Immigration: Money transactions through passport card can be made from anywhere

Money transactions from the new Maldivian passport card can be made from anywhere in the world, says Maldives Immigration.

Information officer at Maldives Immigration, Hassan Khaleel reported to “Sun” this Thursday that all services available through the Bank of Maldives cash card will also be available from the new passport card. He said the passport card can be used both as a debit and credit card.

“Same as how money can be withdrawn while abroad from the visa card, money can also be withdrawn using the passport card from abroad. Business transactions can also be made using the passport card while abroad,” said Khaleel.

Khaleel said Maldives Immigration was working on integrating more services into the passport card.

Khaleel said Maldivian passport cards cannot be used abroad yet. He said the authority was negotiating with foreign countries to allow passport cards to be used as a substitute for passports.

“It will time to come to an agreement which will be made between two countries. This cannot be done overnight. We are trying to arrange for passport cards to be accepted at foreign airports,” said Khaleel.

He said the authority was also working on arranging for the passport cards to be accepted as a substitute to national ID cards for services from hospitals and State institutions.

Passport card application forms will be available starting from October 24, says Khaleel. The fee for a passport card is MVR 450.

“There is no additional fine even if you lose the passport card. You just need to pay the fee of MVR 450 to make a new passport card if the card is lost,” said Khaleel.

Maldives Immigration advises owners of passport cards not to lend it to anyone else for use. It advises never to take a photocopy of the back of the card, but to take a photocopy of the front, if required.

The passport card was launched by President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom at a function on October 11.