There have been almost 300,000 new passport applications in 2014, marking a rise of 38.1 percent year on year, according to the Passport Department.
In 2014, 290,000 people applied for new passports, and 130,000 people applied for an extension, the department said. In 2013, 210,000 people applied for a new passport while 140,000 went for an extension.
Passport ownership has become more attractive since the validity of passports were extended from three to five years in 2012, a big factor in the increase in applications, according to U Kyaw Nyunt, a department spokesperson.
So far in 2015, the rate of application has decreased somewhat, with 21,000 people applying for a new passport in January, and 22,000 in February.
The fee to apply for a passport is K25,000 and the process takes 10 days. The Ministry of Home Affairs is currently inviting tenders to upgrade the passport system this year.
