E-passport issuance suspended for two months

Jul 9, 2026, 9:12 AM

Maldivian E-Passport: Issuance of e-passports ceased on May 8, 2026 --

Two months have passed since the issuance of e-passports was suspended due to a shortage of passport booklet stocks required for printing.

The issuance of e-passports was halted on May 8 after the Maldives ran out of the necessary booklet stock. According to information obtained by Adhadhu, the delay in procuring the booklets is due to outstanding unpaid invoices.

As a result of the e-passport booklet shortage, Maldives Immigration is currently issuing standard non-electronic passports to all applicants.

E-passports allow travelers to use automated e-gate services, bypassing manual immigration queues. These gates verify the identity of the passport holder through data stored on an embedded chip, as well as via facial recognition or fingerprint scans.

This marks the second time the Maldives has suspended e-passport services due to a stock shortage. A similar disruption occurred in 2024, when Immigration halted the issuance of e-passports for an extended period.

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