Many frustrated with passport renewal problems

In person: People waiting to renew their passports at the Immigration Department in Plaza PKNS, Shah Alam. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Many people applying for a passport online ended up having to go to the Immigration Department to complete certain procedures.

They spoke of their frustration, saying the department should come out with a clear list of instructions on the dos and don’ts.

Checks by The Star at the Immigration Department’s Jalan Duta and UTC Pudu offices revealed that not all was smooth with the online application process, with some having to come in person.

One of them, a sales director who wanted to be known as Lee, 46, said he travelled from Singapore just to renew his passport.

“The instructions are unclear for online applications. Like do you take a picture first or fill your details online and then proceed to the counter? I was grateful that an officer helped me but the next person is going to have the same problem,” he said.

Homemaker Alicia Hor, 39, from Kuala Lumpur was seen moving between the various counters.

“I have been trying to get an appointment slot online. It is tedious having to fill up certain details before you are asked to choose a slot. But when you click the slot is unavailable. One has to go back to the first page and fill everything up again!

“So I decided to try my luck by walking in, but I still do not know what to do. Then when I finally got everything done, the system was not accepting payment by credit card,” she said.

Retail sales executive Chloe Heng, 26, from Kuala Lumpur, took a chance by walking in to renew her passport which lapsed during the earlier travel restrictions imposed by the government.

“I did not have an appointment, so I just came. I honestly don’t know what to do. I will just ask the officer what is required,” she said.

Some applicants who turned up at the UTC Pudu office spoke of their frustrations trying to renew their passports online.

One of them, who wanted to be known as Lim, said the online system showed that his fingerprint had to be retaken as the one saved was either not in the database or no longer functional.

“The system could not process my renewal application due to the fingerprint issue. So I made an appointment to come personally to renew my passport.

“The system also instructed me to go to Immigration directly as it could not process my application. I am not sure what is wrong with my fingerprint,” he said.

Another applicant, who declined to be named, said she faced the same problem.

“But I have always had problems when it comes to detecting fingerprints. So it could be due to that. And also, I could not upload my photo,” she added.

However, a photo shop which was assisting with online passport renewals did not face any problem, with a worker there saying that at least 30 to 40 applications had been successful.

“The only problem is with fingerprints. Those facing problems must go to the Immigration office but other applications were smooth,” he said.