigration in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra). Malaysian diplomats are eligible for diplomatic passports when they are appointed to work in an embassy abroad. When they are posted abroad, their spouses and children also receive diplomatic passports.

Service passports, also known as official passports, are issued exclusively to Malaysian government officials who travel abroad to perform official duties. It certifies the holder's affiliation with the Malaysian government and is issued by the Immigration Department in consultation with Wisma Putra.

In Malaysia, there are also passports with restrictions on entry to Brunei. These are issued to Malaysian citizens specifically for traveling to Brunei. Currently, restricted passports are only issued for travel to Brunei, and only Malaysian citizens residing in the states of Sarawak, Sabah, and Labuan are eligible to apply for such passports. Restricted passports have a blue cover and are valid for five years.

Additionally, there were passports that have been suspended. The Zokerma passport was a Hajj passport issued to Malaysians going on pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Applications were submitted through the Tabung Haji, and the passports had a green cover. The Hajj passports were abolished in 2009, and now pilgrims use regular passports.

The passport with limited access to Singapore is also no longer issued. Like the Brunei Limited Access Passport, the Singapore Limited Access Passport was only issued to Malaysians traveling to the city-state. After Singapore introduced a requirement for travel documents to be valid for at least six months, Malaysian limited access passports were no longer valid. Since mid-2006, Malaysians have been required to use a regular passport to enter Singapore.

Earlier, TravelWise told you how to renew your passport and how long it takes.