If you’re wondering how hard could it be, try getting a cranky newborn baby to sit still while taking a passport photo at the immigration office.
Some applications can take parents more than half an hour just to get their young children to look towards the camera without bursting out in tears.
It is also almost impossible for little infants to sit up straight, so this means the parents would have to prop them up.
So these little things all add up and the parents could end up spending more time than necessary at the immigration office just to get the passport application over and done with.
Now, there's finally good news for exhausted parents because the Immigration Department has introduced a new system that will make their lives pre-travel a lot easier.
New Straits Times reported a new system called ‘Mars Mirror’ that was designed to allow children below two years old to lie down while getting their pictures taken.
The children can lie down on a four-wheel baby bassinet, similar to those found in hospitals, that is equipped with ‘live capture’ technology. This makes it easier for immigration officers to properly capture their faces.
Mars Mirror was the brainchild of the Immigration Department’s Innovation and Creativity Team in Sarawak after having worked on it since June last year.
Not only does the new system save time, it also speeds things up and improves the application process at immigration counters.
There will be a total of 70 Mars Mirror units distributed to all immigration departments nationwide, beginning with the first one in Kuching.
The Immigration Department is targeting all offices in Malaysia to start implementing this new system by next year.
No more blurry baby passport photos!