This week I went to the Passport Office to renew my passport where I presented the renewal form duly completed. After having the photo taken, I was asked to have an e-copy of my fingerprints to which I objected.

I asked the clerk who was asking for the insertion of fingerprints in passports and she just said us (the Passport Office). As she kept insisting, I asked to speak to the Director Passports but he could not or did not want to see me, and I was referred to a senior clerk who also kept insisting for the fingerprints.

I repeatedly objected and told this clerk that I do not need an e-passport to the countries to which I travel and could even use my ID card. He consulted his seniors and told me that his office was prepared to issue an old version passport for one year but chargeable at the same rate of a 10-year passport i.e. €70.

I kept insisting that if an old version passport could be issued for one year it could also be issued for the full term of 10 years and to qualify its validity for all countries except that/those country/countries that request an e-passport. The clerk stated that this was their final position and at this stage I refused to have my application processed and would be contacting the passport office once I had sought legal advice.

Lying around on the desk where I was being served there were brochures by the Ministry for Infrastructure, Transport and Communication advising travellers to a particular country that if they are holders of a Maltese e-passport they must register their visit to the particular country and be approved to travel to that country. Travellers who possess an old-version passport (that is one which is not an e-passport) must apply for a visitor visa in advance.

I do not intend ever to visit this particular country, or for that matter, any other country that imposes such preconditions. As far as I know biometric passports are only required for travel to the above-mentioned particular country and, therefore, in my case an e-passport would be superfluous.

Perhaps the Ministry for Infrastructure, Transport and Communication would be so kind as to inform applicants for passports which Legal Notice imposed the introduction of fingerprints on passports.

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