Malaysia Entry and Travel Requirements

Malaysia Entry Requirements determine the rules that travelers must get familiar with before the planned travel as well as the necessary documents they must obtain prior to arrival in Malaysia.

Malaysian visa policy also states that most foreign arrivals need to obtain a visa prior to travel to Malaysia, which may be issued either at an embassy or online. Currently, citizens only of 10 countries are eligible for Malaysia eVisa. Nationals of other countries need to obtain an embassy visa to travel to Malaysia.

The Malaysian borders remained closed for over 2 years due to the outbreak of the Covid-19. Since the pandemic's beginning, the country maintained one of the most stringent entry restrictions across Asia introduced with the aim to prevent the further spread of new coronavirus cases.

The Government of Malaysia reopened the country's borders to international tourism in April 2022, introducing some safety measures and limitations. Malaysia entry requirements may vary according to your vaccination status, age, and nationality.

Fully vaccinated travelers neither need to submit a negative test taken before departure nor undergo on-arrival quarantine. In contrast, non-vaccinated arrivals must provide a PCR or ART test and undergo a 5-day post-arrival quarantine. Moreover, every traveler must register their data via the MySejahtera application to receive the Traveller's Card

Read on to learn more about quarantine, testing, and vaccination requirements. Check also visa requirements and other travel documents that you may need to gather before your trip to Malaysia.

Important! Due to the constantly evolving coronavirus situation worldwide, the requirements described below are subject to change at short notice. Do remember to follow the latest updates before the planned trip.

Who can enter Malaysia?

Since the reopening of the country's borders in April 2022, Malaysia has welcomed all international travelers regardless of vaccination status. Nevertheless, fully vaccinated travelers can now travel to Malaysia more freely since they are no longer required to take pre-departure and post-arrival Covid-19 tests. They are also exempt from quarantine. In contrast, unvaccinated travelers may need to meet more complex requirements to enter Malaysia, including testing and quarantine.

Documents check-list for entering Malaysia

• valid passport or another internationally recognized travel document
• digital COVID-19 vaccine certificate
• valid Malaysian visa (if applicable)
• a Covid-19 RT-PCR or professionally administered ART (only if unvaccinated)
• Traveller's Card completed via MySejahtera App
• travel insurance (optional)

Testing, Vaccination, and Quarantine Requirements

Testing requirements

As of May 1, 2022, fully vaccinated inbound travelers no longer need to take pre-departure and on-arrival Covid-19 tests.

Pre-departure testing

Not fully vaccinated or unvaccinated travelers aged 18 years and older must still take a pre-departure Covid-19 RT-PCR test or professionally administered RAT. The RT-PCR test must be taken within 48 hours prior to travel, while RAT should be performed within 24 hours before the trip. Only tests taken at internationally or nationally accredited laboratories or other medical facilities recognized by the Ministry of Health of the country of origin will be accepted.

Post-arrival testing

Not fully vaccinated or unvaccinated travelers are also required to take a professionally administered RAT within 24 hours of their arrival in Malaysia. Moreover, they must take an RT-PCR test on Day 4 or a supervised RAT on Day 5. The Home Surveillance Order may be revoked only if the test result on Day 4 or Day 5 is negative.

Important note: Former Covid-19 patients who have recovered between 6-60 days prior to the planned departure date will be exempt from pre-departure and post-arrival testing requirements.

Vaccination requirements

Malaysia does not require travelers to be fully vaccinated to enter the country. Nevertheless, those who have received the full regimen of one of the Covid-19 vaccines recognized by the WHO at least 14 days before the planned trip to Malaysia will be exempt from testing requirements.

To make sure that your digital vaccine certificate will be approved, you may verify it on [email protected].

Quarantine requirements

Partially or non-vaccinated travelers arriving in Malaysia will need to quarantine themselves upon arrival for 5 days. The Home Surveillance Order (HSO) notification will be delivered digitally via the MySejahtera app. Subject to the HSO, these travelers will also need to perform a professionally administered or supervised RAT performed within 24 hours of arrival and an RT-PCR test on Day 4 or an ATR on Day 5 of their quarantine. The HSO revocation is possible only when a traveler receives a negative test result.

Travelers may quarantine at a hotel, home, or any other quarantine-designated accommodation without needing to apply for home quarantine permission from the Ministry of Health.

Traveling from Malaysia

Malaysian citizens, as well as foreign travelers exiting Malaysia, must check the travel advice for their destination country to meet specific requirements like testing, vaccination, or quarantine.

Some countries may still require visitors to complete health declarations before a trip and purchase travel insurance during the ongoing pandemic. You may also need to obtain a visa or another travel authorization. Check the requirements for your desired travel destination before departing from Malaysia.

Traveling to Malaysia

Malaysia reopened to international tourists in April 2022. Travelers no longer need to obtain additional permission (MyTravelPass/MyEntry) granted by the Malaysian Government to enter the country.

Current Malaysian entry rules may differ according to the traveler's vaccination status. Fully vaccinated travelers can enter Malaysia without pre-departure or on arrival Covid-19 tests. They are also exempt from quarantine requirements. In contrast, partially vaccinated or non-vaccinated travelers must take a supervised RTK-AG test within 24 hours before a trip and undergo a 5-day quarantine upon arrival.

Since Malaysia is now transitioning to an endemic phase and continues to ease covid-related restrictions, the entry requirements may change regularly.

Entry Rules for Children

Children aged 17 years old and below (no matter their vaccination status) may enter Malaysia quarantine-free. They are also exempt from taking any pre-departure or arrival test. They will only need to obtain the Traveller's Card via the MySejahtera app with the help of their parents or guardians.

Parents or legal guardians should also arrange a visa on behalf of their underage travel companions if they come from a non-visa-exempt country.

Transit through Malaysia

When transiting through Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia, you should confirm all transit arrangements for your connecting flight(s) with your airline before the scheduled travel. Make sure that your luggage is checked for the entire journey. Check also whether you need to present at Malaysian Immigration or not.

Please note that you will not be allowed to leave the transit area in KLIA between your flights. Moreover, transit flights are permitted within 24 hours only.

Travelers who will tranist through Malaysia are not required by Malaysian authorities to be tested against Covid-19 before departing for another international destination. Nevertheless, they should check the specific testing and other entry requirements for the given country they plan to depart to from Malaysia.

Visa requirements

The Malaysian tourist visa policy requires most foreign nationals to obtain a visa to enter Malaysia for tourism purposes.

Citizens of around 70 countries can travel to Malaysia visa-free for tourism. The allowed period of stay may vary depending on their nationality. Nationals of all other countries must apply for a visa before the planned trip to Malaysia. It is possible to submit a visa application either through Malaysian Embassy or Consulate or via an online application (only for eligible countries).

Currently, holders of passports from 10 different countries are eligible for an online visa application for Malaysia. Other nationals of more than 160 non-visa-exempt countries must visit the nearest Malaysian diplomatic post and handle visa formalities in person.

Malaysia e-Visa

The Government of Malaysia introduced an electronic visa system in 2016, allowing travelers from certain countries to get a tourist visa in a faster and more convenient way.

The Malaysia e-Visa is issued as a single-entry visa that remains valid for 3 months from its date of issue. Its holder may stay in Malaysia for 30 days.

The entire application consists of filling out the short online form, paying the service fee, and downloading the approved visa delivered to the applicant's email inbox. Eligible applicants can submit their visa requests from the comfort of their homes using any electronic device with Internet access.

At the moment, citizens of the following countries are eligible for Malaysia e-Visa:

• China
• India
• Sri Lanka
• Nepal
• Myanmar
• Bangladesh
• Pakistan
• Bhutan
• Serbia
• Montenegro

MySejahtera

The Government of Malaysia introduced the MySejahtera application created to help monitor the Covid-19 situation in the country. All incoming travelers need to provide their travel details, vaccination information, and the result of a pre-departure test (only if non-vaccinated).

The pre-departure form must be completed before arriving in Malaysia. Upon completing the application, every traveler receives a Traveller's Card. This card will be checked upon arrival in Malaysia.

The requirement to submit the pre-departure form applies to all travelers regardless of age. Children under 12 may be added as dependents to the form of their parents or legal guardians. Minor travelers aged 12 and older, who have their smartphones, can register for their own accounts via the MySejahtera app.

Travel Insurance

As of May 1, 2022, the Malaysian authorities no longer require travelers to have travel insurance. Previously, it was one of the requirements to enter the country. The decision to do away with mandatory travel insurance is just one more way the country's government makes it easier and more affordable for people to visit and enjoy all that Malaysia has to offer.

While this change was likely to be welcomed by many travelers, it is essential to note that the country's authorities still strongly recommend all visitors purchase the insurance that covers the entire duration of their stay, including potential costs for Covid-19 treatment.

Given the current global pandemic, this is sound advice that all travelers would be wise to follow. After all, no one wants to be caught without adequate coverage if they should fall ill while on vacation.