Batam Immigration Issues 8,401 Passports For Two Months

Passport illustration. (Photo: Antara)

BATAM - Class I Immigration Office specifically for Immigration Checkpoints (TPI) Batam issued 8,401 passports during March to April 2022.

"In March 2022, the number of passports we issued was 3,277 passports. In April, it increased again to 5,214 passports that we have issued," said Head of Information Technology (Infokim) Immigration Office Class I Special TPI Batam, Tessa Harumdila in Batam, Riau Islands, Saturday (28/5).

However, for this type of electronic passport, it is still not very attractive when compared to ordinary passports.

"Ordinary passports in March were 1,854, while electronic passports were 1,423. In April, there were 3,099 ordinary passports, while electronic passports were only 2,115," said Tessa.

The issuance of passports increased dramatically when compared to early January to February. In January, there were only 1,910 passports. In February there were 1,372 passports.

The increasing demand for passports is due to the increasing number of applications for passports, both new citizens taking care of passport making and those who are renewing.

"The increase is evenly distributed, both new and extended," he said.

Tessa said that the increase in requests for passports at the Class I Immigration Office specifically for TPI Batam began in March 2022 or when the government of the country you wished to visit had started to relax overseas regulations.

"In the last month alone, the increase is quite high, there are 1,122 ordinary passports and 707 electronic passports. So, in total there are 1,829 passports issued, whether new applications or extensions," he said.