Will you be travelling internationally for the first time in 2024? If that’s a yes, then it’s time to get your passport done. Luckily for us, one Malaysian recently took to his TikTok page to explain just how to do it.
TikTok user @ijadshukor, who goes by Ijad, had his own passport made for the first time, documenting the steps and what it took to create it. In the clip, Ijad, who went to the Urban Transportation Centre (UTC) in Ipoh, Perak, explained that all he needed to bring with him was his identification card (IC) and a copy of it.
Upon arriving at the centre, Ijad was required to download an application called QMS on his phone which aided visitors in selecting a number for their waiting turn. However, despite being an astounding 67 numbers behind the individual who was being served when he arrived, Ijad stated that it only took him an hour of waiting to get it done.
When his turn arrived, Ijad was notified by the QMS application, and proceeded to collect his passport. Altogether, Ijad made a payment of just RM200 for the process.
Aside from his descriptive video, WORLD OF BUZZ did some sleuthing of our own and discovered other crucial factors Malaysians should remember if they plan to make their passport for the first time.
Firstly, the website of the Malaysian Immigration Department stipulates that the cost for a passport is RM200 for all ordinary applicants aged 13 to 59 years old, but is just RM100 for applicants above the age of 60, who are classified as senior citizens, and the same for children aged 12 and under. Payment can be made in cash, credit card, or through postage or bank draft crossed.
Image for illustration purposes only.
All first-time applicants must present themselves at an Immigration Department to make their passport and do not need to bring photographs unless the application is submitted through the Malaysian Representative Office abroad. As stated by Ijad, applicants must bring along their IC and a copy of it. However, those who do not possess one need to provide a Temporary Identity Card and birth certificate.
In a brief conversation with WORLD OF BUZZ, Ijad also stated that not all departments may require applicants to download the mobile app for turn numbers, and that it may also require the traditional method of taking a tangible ticket when one arrives to a centre.
Image for illustration purposes only.
Receiving praise from other Malaysians on his concise description, one user also asked Ijad what applicants need to wear when carrying out the process, to which the creator himself said anything dark in colour.
Accurate and precise, the Malaysian Immigration Department also stated that the dark-coloured clothing must cover one’s chest and shoulders, and that no individual is allowed to wear eyeglasses when taking the picture. All Malaysians are also not allowed to wear a hat or hair which covers their face, while hijab-wearing applicants can only wear dark-coloured hijabs that do not cover their forehead.
Watch Ijad’s full TikTok video below:
And that’s it! Just a few simple steps to get your passport done for the first time.
Also read: M’sian Travellers Teach Irish TikToker Malay Words in Vienna & Even Speak to Him in Japanese
