After Thailand, Now Malaysia offers visa free entry to Indians

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia declared on Sunday that, as of December 1, citizens of China and India will no longer need entry visas. This decision comes after Sri Lanka and Thailand introduced a similar visa waiver.

How much time can Indians spend in Malaysia?

The Malaysian Prime Minister stated during the People's Justice Party's annual congress that Chinese and Indian nationals would benefit from a visa-free stay of up to 30 days under this new policy, subject to security screening, according to Bloomberg.

What is the goal behind this move of offering visa free entry?

According to the report, this decision is in line with Malaysia's strategic plan to increase economic growth by drawing more tourists and their spending.

As of right now, Indian nationals traveling from Thailand, Indonesia, or Singapore are eligible for a visa-on-arrival in Malaysia. Having a confirmed return ticket to India and a valid visa for any of these transit countries are additional requirements for obtaining a visa-on-arrival. For Indian nationals, Malaysia provides a range of visa options, such as the eNTRI Visa, E-Visa, and Transit Pass, each with distinct uses and stay periods.

According to the Bloomberg report, Anwar had previously stated that he intended to improve visa procedures in the upcoming year, focusing on investors and tourists from China and India in particular.

Other countries which offers visa free entry to Indians

In accordance with Henley and Partners' most recent Passport Index (2023), Indian passport holders are able to enter up to 57 countries without a visa. This includes nations that offer services like electronic travel authorization (ETA), visa-free travel, and visa-on-arrival.

Indonesia, the Marshall Islands, the Maldives, the Palau Islands, Tuvalu, Iran, Jordan, St. Lucia, Bolivia, Burundi, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Togo, and Zimbabwe.

Sri Lanka and Thailand, the most recent additions to the list, had previously allowed Indian nationals to obtain visas upon arrival.

Malaysia is the fourth nation to declare visa-free travel

Following Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Thailand, Malaysia is now the fourth nation to declare visa-free travel. According to Bloomberg, Malaysia's economy depends on more visitors and their spending.

Also read: E-Visa services for Canadians resumed by India after 2 month hiatus

Anwar last month declared that he would be enhancing visa procedures for travelers and investors in order to promote their entry, "particularly from China and India," in the upcoming year.

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