Passport issuance in the Maldives is expected to return to normal from Sunday after the issue affecting the printing of passport books was resolved, Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology Ali Ihusaan has said.
Speaking at a press conference, Ihusaan said the controlled passport issuance system introduced on August 27 was necessary after the German company supplying passport books to the Maldives informed the government of problems at its printing facility.
According to Ihusaan, the Maldives has been receiving passport books from the same company for nearly 11 years, with no previous supply issues.
The company had informed Maldivian authorities earlier this year about difficulties at its printing facility and warned that delays could occur. However, Ihusaan said Immigration initially did not introduce controls because the supplier repeatedly assured the Maldives that there would not be a major shortage.
By August 27, however, authorities determined that the situation could lead to a significant shortage if no measures were taken, prompting Immigration to introduce controlled passport issuance.
Ihusaan stressed that passports continued to be issued to Maldivians studying abroad, people travelling overseas for medical treatment and those with imminent travel dates throughout the period.
The minister announced that the printing issue has now been resolved and that a new supply of passport books is expected to arrive in the Maldives this weekend. Normal passport issuance is therefore expected to resume from Sunday.
There are currently 2,646 pending passport applications, which Ihusaan said Immigration expects to clear within five days. Working hours will also be extended, while passport printing capacity will be increased to its maximum to speed up the process.
He said people with upcoming travel dates will continue to be prioritised until the backlog is cleared and the controlled issuance system is completely removed.
The Maldives receives an average of around 350 passport applications each day.
Ihusaan also highlighted the expansion of passport services under the current administration. When President Mohamed Muizzu took office, passports were issued at five Immigration locations, while the service is now available at 39 locations across the Maldives.
He said expanding access to essential services is part of the President’s vision, and Immigration intends to continue providing passport services through all 39 locations once normal issuance resumes.
The minister also compared the Maldives’ passport issuance system with those of developed countries, noting that passports can take 28 to 40 days to be issued in some first-world countries, while the Maldives generally issues passports within 24 hours.
He said Immigration often completes all applications received on a given day before closing.
Ihusaan apologised for the inconvenience caused to the public by the controlled issuance system in recent weeks.
More passport locations planned
Answering a question from Hasnaa of Farudhun News about whether Immigration plans to expand passport services beyond the existing 39 locations, Ihusaan said further expansion is already being planned.
He said the President has instructed Immigration to begin providing services on islands with populations of at least 1,000 people if those islands have an airport, with the target being to start such services before February next year.
In addition to the existing 39 locations, Ihusaan said four more locations have already been confirmed.
Immigration also provides passport services in Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
No alternative supplier being sought
Ihusaan said the passport books were never completely out of stock at Immigration despite the recent supply difficulties.
He explained that Maldivian passports contain strong security features and are considered among the strongest passports in South Asia, meaning they cannot simply be printed by any available company.
As a result, Immigration is not currently seeking an alternative supplier for passport books.
Instead, Ihusaan said the focus is on building a larger stock of passport books that can provide sufficient reserves in the event of a similar supply disruption in the future.
