Malaysian Passport Renewal via Online

Consider this a long overdue review. My laziness knows no boundaries.

Ever since we received the irresponsible news from Malaysian Immigration that passport booklet stock is in a deplete and that renewal could take up to 6 months, Malaysians flocked to Immigration Offices, queue-ing up from 3am onwards just to get numbers; travelling became a nightmare.

I have been a victim of this too, sacrificing my well-deserved weekends queue-ing up at immigration offices only to find that I am unable to get a number (angka giliran).

Fearing for my impending overseas travel in 3 weeks and my passport expiring in 3 months, I had no choice but to put my hands on the MyOnline Passport system that commenced in 03 Sept 2016. I began my application on the very next day.

Paying online was a hassle, a damned nightmare as the FXS payment system was permanently down, promptig me to refresh for the millionth time and even sacrifice my lunch breaks at work to sit in front of the computer and eat while damnably clicking refresh. While at home, on the 4th Sept (Saturday), FXS payment was finally up and I managed to make payment. E-Receipt was issued and my instruction was to come the next day (6th Sept, Sunday) to collect at my chosen Immigration office. I chose the Pudu UTC as it is nearest to my office. I could just pop in after work.

So I sacrificed yet another weekend, as collection was only between 9.00am-4.30pm. So after one hour journey from home, I gleefully reached the Pudu office only to be told collections are never on weekends  but weekdays only. I shoved the receipt on his face and pointed that I am following instructions.

He then pointed to an instruction, conveniently printed in small font, that says collection is only from Monday-Friday with the times specified above. I fumed. I fumed at the very polite and apologetic immigration officer, I fumed during my entire journey home. I fumed at the Malaysian Immigration customer complaints page.

I decided to wait one week to give these guys leeway in preparing my passport. I went back Friday the next week around 3.00pm and thankfully I was given a number as I was an "online payment" customer. I waited 15 minutes for my number to be called only to be told that my picture is wrong. So the very polite and patient immigration officer (he was tho, I am not being sarcastic) apologized and took my picture and told me that after this I can collect, just wait for my number.

I am a very prepared and resourceful young woman you see, anticipating the long wait commonplace in government offices, I brought my knitting needle and yarn. Let the wait begin.

I waited for exactly one hour when my number was called. I finished a simple square dishcloth by that time.

Apalagi, gumbira lah dapat passport baru. Signed the forms, new passport and retrieved the old one.

Went home. I actually stood in the Immigration office hallway and just LOOKED at my shiny new passport. Doesn't matter that my passport photo looked like a mugshot. I had a new passport valid for 5 years. I don't have to think about this caboodle of a mess for another 5 years.

And that folks, recounts my nightmare of a journey getting a new Malaysian passport.

Lessons Learned:

1. Always pick up your passport on a working day.
2. Your photo uploaded online may very well be rejected by the system, so prepare to get a new one at the office anyway.
3. You will wait long. Bring a book to keep yourself occupied, like me with my yarn and knitting needle.