Foreigners entering Malaysia required to submit digital arrival cards from December

SINGAPORE: From Friday (Dec 1), foreigners entering Malaysia are required to submit digital arrival cards prior to their arrival.

Malaysia's Immigration Department said on its website that all travellers are required to submit their Malaysia Digital Arrival Card before entering the country, except those transiting or transferring through Singapore without seeking immigration clearance.

Permanent residents in Malaysia and Malaysia Automated Clearance System holders are also not required to submit digital arrival cards.

Under the Visa Liberalisation Plan, Malaysia aims to "attract foreign tourists and generate national income", wrote the Immigration Department of Malaysia in a Facebook post on Friday.

"This will ensure Malaysia remains a leader in key industries investment and tourism in the Asian region."

It said efforts to improve existing immigration facilities will be implemented from Friday. Other initiatives were also introduced, such as visa exemption for China and India citizens, a multiple entry visa facility, a graduate pass, an Umrah transit visa, and an improvement on the validity and eligibility period of visas and social visit passes.

In January, Malaysia's home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced that Singaporeans entering Johor via the Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints can now use electronic gate (e-gate) facilities.

He also noted in February that the use of the automated entry system (autogate) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) will be expanded to include travellers from “low-risk” countries such as those from Singapore and Brunei.

The autogate facilities were previously only used by Malaysians when entering and exiting the country.