Immigration Controller Ahmed Faseeh has stated that preparations are underway to resume ordinary electronic passport services. 

Immigration halted the issuance of epassports in May after they ran out of the necessary booklets. 

Since then, those requesting ordinary passports have been issued non-electronic passports. 

In an article published on the 'Sarukaaru' government website by the Homeland Ministry, Faseeh said that an order has been placed for the items needed for electronic passport issuance. He estimates that a stock of these will be received by July end or early August. 

Once received, the service will be resumed, he said. 

Immigration has said that those who are issued non-electronic passports during this period will be exempt from paying the MVR 100 cancellation fee should they wish to change to electronic passports once the service resumes. 

The non-electronic passport is also issued in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, with five years validity and is machine-readable. 

Elderly persons and children under the age of 10 are always issued non-electronic passports, which carry a fee of MVR 600. The fee for electronic passports is MVR 1000.