Visa on Arrival introduced for Indians travelling to Malaysia

The New Year has arrived with some good news for the globe-trotting Indian. Beginning January 1, 2014, the Government of Malaysia has introduced visa on arrival (VOA) facility for visiting Indians. This announcement is in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 (VMY 2014) and the Year of Festivals 2015. The VOA facility is applicable for those travelling to Malaysia from a third country; namely Singapore and Thailand; holding valid visas for the respective countries and having confirmed return tickets to India.

Speaking of this development, Mr Manoharan Periasamy, Director, Tourism Malaysia said, “Destinations with ease of visa issuance are popular, and the choice of a holiday destination is most often decided on the factor of ease of Malaysia Visa approval.

Malaysia has always been a popular destination among Indians and with the reintroduction of VOA, we hope to see more and more Indians considering Malaysia even as a short break destination for long weekends and last minute travel plans. In fact, this relaxation in visa restrictions is mainly for families and groups travelling to Malaysia on a vacation and for businessmen.”

Visiting Indian tourists can avail of Visa on Arrival at all major airports of Malaysia namely Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Low cost Terminal LCCT (KLIA), Penang International Airport, Sultan Ismail International Airport, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Sabah and Kuching International Airport, Sarawak, at a fee of 100 USD or 330 MYR.

Indian market is a significant contributor and has proven to be a strong and viable venture for inbound into Malaysia. With this new announcement of VOA, the Malaysian Government is expecting the number of tourist arrivals to increase significantly.

For more details on the Visa on Arrival facility for Indians travelling to Malaysia, please visit the Malaysian High Commission Office or Consulate or the nearest immigration office or log on to www.imi.gov.my.

[Source: http://www.travelspan.in/visa-on-arrival-introduced-for-indians-travelling-to-malaysia/]

Visas for Malaysia

Tourist and business visas for Malaysia

Here are three different types of tourist or business visas for Malaysia, namely single entry, multiple entry and transit. Visas should be applied for before departure at a relevant Malaysian embassy or consulate.

A single-entry visa is normally valid for a single entry into the country and is valid for three months from the date of entry. Multiple-entry visas are issued to foreign visitors wishing to travel to Malaysia multiple times, and normally for business or official government matters. Multiple-entry visas are normally valid for a period of three to twelve months from the date of issue. Transit visas for Malaysia are for those entering Malaysia in transit to other countries.

Upon entry into Malaysia, tourists will have their passport stamped with a social or tourist visit pass, which can normally be extended for two months beyond the initial entry date. This pass does not permit the holder to take up employment in Malaysia. A business visit pass will be issued to those entering Malaysia on business. This pass allows the traveller to enter Malaysia for business matters, such as meetings and inspections.

Malaysia My Second Home Programme

The Malaysia My Second Home Programme (MM2H) was introduced by the Malaysian government as a means of allowing foreign nationals to retire or live in Malaysia on a long-term basis. The programme invites foreigners to gain residence status for the applicant as well as their family/dependents.

As part of the programme, applicants will get a ten-year visit pass and multiple entry visa, which is renewable every ten years. Unless specific approval is sought, expats are not allowed to be employed in Malaysia under this programme.

Applicants are required to pay a fixed deposit into a local Malaysian bank; the funds must be left in the bank during the period of validity of the visa. The amount to be paid will depend on the age of the applicant. After the first year, expats can take out money to purchase housing, and for medical expenses and their children’s education, but must maintain a minimum balance (depending on their age and circumstances) in the fixed deposit account from the second year onwards and throughout their stay in Malaysia.

Permanent residency in Malaysia

Expats wishing to work and live in the country permanently can apply for permanent residency in Malaysia visa, if they fit into one of the following categories:

A high-net worth investor with a minimum of USD 2 million in a fixed deposit in a Malaysian bank.

An individual with exceptional skills and talent who has been approved by a relevant agency in Malaysia.

A professional with outstanding skills in any field who has been recommended by a relevant Malaysian agency and has worked in the country for at least three years.

An individual who has been married to a Malaysian citizen and has lived in Malaysia for at least five years.

Those who quality under a point-based system whereby points are given according to one’s age, qualifications, language proficiency and employment, among other things. A minimum score of 65 out of 120 is required.

[Source: http://www.expatarrivals.com/malaysia/visas-for-malaysia]

Malaysia visa application process and rules

Malaysia had VISA on Arrival for Indian tourists till August 2010, but probably due to misuse or abuse of the system, the VOA facility for Indians have been withdrawn. Indians need prior visa before visiting Malaysia

Just sharing Malaysia visa application process, based on personal experience, for the benefit of prospective tourists.

Applying for Malaysian visa is a fairly simple process (compared to US and some other countries). You download the application  form, fill it up, affix photo, get a DD for Rs 750, go to Malaysian Embassy by 9AM, stand in line, submit your passport and documents, collect your slip and come back…

Go back after 3 days and collect your passport with visa stamped

Documents Required:

·         Passport, valid for 6 months minimum

·         2 passport sized photos with white background, not very particular about size, regular ones (30mm by 40mm) would do

·         Demand Draft, drawn in favor of “The Consulate General of Malaysia, Chennai”, for Rs 750, drawn on a few select banks, including State Bank of India, RBS and few others (you may call the embassy to know other banks, I forgot). Don’t go with a DD of any bank not specified by the embassy

·         Filled application form, can be downloaded online or even the embassy staff will give you one on the spot. It is a fairly simple form with 2 pages, asks your basic details and purpose of travel-should be easier to fill

·         Valid Return ticket

We had taken few other documents like Hotel booking receipt, bank statement, credit card copy etc. These were not asked for.

There’s no online application or appointment taking. Just go early to the consulate (open for applicants from 9 am to 10.30AM), stand in line if there’re others waiting. Sign, walk in, handover your documents, collect an acknowledgement slip and go home.

Acknowledgement slip will have the date on which you can collect the passport. If you’d applied in a group, it’s enough if one person goes to collect the passports.

It takes about 3 business days to get the visa- I think this time frame is mainly to encash the DD.

Visa is valid for 1 year, multiple entry and one month per entry.

If there’s no Malaysian consulate in your city, then you may have to travel to nearest metro or rely on a travel agent. I didn’t have the need for this, hence not sure.

In Chennai the consulate is located in Cenotaph Road, Alwarpet. There is no signboard outside the building and it is difficult to identify the building. Take help from locals or ask security guards and they’ll point you to right building.

[Source: http://www.enidhi.net/2011/07/malaysia-visa-application-process-and.html]

Malaysia Visa Information for Indian Citizens

Malaysia has re-introduced visa on arrival (VoA) facility for Indians traveling to Malaysia from a third destination country. This facility is mainly available for the tourist arriving directly from Singapore or Thailand for a maximum stay of 7 days. It is available at Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Penang International Airports only, provided that they hold a valid visa issued by Singapore or Thailand, return flight tickets and at least USD 1000 per person. The visa cost is whopping USD 100 or MYR 330 for 7 days. The visa will be preferably issued to the tourists who are on their return journey to India from the third country. This ease in visa norms came in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 and the Year of Festivals 2015.

Note: Visa is a document that you required to enter in a country. It is not an authorization and solely depends on the discretion of the Immigration Officer at Immigration Desk. So, Malaysia does not issue a Visa-on-Arrival to the Indian Citizens to enter in that country. But, if you are transiting through the Kuala Lumpur Airport and you are arriving and departing from the same terminal at KL, technically you don’t enter in Malaysia. So, you don’t require any type of visa in this case, provided:

1. Your next connecting flight is within 24 hours after your arrival, (Both tickets should be on Malaysian Airlines or on a code-sharing partner only). If you fly using the Fly-Thru programme of Air Asia, then your onward tickets should be within 6 hours. Air Asia operates from the Low Cost Carrier Terminal of KL.

2. The departure terminal of the connecting flight is same as the arrival terminal.

3. You are not allowed to leave the transit area of the airport.

4. You cannot transit between Main Terminal and Low Cost Carrier Terminal at KL Airport.

Please do not confuse above note with the below description of visas, those entitled you to enter in Malaysia subject to the discretion of Immigration Officer.

Different types of Malaysia Visa: There are mainly three broad categories of visa available to visit Malaysia. First one is, Visa without reference, in which visa is approved by the Consulate General of Malaysia for social, tourist or business visits.

Second category is, Visa with reference, in which visa is approved by the Department of Immigration Malaysia or the Ministry of Home Affairs for the purpose of working, study or social visits for a stay more than the allowed period under visa without reference.

Third category is, Transit without Visa (TWOV), which is available only to the citizens of certain Indian sub-continent countries and allow a short 5 days stay in Malaysia.

From a backpacker’s point of view, only first and third categories of Visa are required. So, in this post, I will provide complete information on the visa requirements of first and third categories for an Indian Citizen.

[Source: http://www.solobackpacker.com/2013/05/12/malaysia-visa-information-for-indian-citizens/]

How to get a Malaysia visa in 4 easy steps

Did you know that you can plan a trip to Malaysia at a short notice of 5 days? Well, yes, let us tell you more about it. With a huge influx of Indian visitors touring Malaysia, getting a Malaysia visa has become faster and easier.

It’s obvious that if your purpose of visit is leisure, then you need to apply for a Malaysia tourist visa. If the purpose of your visit to Malaysia is commercial, then you have to apply for a business visa.

Here are some useful tips and guidelines that will help you apply for a Malaysia visa accurately, and avoid the risk of the application getting rejected.

Malaysia visa in 4 easy steps

Unlike Dubai visa, Malaysia visa is not an e-visa and requires submission of physical documents. Now, get your Malaysia visa in 4 easy steps.

1. Contact us on +91-22-33951010.

2. Our travel experts will send you the details required for Malaysia visa. The detailed email will contain the documents required, Malaysia visa form, cover letter and the payment link.

3. After you make the payment online, our trusted representative will come at your doorstep and pick up the documents. These documents will be verified by our visa experts and sent to the embassy.

4. Voila, your Malaysia visa will then be issued! Your visa will be delivered to you safely by our trusted representative.

All this happens smoothly and efficiently in just 5 working days, provided your documents are sorted.

Documents required for Malaysia visa

1. Confirmed return air ticket to Malaysia.

2. Original passport valid for at least 6 months with 2 blank pages for the visa stamp.

3. 2 recent passport size photographs shot against a white background. The dimensions of the photo should be 3.5cms x 4.5cms with 70% face visibility.

4. Duly filled and signed Malaysia visa form (a sample will be provided by us for your reference).

5. Covering letter (a sample will be provide by us for your reference).

6. Bank statement for the last 6 months suitably signed and stamped by the bank official.

5 Essential things to know about Malaysia visa

1. Indian passport holders are eligible to apply for a Malaysia visa that allows a stay of minimum period of 30 days up to 90 days.

2. It is mandatory to enclose the copy of your old passport along with the new one.

3. It is also mandatory to have a minimum balance of Rs 30,000 individually or Rs 60,000, in case the applicant is incurring expenses on behalf of the group. This will be testified with the one-month bank statement attested by the bank official.

4. Malaysia visa is a multiple-entry visa and can be used for entry-exit until its validity.

5. Apart from this, applicants should also have sufficient funds for the period of stay in Malaysia.

[Source:http://in.musafir.com/Blog/blog/2015/05/26/How_to_get_a_Malaysia_visa_in_4_easy_steps.aspx]