Renew Passport in Malaysia

I have been to Immigration department several times. For me, is a crowded place and it takes whole day just to renew the passport!!? I refuse to renew my passport even it has expired because I am scare of the long waiting hours. However, foreseeing overseas trips in coming months, I have no choice but to go through the “torture” again.

Prior to the day, I try to find out how many nearby immigration branches but  very disappointed to find only two outlets at Kuala Lumpur, one is at the Damansara which is the main branch, another located far end corner of Kuala Lumpur at Wangsa Manju. The branch near my office at Wilayah Complex which someone told me “nobody-punya” (not so crowded) unfortunately closed. In Selangor, the nearest is at Subang Terminal but also crowded with people. After considerations, I decided to go Damansara branch thinking it will be faster due to more manpower at the main branch level.

On the day, I woke up earlier than usual, rushed into the Immigration Department. When I drove in, I saw an open air parking bay next to the building and happily turning in. While passing by the auto gate, I saw the parking rate table and to my horror, oh my goodness, the first hour is charging RM6.00 and RM3.00/hour for subsequent hour. You don't need a mathematician to figure out if I stuck in Immigration Department, say 6 hours (quite normal), then my cost easily be RM21.00. This is too much, like a day time robbery. Later, I lagi frustrated when I found out the basement parking in building is charge much lesser. It charged on RM3 for first hour and subsequent hour at RM1.50/hour only. 

This is the Parking Bay I mentioned. I don't know the name but you won't miss this car park when you reach the area.

Oh Goodness!! What’s a wrong decision to park there, (1) the parking is located further from the Immigration office; (2) it is not even a cover parking which means my lovely car is under the torture of the hot sun or the rain. Why pay more and getting less ….. Ah yoh. Stupid system – what's a dog eats dog world. So I re-parked my car after 2 hours lapse. If you are happen to read my blog, please please please take note of this blood sucker and let boycott this stupid parking bay.

Anyway, after I entered into the immigration office, wow, so long queue, the queue was started from the counter, right across the hall and move on to the corridor, and it was a terrible countless long queue…… What can I do, wait-loh. You see, in Malaysia, our genius department is very talented, they ask you to queue for number first, after you “qqq” queue for the number, you need to queue for form submission, after you have submitted the form, then you have to wait and queue again for payment. After the payment, you need to wait again and again for the completion of passport. What a lengthy process …….

Finally, I got my number and it was at least 100 people away from my turn ... ah yoh....

As I was walking around and notice banner about Kiosk, out of curiosity, I asked around and I was told I can renew passport at the Kiosk. After searching for it, the Kiosk outlet was located a few blocks from the main branch (I don't understand why it has located from another place .... like scare people would know about it.. lol)

There are about 20 people there, but with 2 Kiosks working (2 out of order), I only queue for 20 minutes and it took a few minutes more to register my old passport including the payment. A small slip of acknowledgment is then printed out from the Kiosk informing me to go to a special counter after 1 hour at 10am.

The Process of Kiosk is simple, please read above.

Deep inside me, I felt sorry for those who came earlier in the morning for queuing using the traditional way. I think the Immigration Office should expand this Kiosk services in a bigger scale and do more publicity. People should be educated to use the process. I even won’t mind come one day earlier after work and return to collect the passport the following day.

This Banner said "Siap 1 Jam" (Finish by 1 hour), who can believe it !! Lol!!

With my smart move, now I can take my own sweet time seating at the air-con restaurant for breakfast and surfing internet while waiting for my new passport. Cut the long story short, it indeed faster as compare to the traditional way. The only mistake I made was that I assumed I  would get my passport after 10 am. So I did not follow the slip return to the counter by 10 am, I gave them another hour thinking by 11 am, my passport should be ready. But when I reached there, oh-no, I was given another number again. Because I had taken a later number, those people who had queued behind  me have finished earlier than me. I have to wait one and half hour more before I got my new passport. Ah - Yah ... 

Too Late

By the way, just to let you know, although the Kiosk operating hour is stated from 7.30 am to 3.00 pm, don’t believe it, all Kiosk will become "out of order" by 9+ am, it force to close because of the backlog at the backend office. Therefore, If you are renewing your passport using Kiosk, you still need to go there early. Good Luck