Malaysia Announces 30-Day Visa-Free Entry for Indian and Chinese Citizens to Boost Tourism!

Kuala Lumpur, November 27, 2023: In a bid to enhance tourism and attract foreign visitors, Malaysia is set to grant a 30-day visa-free entry for citizens of India and China starting from December 1, according to an announcement made by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Malaysia joins other nations such as Thailand and Sri Lanka in offering such a facility to foreigners in recent weeks.

Prime Minister Ibrahim stated that this visa waiver is an additional measure to the existing visa exemptions currently available to Gulf nations and other West Asian countries, including Turkiye and Jordan. However, he emphasized that the visa exemption is contingent on thorough security screenings.

“Initial screenings will be conducted for all tourists and visitors to Malaysia. Security is a different matter. If there are criminal records or the risk of terrorism, they will not be allowed to enter,” reported the official news agency Bernama. The Prime Minister clarified that security matters fall under the authority of the country’s security forces and immigration.

The 30-day visa-free entry is a measure already in place for visitors from eight ASEAN countries, intended for purposes such as social visits, tourism, and business.

Malaysia aims to attract 16.1 million international tourists, targeting RM 49.3 billion in tourism receipts. India stands out among the top contributors to Malaysia’s tourism industry, with 3,24,548 Indian tourists welcomed in 2022. In the first quarter of 2023 alone, Malaysia recorded 1,64,566 Indian tourists, a significant increase from the 13,370 visitors in the same period last year, according to data from the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia).

Currently, there are 158 weekly flights with 30,032 seats offered between India and Malaysia through airlines such as Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air, AirAsia, and IndiGo, as reported by the agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture Malaysia.

Malaysia’s decision follows similar visa waiver initiatives implemented by Sri Lanka and Thailand. Sri Lanka has introduced visa-free entry for visitors from India and six other countries, aiming to boost tourist arrivals until March 31, 2024. Thailand has also lifted visa requirements for visitors from India and Taiwan, allowing Indians to travel visa-free and stay for up to 30 days from November 10, 2023, to May 10, 2024. These initiatives collectively aim to stimulate tourism and foster international travel partnerships.