Son scribbles on passport, father stranded in South Korea

KUALA LUMPUR: This situation may seem funny to you, but this happened to a family from China who travelled to South Korea.

According to a news portal, the United Kingdom's Metro News, a four-year-old child drew on his father's passport which made it invalid for use and was not accepted by the authorities in South Korea.

This caused his father, known as Chen, to be stranded in South Korea and could not return to China with his family.

Chen’s passport which had been scribbled on by his son – source Metro News

Chen uploaded his passport photo on social networking sites in China, namely Weibo asking for help.

However, Kotaku.com reported that Neogaf.com claimed the scribbles on Chen's passport were fake and it was drawn using MS Paint.

The report also said that China's national passport has a gloss coated layer as it needs to be slid under scanners and the thin coat would cause smearing if a child were to write on it, apart from ink bleeds.

Chen’s passport which had been scribbled on by his son – source Metro News

Upon closer examination, the scribbles on the passport had a constant ink thickness. The news of social media sites just ends there with no follow-up report.

Meanwhile the Immigration Department in Malaysia when contacted by Astro AWANI said, if you face the same predicament as Chen, a replacement passport can be made at any Immigration office.

Cases of Malaysian Passports Damaged

Malaysian Passport are deemed damaged if:

i. Wet

ii. Scribbled

iii. Torn

iv. Burned

v. Bitten by insects/termites

vi. Blurred photo

vii. Details in passport amended

Request for replacement passport by submitting the documents below to the nearest Immigration Office: 

• Supporting documents (original and copies) such as Identity Card

• Birth certificate

• Two 35mm x 50mm sized photos with white backdrop

For foreigners in Malaysia, they need to lodge a report with their respective embassies. A letter will then be issued by the embassy which will then be processed by Immigration officials in Malaysia, said the Immigration Department official.

- ASTRO Awani