Passport - how long should it be valid

[Hishercar]

Letter to forum

 

Allow 10-year validity for adult passports

 

 

 

WITH the introduction of the biometric passport, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has reduced the validity period of a Singapore passport by half, from 10 years to five. As a result, Singaporeans are required to renew their passports more frequently and incur additional costs - $70 per passport for submission of applications by Internet or post and $80 for submissions at ICA counters.

 

As I understand it, the main reason for the change is that biometric passport holders are not allowed to update their photographs, unlike previously with non-biometric passports. ICA has since ceased the passport updating service. Instead, passport holders are required to change their passports every five years. This could be a waste of time and money, especially for those who travel infrequently and hardly use their passports.

 

This requirement should not be applicable to adult Singaporeans. Unlike children, the features of adults do not change much over the years and there is actually no need to update the photographs every five years. After all, we do not need to update the photographs for our identity cards.

 

Thus, passports issued to adults above 21 years (at the time of issue) should be given a longer validity period, say 10 years, as it was previously. This will help Singaporeans to save money and the hassle of frequent renewals. It will also help to reduce the crowds and the workload at ICA counters.

 

In addition, applicants are required to submit a colour photograph together with the application form. However, only a black-and-white version appears in the biometric passport. This is a step backwards.

 

Since photographs help to identify the passport holders, ICA should consider displaying them in colour.

 

I hope ICA will consider implementing my suggestions.

 

 

Goh Kian Huat

 

 

 

Every 5 years is a very short interval

 

just like asking mindef from deferrent from reservist - every 2 years now previously every one year

 

but we do change in our appearance every 5 years

 

I ever seen my friend's passport from another country than never change for 10 years. Now he looks like ah peh but photo in the passport look like a young man that goes pubbing

 

 

so who is right or wrong

 

is 5 years a good balance

 

 

[Mcf777]

most countries are using the 5 years system due to the new bio-metric passport.

 

[Babyt]

i still have 5 yrs left in my passport and now i have put on weight....im afraid immigration of the destination country may reject me haha

[Sony]

it's 5 years and with lesser pages.. not good for those that keep going over to JB to pump petrol..

 

but then, 5 years is a good balance in term of appearance/fashion changes..

it also help the govt keep proper records of their people....

[Dafansu]

security first, when terrorism is so rampant

[Alechi]

Longer validity of passport = higher security risk of the passport being misused.

 

Those still don't understand -> think harder

 

Between security and convenience, I prefer my family, my estate, my neighbourhood, my country be safe .. and that means security

[Watwheels]

i still have 5 yrs left in my passport and now i have put on weight....im afraid immigration of the destination country may reject me haha

 

The passport photo only show the face. How they know you were fat or thin previously?

[Babyt]

coz my face is rounder mah. not lean like last time

[Latka]

But they shud at least correspondingly halve the cost too. Validity period halved but not the cost. KNS.

[Sony]

But they shud at least correspondingly halve the cost too. Validity period halved but not the cost. KNS.

 

have u seen the new passport? the cost of making the new passport is definitely more than the older 10yrs passport..

 

if they do charity for this, then at some point, it will also be cream back from the citizen, i.e. us..

[Latka]

have u seen the new passport? the cost of making the new passport is definitely more than the older 10yrs passport..

 

if they do charity for this, then at some point, it will also be cream back from the citizen, i.e. us..

 

Yup. The photo and all the details on it are hard plastic. But they did mention that they got put a RFID tag (if dat`s the correct term). Suppose to locate our passport in case we lose it. Something like GPS?

[Hishercar]

does buying in bulk makes things cheaper

 

although more technology into the passport but the number of pages are less

 

on top of that instead of payment made to renew every ten years now it is every 5 years

 

any good accountant here that can do the sums

[Ultramega]

If the reason for making passports last only 5 years is to force us to update the photo, then it's sooooooooooo stupid.

 

Cos when we apply for passport, we can choose to do so by post. Meaning the officials don't get to see us. How they know the photo we submit reflect our current looks? If i use a 7 yr old photo, will they know?

 

Or like my friend, he used a professionally taken photo to apply for passport. He went studio, wear nice nice, had his hair done by hairdresser and a makeup artist did some makeup for him. Lastly the photo went through a round of Photoshopping. At the end of the day, he looked 10 years younger in the photo. Still, the photo was accepted. So WTH??

[Hishercar]

actually your reason is super valid and then destroy all credibility on the reason to renew passport eery 5 years for security reasons

 

good thinking

 

 

[Boyboy]

it's just a piece of plastic and a chip. there's much technology to make a plastic $2 note. how much does it cost?

 

say, the chip cost $10 (pretty sure it's much less), they still turn a very tidy profit. RnD more than compensated by fleecing the peasants and forcing them to change passports every 5 yrs.

 

but frankly, those who can afford to travel, no issue la. those who have to travel up north for work, take it as an investment, don't think the original 10 yr passport can last 10 yrs anyway, due to the high frequency. so there's no need to sweat this kinda small stuff...

[Sony]

Yup. The photo and all the details on it are hard plastic. But they did mention that they got put a RFID tag (if dat`s the correct term). Suppose to locate our passport in case we lose it. Something like GPS?

 

 

It's RFID, not GPS tracker..

[Sony]

does buying in bulk makes things cheaper

 

although more technology into the passport but the number of pages are less

 

on top of that instead of payment made to renew every ten years now it is every 5 years

 

any good accountant here that can do the sums

 

 

 

I'm not an accountant, neither am I a logistician.. thus I can't answer your question.

Edited March 12, 2009 by Sony

[Sony]

If the reason for making passports last only 5 years is to force us to update the photo, then it's sooooooooooo stupid.

 

Cos when we apply for passport, we can choose to do so by post. Meaning the officials don't get to see us. How they know the photo we submit reflect our current looks? If i use a 7 yr old photo, will they know?

 

Or like my friend, he used a professionally taken photo to apply for passport. He went studio, wear nice nice, had his hair done by hairdresser and a makeup artist did some makeup for him. Lastly the photo went through a round of Photoshopping. At the end of the day, he looked 10 years younger in the photo. Still, the photo was accepted. So WTH??

 

 

eh.. when you collect passport, you do it in person.. not by proxy..

 

 

When a photo is accepted, it means that it's still recogniseable.. then there's the finger printing process etc..

 

while I prefer 10 years with many many pages for me to go JB, the security side of me will still accept the 5 years..

 

plus, the elite in me said it's only $70, so be it..