Maldives Immigration Service has resumed issuing passports and expects to clear the backlog of pending requests by the end of the week.
A delay in the supply of new passport booklets had forced the agency to suspend new issuances, extend the validity of expired passports and issue emergency documents. The new stock arrived last weekend, and issuance restarted on Sunday with priority for applicants with urgent travel needs.
The suspension created a backlog of more than 2,000 applications. Officers are working overtime, and the agency has advised that there may be short delays while the backlog is cleared.
