Updated information as at 8 December 2023 from our previous news alert dated 5 December 2023
Immigration
Malaysia | Introduction of Digital Arrival Card, Expansion of Autogate Facilities and Implementation of Visa Liberalisation Plan
Impact: Medium
Summary
Referring to the latest announcement made by the Malaysian Immigration Department (MID), effective 1 December 2023, all foreign nationals are required to submit their Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) within three days prior to arrival in Malaysia, except for certain categories of individuals.
The autogate facilities are extended and available for foreign nationals from 10 countries for arrival and departures at KLIA 1, KLIA 2 and all gazetted international checkpoints.
Following the recent Malaysia budget announcement on 13 October 2023, the Malaysian Government has now laid out the initiatives under the Malaysian Visa Liberalisation Plan which include visa exemption for Chinese and Indian nationals travelling to Malaysia for social visit, expansion of visa validity and duration, introduction of Umrah Transit Visa and Graduate Social Visit Pass. This Plan is aimed at promoting the entry of foreign nationals into Malaysia to boost the country’s economy and maintain Malaysia’s strong position especially in the investment and tourism industries within the region.
The Detail
Malaysia Digital Arrival Card
The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) has been introduced since 1 December 2023 and will be made mandatory from 1 January 2024 onwards for all foreign nationals entering Malaysia. Foreign nationals are required to submit the MDAC via this website within three days before arriving in Malaysia, except for the following categories of individuals:
● Malaysian Permanent Residents and Long Term Pass holders;
● Citizens of Singapore;
● Diplomatic and Official Passport holders;
● General Certificate of Identity (GCI) Brunei Darussalam holders;
● Brunei Malaysia Frequent Traveller Facility holders;
● Thailand Border Pass holders; and
● Indonesia Cross-Border Travel Document (PLB) holders.
Expansion of Autogate Facilities
The autogate facilities at KLIA 1, KLIA 2 and all gazetted international checkpoints have been expanded to foreign nationals from 10 countries which includes Australia, South Korea, United States, Brunei, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Singapore. For the first entry into Malaysia, eligible foreign nationals will not be able to use the autogate and will be required to submit the MDAC within three days before arriving in Malaysia, followed by verification of the passport at the manual counter which is a one time process before they are able to use the autogate to depart from Malaysia and for subsequent visits to Malaysia.
Prior to this, the autogate facilities were primarily available for Malaysian citizens and this initiative will help to ease the entry process into Malaysia for eligible foreign nationals.
Visa Liberalisation Plan
The following initiatives have been laid out by the Malaysian Government under the Visa Liberalisation Plan:
|
Initiatives |
Implementation Period |
Details |
| Visa Exemption for Chinese and Indian Nationals | 1 December 2023 to
31 December 2024 | The visa exemption is applicable for social activities for up to 30 days per entry.
This exemption does not apply for those entering Malaysia for employment or education purposes and a visa with reference must be obtained prior to entry into Malaysia. |
| Increase of Visa Validity Duration | 1 December 2023 to
31 December 2026 | The visa validity duration is extended to 6 months for all visa types i.e Visa without Reference and Visa with Reference. The number of entries allowed will depend on the approval of the visa which is granted i.e Single Entry Visa or Multiple Entry Visa and the duration of stay is 30 days per entry. |
| Expansion of Social Visit Pass Duration | 1 December 2023 to
31 December 2026 | The Social Visit Pass duration for entry into Malaysia is extended to 30 days for the 22 countries listed below:
|
Further extension of the Social Visit Pass duration is not allowed. | ||
| Umrah Transit Visa | 1 December 2023 to
31 December 2026 | Foreign nationals who require a visa to enter Malaysia for social visit can apply for this transit visa before or after performing Umrah for a duration of up to 7 days. The application needs to be made with registered agencies under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC). Further guidelines will be shared by the authority in due course. |
| Graduate Social Visit Pass | 1 December 2023 to
31 December 2026 | This facility is available to Student Pass holders in Malaysia from 23 countries listed below who have completed at least their Bachelor’s Degree in institutions of higher learning in Malaysia: |
| ||
| Pass holders will be allowed to remain in Malaysia for tourism activities, exploring opportunities for further education and part-time work in sectors that are allowed. In addition,
accompanying dependants are eligible to apply for a Long Term Social Pass under this facility. | ||
| Applications need to be made through the Student Pass Unit at the Immigration Department, Putrajaya.
The conditions for the Pass application are as follows:
|
What this means
The introduction of MDAC and the expansion of the autogate facilities are expected to increase efficiency and reduce the overall time spent at the entry points of Malaysia. These initiatives are in line with the Government’s aim to ease the entry process and attract more foreign visitors and investors into Malaysia for the purpose of boosting the country’s economy. Similarly, the Visa Liberalisation plan will enhance and promote the entry process into Malaysia to facilitate investment and tourism activities in a speedy manner. The introduction of the Graduate Social Visit Pass will also enrich the talent pool in Malaysia, especially in meeting the needs of the industry’s skilled manpower by providing job opportunities to eligible foreign graduates.
How we can help
Our team is closely monitoring the implementation of the above-mentioned immigration developments and we will be able to support you in understanding how these new initiatives will benefit your organisation and employees, including the new pass applications as introduced by the Malaysian authorities.
Contact us
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Sasha Reddy
Partner
sasha.reddy@vialto.com
Hana Rabi
Senior Manager
hana.rabi@vialto.com
Further information on Vialto Partners can be found here: www.vialtopartners.com