Maldives Immigration to Resume Electronic Passport Services Early Next Month

Maldives Immigration will resume the issuance of electronic passports early next month, ending a temporary suspension caused by delays in importing essential passport booklets. The service was halted in May when shipments of the materials required for Ordinary Electronic Passports were delayed. Controller General of Immigration Ahmed Faseeh confirmed to PSM News that the necessary materials have been ordered and are expected to arrive by the end of this month or the beginning of next. Electronic passports offer significant convenience for travelers, granting access to e-gate facilities. This system allows passengers to bypass traditional immigration queues by verifying identity through facial recognition or fingerprint authentication, cross-referencing the data stored on the passport's embedded electronic chip. During the suspension, Maldives Immigration shifted to issuing Ordinary Non-Electronic Passports. These documents remain fully machine-readable and compliant with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, carrying a five-year validity period. There is a notable price difference between the two options: an Ordinary Electronic Passport costs USD 64.85, while the non-electronic version is priced at USD 38.91. In a move to support affected applicants, Maldives Immigration announced a special provision for those who received non-electronic documents during this period. Unlike previous similar disruptions, these holders will be permitted to upgrade to an electronic passport before their current document expires without paying a cancellation fee.