Renew passport at Jalan Reko, Kajang on Sunday

Didn't get to renew our passports last week. We only have a week left before we fly. We thought the Immigration Office at Putrajaya open on weekends so decided to renew ours on Sunday. Luckily, I check the official website and they actually don't! They have ceased weekend operation but other offices in UTC centres still operate on weekends as normal. As if god sent, the Immigration Office in Kajang still open on weekends so we aimed to get things done there.

You know the drill if you go to all these public service centres... on weekends. As AirAsia tagline says 'Now Everyone Can Fly', more people travel overseas these days and so queue at immigration offices may be exceptionally longer. Also weekend is the only time working people could allocate to settle their errands including applying or renewing their passports.

Immigration Office, Jalan Reko Kajang
Long queue up to 200m is a normal sight at the Immigration Office at Jalan Reko, Kajang (NO! I'm exaggerating on the 200m! Hoho). You have to be there maybe half a hour before the office opens if you want to be the first 100.

The office opens at 8.00 am. Someone came at 7.55 am and her number was 145. I came at 8.10 am and received my number at 9.40 am. I was number 160.  I think they only issue max up to number 200 because they close at 1.00 pm.

The flow
1. Before getting your number, show your IC (birth certs for kids) coupled with passports in order. It's logical thing to do to ease the officer's job checking whether you have complete documentation before proceeding.
2. The office also reminds you to check you kids' height right after that. This is a major change, saves tons of minutes when the measuring wall is neatly located near the number counter.
3. The most impressive change: no need to fill up application forms! Another logical improvement when you leverage on technology. Everything is electronic based. No paper, all softcopies and databases. Totally a relief of burden to the applicants. So just wait for your turn to get your photograph taken.
4. No. 160 got called just before 12, about 11.40 am. About 2 hours after we took our number. Remember, no need to bring recent passport size photos because they will take your picture with their in-house cameras. Cost savings for you there!
5. Then you wait for payment. It's not long after no. 4
6. Then wait to collect your passport. Also not long after no. 5

So roughly, hours spent to

1. get our number = 1.5 hours
2. get to our turn for application process/ photograph from no. 1 = 2 hours
3. pay and collect our new passport after no.2 = 30 minutes

Take note that we came 10 min after the office opened so we had 159 applications before us. If you come earlier, the time taken should be shorter than 4 hours.

Distraction for the kids
I think I prefer Kajang to the big Putrajaya office because it's in a complex so it's easy to buy food if your kids are hungry. Furthermore, it's nearer to my house which is only 8 min drive. I was preparing for a nightmare because I was managing the kids alone. Somehow it was manageable and was not a problem at all.

Efficient service
Immigration Office has improved tremendously from the last time I renewed my passport in 2013 at Perlis office. No forms to fill, no need to bring passport sized photos and the instruction and process flow is clearer. The staff also are more courteous and pleasant. They have leveraged on technology to improve at-the-counter services and 4 hours waiting was well, seems acceptable.

All in all, I'm relieved I've renewed the passports and despite the 4 hour process, it was a good experience. Everything seems..... in place.