Monday, February 20, 2006

Passport

Last week, we took Jesse down to Immigration and made the boy his very own International Passport.

Mae and I awoke at the crack of dawn. Our past experiences with the Immigration Dept. had been hours spent in line waiting, and waiting, and more waiting. Despite knowing that there was a special counter to serve children under two, senior citizens and handicapped folks, we decided not to risk it. And so by 8:15am, we were at Wilayah Kompleks in downtown KL.

"Ah, it's pretty quiet today," I tell Mae smugly, pleased at my own cleverness for picking the most efficient Immigration office. With that we quickly got down to business. We found a shop that took passport photos and also did the paperwork. After struggling with Jesse a little, we were done in no more than 15 minutes. As soon as we paid the elderly woman at the shop, she dropped the bomb on us.

"You'll have to go to Pusat Bandar Damansara," the little old lady says, "this Immigration office has been closed since September."

%@^&#@^&!!!!

Anyway, despite having to drive a good 30-ish km to Pusat Bandar Damansara, we were all done by 11:30am. Service was as good as can be expected. The document was done in two days. Mae picked it up today and that was pretty painless too.

So, parents, if you haven't done your kid's passport, go now. After he turns two, you'll be waiting in line just like everybody else. Also, note that you won't need both parents present. And your kid won't have to be there when you collect the passport. Oh yeah, they also get their own passports these days.

So yes, the experience was a reasonably pleasant. Jesse was cooperative most the time, except for the photo session when he fidgeted around like a monkey. And so, just like Mae and I, he's got a shitty picture in his passport too. I was gonna post up a picture, but I'm not that cruel. :)

17 comments:

  1. A family trip to somewhere outside Malaysia, soon?
    Jesse get to travel at such young age and I, at age 22 still haven't step out of Malaysia yet. -.-"

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  2. mae was just telling me about it this morning. but she didnt mention about wilayah kompleks tho. h aha ha ha ah aha!!!

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  3. hmmmm... will be off to do my son's passport b4 he strikes two... heard is much cheaper right?

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  4. We did our son's passport when he was 2 months old as we were taking him back to NZ for a medical check up, and to meet his grandparents. His passport picture?? Eyes closed!!! Asleep!! hahahha
    Even though it's cheaper before 2, but you have to go in and renew it at 2 anyway! That was what the officer told me... izit true??

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  5. so nice KL got special counter... we're not so lucky here in Penang... have to queue up like everyone else. I got my girl's and my own passport done beginning of this month. Had planned to go somewhere in March but that may not materialize :(

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  6. Going for a family holiday? Oh, do tell...
    Ya, I looked like a cross between a terrorist and a drug junkie on the passport. And to imagine I have to endure that for the next 4 1/2 years!!!

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  7. we're also going to get the passport thingy done for both monkeys... It's gonna be a real challenge...!

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  8. lucky jesse XDXD ....though you could have done the passport at kelana jaya.

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  9. Free tickets, Jason! :)
    *sigh* Gina, shouldn't have blogged this. Maybe you'll go to Wilayah Complex too!
    RM150 for 7 years, Eggy! Or was it 5...? Hmmm....
    No idea about the renewal, Chiwi. I'm just gonna follow the expiry date on the Passport!
    Aww, that's too bad, DGoddess!
    I don't believe, Anjali. Pls upload a scanned copy on your blog! :lol:
    I don't envy you one bit, MOTT! :lol:
    Kelana, Leo? Hmmm... I didn't know that. I thought the nearest one in PJ was Terminal 3 Subang!

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  10. Bah nothng like mine everything looks the same but the nose - they bloody flatened it somehow - the photo looks different from the original shot i gave! So much immi ppl at the airport look 3 4 times to make sure its me! Weee look the womans nose aint flat!

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  11. The immigration and custom of wilayah persekutuan is located in kelana jaya..which is a 2 mins walk from my place.

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  12. i thought people normally start queueing at the department from as early as 7am. you got it done rather quickly. :) now holiday away!

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  13. what a coincidence. we just did it a few days ago. went in at 9am, finished by 11.30am. quite fast actually.

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  14. :lol: Visithra, I know exactly what you mean. I think the Immigration Dept must have a really crappy scanner that burns everything. Jesse looks like a nose-less kid.
    Mybabybay: Stay tuned. :)
    Ooooh, I remember seeing it now. Next to Yamaha, right? They do passports there?
    They do, Eternity! Thanks to that special counter, we don;t have to.
    Surprising eh, Simon? Rekindles my faith in govt departments. Only a bit, though!

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  15. Not sure if they do...but it is the immigration ...and most of the folks in my area goes there. and yes next to yamaha.

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  16. ohhh my dear boy has a nose defect too? yayyyyyyyy ;p

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