Malaysia to Offer Visa-Free Entry for Chinese and Indian Citizens Starting December 1

In a bid to boost tourism, Malaysia‘s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced that the country will grant visa-free entry to citizens of China and India for stays of up to 30 days starting from December 1. The Prime Minister made the announcement during a speech at the People’s Justice Party congress. However, he did not specify how long the visa exemption would be applicable.
China and India are crucial source markets for Malaysia, ranking as the fourth and fifth-largest contributors, respectively. According to government data, Malaysia recorded 9.16 million tourist arrivals between January and June this year. Of these, 498,540 were from China, and 283,885 were from India. This marks a significant increase compared to the same period in 2019, prior to the pandemic, with 1.5 million arrivals from China and 354,486 from India.
The move follows a similar strategy implemented by neighboring Thailand to revitalize its tourism sector and stimulate economic growth. Thailand has already granted visa exemptions to Chinese and Indian nationals earlier this year.
As of now, citizens from China and India are required to apply for visas to enter Malaysia. The visa-free entry initiative is expected to encourage more tourists from these countries and contribute to the recovery of Malaysia’s tourism industry, which has been impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Read Now:North Korea Defends Satellite Launch, Restores Border Guard Posts Amid Rising Tensions