PUTRAJAYA, May 19 — The Immigration Department will begin issuing a new Malaysian passport with 94 security features from June 1, further strengthening the security of the nation’s identification document.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said that in the initial phase, the issuance of the new passport will be handled by four offices: the Immigration headquarters in Putrajaya, the Kuala Lumpur Passport Office in Jalan Duta, the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) in Wangsa Maju, and the Shah Alam Immigration Office.
The rollout of the new passport will be implemented in stages, with full nationwide issuance expected by July.
“Previously, our passports had 49 security features, but the new version has nearly doubled that number to 94.
“This is aimed at further enhancing security features so that our passports are more secure and more difficult to forge,” he said during a media conference after the 2025 Immigration Department Excellent Service Awards ceremony, which was officiated by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today.
Commenting on the new security enhancements, Zakaria said that the improvements include enhanced holograms, ultraviolet printing, hidden visual elements, and several specialised forensic features that are difficult to forge.
“Even the thread used to bind the passport booklet has its own security features, and each page is designed differently,” he said.
Zakaria also advised the public not to rush to replace their passports, noting that existing passports with more than six months’ validity remain usable and do not need to be replaced.
“Existing passports remain valid as long as they are within their validity period. The public is advised not to rush to obtain the new passport simply because of its new features.
“In fact, if the passport is still valid for more than six months, there is no need to replace it now. It can be renewed after it expires,” he said.
Applications for the new Malaysian passport can also be made online, although this depends on the capacity of the respective passport offices.
Zakaria also reminded the public applying for passports online to use genuine photographs and not images altered using artificial intelligence (AI).
“I would like to stress that passport applicants should not use photos generated or modified using AI.
“We have detected several cases where applicants wanted better-looking photos; for example, brightening darker images or enhancing their appearance, and used AI,” he said, noting that Immigration officers have the expertise to detect AI-generated images.
Earlier this year, Saifuddin said that Malaysia would introduce a new-look passport and MyKad within six months as part of efforts to strengthen the security of national identification documents.
The introduction of the new documents marks a significant milestone, particularly as the Malaysian passport is currently ranked among the most powerful in the world.
The Malaysian passport ranked third globally in 2025, placing it among the world’s most powerful passports.
