Malaysia
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Region: Southeast Asia

Pandemic Travel Alert

CLOSED TO LEISURE TRAVEL

Updated: 2020-10-06

Entry

General Policy
  1. Starting 18 March 2020, entry denied to all travellers. Malaysia nationals and permanent residents are excepted and allowed entry, but are not allowed to travel abroad for holidays. Expatriate Pass, Student Pass, Dependent Pass, and Temporary Work Pass holders are generally not allowed entry. Transiting travellers who do not require immigration clearance are allowed to board connecting flights.
  2. On 3 September 2020, the government announced that starting 7 September entry would be denied to all travellers from countries with more than 150,000 COVID-19 cases, listing 23 countries: US, United Kingdom, Turkey, Spain, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Philippines, Peru, Pakistan, Mexico, Italy, Iraq, Iran, Indonesia, India, Germany, France, Columbia, Chile, Brazil, Bangladesh, Argentina. NOT exempted from ban: permanent residents, long-term pass holders, and foreign spouses of Malaysia citizens. One week later, on 10 September the ban was relaxed after employers complained: expatriates and professional visit pass-holders can apply for entry by submitting a supporting letter from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority or related agencies. The government also announced that permanent residents, foreign spouses of Malaysian citizens, and student pass-holders could apply for entry.
  3. On 28 August 2020, the entry ban was extended until 31 December 2020.
  4. Starting 25 August 2020, foreign spouses and children of Malaysians who do not hold long-term permits (and therefore have been banned from entry since March 18) are allowed entry to apply for the permits.
  5. Starting 14 May 2020, Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) pass holders can apply for entry, but approval is not automatic and is subject to conditions.
Sources:
  1. "MCO FAQ: Air travel during implementation of Movement Control Order"
  2. "Malaysia relaxes entry ban on expats, professional visit pass-holders from 23 countries"
  3. "Malaysia extends Covid-19 movement curbs to Dec 31: tourists still not allowed to enter"
  4. "Foreign spouses and kids allowed back into Malaysia, says senior minister"
  5. "No automatic approval for MM2H members wanting to return"
  6. "Covid-19: Reopening of borders low priority, says Health D-G"
Business/Employment Travel
  1. Starting 10 August 2020 under the "Reciprocal Green Lane" arrangement, travellers of all nationalities who are legally residents in Singapore may apply to travel for single-entry essential business and official purposes for up to 14 days. Travellers must be hosted by a Malaysian company or government agency, and must submit a business/official tentative program. Entry by land or air is permitted.
  2. Starting 10 August 2020 under the "Periodic Commuting Arrangement", citizens and permanent residents of Singapore who hold Long Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP) for business or work purposes in Malaysia may apply to re-enter Malaysia for work. Employers must submit applications for their employees. After entering Malaysia, the employee should work at least three consecutive months in Malaysia before returning to Singapore for short term home leave and subsequently re-entering Malaysia again. Entry and exit must be via the land crossings - Woodlands Checkpoint or Tuas Checkpoint.
  3. Starting 24 June 2020, expatriates in the Employment Pass 1 (top management) category are excepted and allowed entry without prior approval from the Immigration Department.
Sources:
  1. RGL Procedures, Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia [PDF download]
  2. PCA Procedures, Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia [PDF download]
  3. "Top management expats allowed to enter Malaysia from Wednesday"
Travel For Study
  1. Starting 19 June 2020, international students studying at public and private higher learning institutions or at international schools are excepted and allowed entry to resume studies.
  2. On 4 October 2020, two days after campuses fully reopened, the government banned entry of existing and new international students into the country until 31 December 2020. Students who had received approval from the department to come to Malaysia were included in the ban.
  3. On 6 October 2020, the entry ban of international students was slightly relaxed: students in higher education institutions whose entry had already been approved were allowed entry until 8 October 2020. Students arriving after that date, and before 31 December 2020, will be denied entry.
Sources:
  1. "Ismail Sabri: International school and university students studying in Malaysia can return"
  2. "Entry of foreign students postponed until Dec 31, says Immigration DG"
  3. "International students already approved by Immigration allowed in before Oct 8"
Medical Travel
  • Starting 1 July 2020, travellers with critical illnesses who require urgent medical treatment may apply for entry, but arrival must be via medical evacuation, chartered flight, or private jet. Traveller must secure treatment appointment with a Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) member hospital, then the hospital will apply for an entry permit for the traveller, subject to approval by Immigration Department. Three COVID-19 PCR tests are required: (1) Three days before entry (2) Upon arrival at the hospital (3) On the 13th day of the mandatory 14-day quarantine at the hospital.

(Source: Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council )

Entry Requirements

Testing
  • Starting 29 June 2020, anyone entering Malaysia must pay to be tested for Covid-19. The test is taken "before proceeding for immigration clearance at any point of entry", with the type of tests used to be decided by the health director-general. Fee depends on nationality and the type of Covid-19 detection tests: RM30, RM60, or RM150 for Malaysia citizens and RM60, RM120, RM250 for others.

(Source: "Senior Minister: First-time returning students, civil servants, disabled persons exempted from Covid-19 screening fee" )

Quarantine
  • All travellers who are granted entry, regardless of their country of origin, are required to be under quarantine for 14 days upon entry and, starting 1 June 2020, must pay RM150 per person per day in mandatory quarantine. Malaysian citizens only pay 50% of the charge, while non-citizens (including spouses and dependents of Malaysian citizens) must pay 100%.

(Source: "Ismail Sabri: All arrivals in Malaysia to pay cost of own mandatory quarantine from June 1 " )

Exit

No info

Other

No info

Pre-pandemic visa rules

Requirements

Passport Validity
6 months
Other Documents
A visitor is also required to prove his financial ability to stay in Malaysia and possess a confirmed return travel ticket or a travel ticket to a third country.
Transit
- Holders of confirmed onward tickets, arriving at and departing from Kuala Lumpur (KUL), are permitted transit without visa in international transit area for up to 24 hours. Transit without a visa is not available between Main Terminal and KLIA2.
Dual Nationality
The Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State warns: "Malaysia does not recognize or permit dual nationality. If Malaysian authorities learn that you are a U.S.-Malaysia dual national, they may require you to immediately forfeit your U.S. passport or your Malaysian citizenship. U.S.-Malaysia dual nationals should consider this issue seriously before traveling to Malaysia".
U.S. policy on dual nationality can be found here.

Additional Notes

  1. Travelers may apply to the Immigration Department for emergency extensions of up to two months.
  2. Some emergency or temporary passports do not qualify for visa exemption: check Timaticweb for details.
  3. Any person classified under Section 8 of Immigration Act 1959/63 will not be allowed to enter Malaysia even though he/she is in possession of a valid Passport or Travel Document, Visa, travel ticket and sufficient funds.
Sources: