The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority said in Singapore that the number of applications for new passports had risen to an all-time high this month.
It said the number of passports that have expired or will soon expire is one million.
Every day nearly six thousand people apply for a new passport; By comparison, an average of two thousand people applied every day before the Covid-19 epidemic.
The commission noted that Singaporeans were looking forward to traveling abroad again as the border controls were relaxed and the vaccination package came into effect.
As more applications arrive it will take extra time to check them out and issue passports; We seek the understanding of Singaporeans on this, the Commission said.
It asked Singaporeans planning to travel in the next few months to apply in advance if they needed to renew their passports.
Applications can also be submitted through the Commission’s website. The commission advised that Singaporeans who did not plan to travel abroad for the next six months would no longer need to renew their passports.