The Malaysian government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, announced major policy changes regarding entry visas for Chinese and Indian nationals. From December 1, Malaysia will remove entry visa requirements for nationals of China and India. Prime Minister Ibrahim made the announcement while addressing the People’s Justice Party’s annual conference in Putrajaya.

What will change for Indian travelers?

• Visa removal: Indian nationals visiting Malaysia will no longer need an entry visa from December 1.

• Visa-free stay: Indians can stay in Malaysia for up to 30 days without obtaining a visa.

• Security Checks: Visa requirements have been lifted, but security checks will continue to be conducted for Indian nationals visiting Malaysia.

Why did Malaysia take this step?

• Prime Minister Ibrahim has previously revealed plans to strengthen the visa system next year to further encourage the influx of tourists and investors, particularly from India and China.

• China and India are important markets for Malaysia, ranking fourth and fifth in terms of tourist arrivals, respectively.

• From January to June this year, Malaysia recorded a total of 9.16 million tourist arrivals, of which India accounted for 283,885 during the same period, solidifying its position as a substantial source of tourists for Malaysia. .

• The government hopes that by simplifying entry procedures, it will attract more tourists, increase domestic spending and contribute to Malaysia’s economic development.

Malaysia has become the fourth country to announce visa-free entry for tourists, following Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Thailand.

Thailand removed visa requirements for Indians from November 10 and offered them a generous 30-day stay. The policy is scheduled to remain in effect until May 10 next year, but could be extended depending on demand, as the Thai government has indicated.

In October, Sri Lanka also introduced a visa-free entry initiative for visitors from seven countries including India, China and Russia. Launched as a pilot project, this initiative takes effect immediately and will be warmly welcomed until March 31, 2024.