To renew a Malaysian passport, most citizens use the Immigration Department’s MyOnline Passport portal at imi.gov.my, pay RM200, and collect the new document at their chosen immigration office about four weeks later. The online route is only open if you already hold an e-Passport, you’re at least 13 years old, and your current passport is intact. Everyone else, including anyone whose passport is lost, stolen, or damaged, has to apply in person.
Who Can Renew Online
The MyOnline Passport system has firm gates. You must be 13 or older and already hold an e-Passport, the version with the microchip. Your current passport also has to be in good physical condition: no water damage, torn pages, or defaced covers. If it’s lost, stolen, or damaged, the portal will reject your application and send you to an immigration office instead.
Senior citizens aged 60 and above can use the online system and pay a reduced fee. Applicants under 18 can also apply online, but a parent or legal guardian must consent to the application and be physically present when the new passport is collected.
What It Costs
Fees are set by age and status:
- Adults aged 13 to 59: RM200
- Senior citizens aged 60 and above: RM100
- Children aged 12 and under: RM100
- Students aged 21 and under studying abroad: RM100 (proof required)
- Pilgrimage travel with a confirmation letter from Tabung Haji: RM100
- Persons with disabilities (OKU): free
Students claiming the discount need an offer letter from their university, an official tuition receipt, or a valid student card. Without that documentation you’ll be charged the full RM200. OKU applicants must present their disability card to qualify for the waiver.
On the online portal, payment is made by credit card or direct debit through the integrated Malaysian banking portals.
Photo and Document Requirements
Keep your MyKad and your current passport in front of you when you start the application. The system pulls your identification numbers and expiration dates and cross-references them against national databases, so a small typo can trigger a rejection.
The biometric photograph is where most applicants stumble. The rules are strict:
- Dimensions of 35mm by 50mm on a white background with no shadows
- Dark-colored clothing covering the shoulders and chest; hijab wearers must wear a dark-colored hijab that does not cover the forehead
- Eyes open, mouth closed, facing the camera directly, with forehead and ears visible
- No prescription glasses, sunglasses, or tinted lenses
- No hats or head coverings except religious headwear, which cannot obscure any facial features
The photo you upload is used for the application file and initial verification. When you collect the passport at the counter, the Immigration Department captures a fresh photo using its Facial Live Capture system.
Submitting the Application Online
Start at imi.gov.my and open the MyOnline Passport portal. After you accept the terms, fill in your personal details, upload the biometric photograph, and choose the immigration office where you want to collect the finished passport.
The portal moves to the payment screen once your data is in. After payment clears, a confirmation screen appears with your application reference number. Save or print this receipt right away. You’ll need it to check your status and to collect the passport, and the counter can turn you away without it.
Processing currently runs about four weeks. You can track your application through the Immigration Department’s online inquiry system using your MyKad number. Don’t book tight international travel right after submitting.
Walking Into an Immigration Office or UTC
If you’d rather handle it in person, or you aren’t eligible for the online route, you can apply at any Immigration Department branch or Urban Transformation Centre (UTC). Most offices use a Queue Management System (QMS) smartphone app for walk-in traffic: download the app, select the office you plan to visit, and grab a queue number when they’re released at 6:00 AM daily.
Persons with disabilities and senior citizens aged 60 and above are exempt from QMS and can approach the counter directly.
UTC centres across Peninsular Malaysia tend to have the most generous hours, often 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily including weekends. Regular immigration offices keep shorter hours that vary by state, usually Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Offices in Kedah, Pahang, Perlis, and Terengganu close earlier, around 5:00 PM. Most observe a Friday break from about 12:15 PM to 2:45 PM.
Collecting the New Passport
Whether you applied online or in person, you have to collect the passport yourself at the office you selected. Bring your printed payment receipt, your original MyKad, and your old passport. Missing any of them means a wasted trip.
At the counter, officers capture your fingerprints and verify them against the biometric data stored in the new chip. Your old passport is cancelled on the spot, though it’s usually handed back to you. Once identity checks pass, the national registry updates to reflect the new document.
Applicants under 18 need a parent or legal guardian present at collection for the verification.
The 90-Day Collection Deadline
You have 90 days from the “LULUS” (approved) date to collect the passport. Miss that window and the passport is cancelled with no refund. You’d then submit a fresh application and pay the full fee again.
When to Start: The Six-Month Validity Rule
Many countries, including popular destinations in Southeast Asia, require at least six months of remaining validity from your date of arrival. Malaysia applies the same standard to foreign visitors. If your passport expires in seven months and you’re planning a two-week trip, you could be denied boarding or turned away at immigration on the other side. Renew well before the six-month mark rather than pushing it to the last weeks.
Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Passports
None of the above applies if your passport is lost, stolen, or damaged. The online portal won’t accept the application, and the entire process moves in person at an immigration office or UTC. Penalty fees stack on top of the standard RM200 renewal and escalate with each occurrence.
For adults, the penalties are RM400 for a first loss or personal-fault damage (total RM600), RM700 for a second loss (total RM900), and RM1,200 for a third or more (total RM1,400). Children under 12 and students under 21 studying abroad face lower tiers: RM300, RM600, and RM1,100.
If the damage came from a flood or fire rather than personal negligence, the penalty may be waived when you provide an official report from the Fire and Rescue Department or your local Municipal Council. The standard RM200 renewal fee still applies.
Before visiting the office, file a police report. You’ll need the actual written report, not just a case number, along with a loss investigation questionnaire (Borang Soal Selidik Kehilangan Pasport) and other forms provided at the counter. Processing takes at least 10 working days, noticeably longer than a standard renewal.
Renewing From Overseas
Malaysians living abroad cannot use MyOnline Passport. Renewals go through the nearest Malaysian embassy or consulate, and each diplomatic mission has its own submission method, fee in local currency, and processing time. Contact the mission covering your location well before your passport hits the six-month mark, since some posts take up to two months to process a renewal by mail.