Malaysia – Covid-19 – Immigration update

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Update: January 5^th, 2021

Extension of Conditional Movement Control Order to 14 January 2021

What is the change?

The conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) for Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Sabah, and several areas in other states including Johor Bahru and Batu Pahat has been extended to 14 January 2021.

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Update: November 11^th, 2020

Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in all but three peninsular states from 9 November to 6 December 2020

What is the change?

All states in Peninsular Malaysia except for Perlis, Pahang, and Kelantan will be placed under the CMCO for four weeks from 9 November to 6 December 2020. Under the CMCO, there should be no movement across districts, and emergency cases will require approval from the police. Workers who need to cross districts and states will have to produce an employer’s letter or their work passes, and only two persons in a family will be allowed to leave to buy provisions.

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Update: October 16^th, 2020

Movement restrictions to tighten in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Putrajaya

What is the change?

The Government has announced that Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Putrajaya will be put under a Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) from 14 October 2020 to 27 October 2020. Prohibited activities include inter-district travel, and those who need to make the journey will be required to present letters from their employers or a working pass.

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Update: September 30^th, 2020

Latest updates on entry restrictions for foreign travellers to Malaysia

What is the change?

With effect from 21 September 2020, expatriates in the following categories will be allowed to enter Malaysia:

1. Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T), and their dependants
2. Employment Pass (Category EP I, II, and III)
3. Professional Visit Pass (PVP)
4. Dependant Pass to expatriates of all categories
5. Long Term Social Visit Pass (LT-SVP) to expatriates of all categories
6. Foreign Maids to expatriates of all categories.

They will be required to apply for Entry Permission or Approval to Exit and Return to Malaysia via the MYEntry system. Expatriates who wish to exit Malaysia without returning during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) period may proceed without applying for approval via MYEntry. For more details on the entry requirements and procedures, please refer to the link below.

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Update: July 30^th, 2020

Entry and quarantine procedures

What is the change?

With effect from 24 July 2020, all travellers planning to enter Malaysia must comply with the following entry and quarantine procedures:

• Sign a Letter of Undertaking and Indemnity (LoU): The form can be downloaded here.
• Obtain a Letter of Approval (Entry Permit) from an accredited Malaysian Mission: Applicants must submit the relevant documents and the completed LoU via email to the relevant Malaysian Mission at least three days before the date of departure. The email addresses of the relevant Malaysian Missions can be found here.
• Present the Letter of Approval to airlines, public transport companies, and Immigration Department of Malaysia: A letter of approval from the Malaysian Mission must be presented during the flight/public transport check-in process. Failure to present this letter may result in the person being denied permission to board the aircraft, or other public transportation.
• COVID-19 test: Travellers to Malaysia are not required to take the COVID-19 test before departure. However, travellers are advised to check with their airlines if they have specific requirements for COVID-19 tests. Upon arrival, a COVID-19 test will be conducted at the arrival hall. The Person Under Surveillance (PUS) will bear the fee for the COVID-19 test. More details on the charges can be found in the link below.
• Quarantine for all incoming travellers: The quarantine period is 14 days, or any period stipulated by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia. The PUS is not allowed to choose his/her Quarantine Station. More details on the charges can also be found in the link below.

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Update: July 21^th, 2020

Latest guidelines for expatriates in Malaysia

What is the change?

A set of latest guidelines, effective from 10 July 2020, have been issued for expatriates seeking permission to enter or exit Malaysia:

• Permission to enter Malaysia for expatriates with an active pass and approved pass application who are abroad: Please refer to Guidelines for the Entry of Expatriates.
• Permission to exit and return to Malaysia for expatriates with an active pass: Please refer to Guidelines for the Exit and Return of Expatriates.

For both categories of expatriates, applicants are to send their request for permission via email to taskforce_esd@imi.gov.my. More detailed information on the requirements for the different categories of expatriates can also be found here.

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Update: June 26^th, 2020

Entry permission for expatriates who are abroad

What is the change?

With effect from 24 June 2020, the following expatriate categories are permitted to enter Malaysia without the need to apply for permission:

1. Employment Pass Category I (EP I), Dependants and Foreign Maids
2. Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T), Dependants and Foreign Maids

Holders of other visa categories, including Employment Pass Category II (EP II) and Employment Pass Category III (EP III) with their Dependants and Foreign Maids, Professional Visit Pass, and Long Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP), will be subjected to additional approval from the Immigration Department of Malaysia. Please refer to the relevant guidelines here.

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Update: June 15^th, 2020

Entry procedures for expatriates, dependents, and foreign domestic workers under the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO)

What is the change?

With Malaysia’s replacement of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) with the RMCO, effective from 10 June 2020–31 August 2020, the following entry procedures have been issued for expatriates, dependents, and foreign domestic workers:

1. Expatriates, dependents, and foreign domestic workers with valid passes currently stranded abroad can now submit an entry permission application, together with a Support Letter from the relevant approving agency or regulatory body (such as the Expatriate Services Division [ESD] or Malaysian Investment Development Authority [MIDA]), to the Director General of Immigration Malaysia at pbf@imi.gov.my.
   For new applications for expatriates who are currently abroad, companies may now submit pass applications (Employment Pass [EP], Professional Visit Pass [PVP] or Dependant Pass [DP]) to the relevant approving agency or regulatory body (ESD, MISA, or Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation [MDeC]) to obtain an Approval Letter and Support Letter. They can then submit an entry permission application, together with the Approval Letter and Support Letter, to the Director General of Immigration Malaysia at pbf@imi.gov.my .
2. Approval will be given within seven working days from the date of submission; and applications that do not receive a response within this timeframe can be considered to be rejected.
3. If the application is approved, ESD will issue an Entry Approval Letter to the company with copies sent to the approving agency or regulatory body, National Disaster Management Agency Malaysia (NADMA), National Security Council Malaysia, Malaysian Mission Abroad, Foreign Missions, and related agencies.
4. The individual will then need to undergo a COVID-19 PCR test abroad, and be medically confirmed to be free of COVID-19 before entering Malaysia.
5. For nationalities that require a visa to enter Malaysia, the individual will also need to obtain a visa from the respective Malaysian embassy or consulate.
6. Upon arrival in Malaysia, both the Entry Approval Letter and COVID-19 PCR test results must be presented to the immigration officer at the entry checkpoint. The individual may also be required to undergo an additional COVID-19 swab test if instructed to do so by officials from the Ministry of Health (MOH) at the point of arrival.
7. The individual would then be required to undergo a 14-day home quarantine at their residence or a hotel, and download/install the ‘MySejahtera’ mobile app issued by MOH for monitoring purposes.

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Update: May 12^th, 2020

Malaysia’s movement control order (MCO) to be extended further until 9 June 2020

What is the change?

Malaysia’s MCO will be extended for a further month until 9 June 2020, the fourth extension since it was enforced on 18 March 2020. Under the partial lockdown, non-essential businesses and schools are shut, and both domestic and international travel are prohibited.

The Government has eased some COVID-19 curbs by allowing the majority of economic sectors to resume their operations beginning 4 May 2020 under a “conditional MCO”. All rules and standard operating procedures (SOPs) introduced during the conditional MCO will remain in place until 9 June 2020. Changes to the SOPs or list of sectors allowed to operate, if any, will be announced from time to time.

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Update: May 6^th, 2020

Updates to immigration services arising from implementation of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO)

What is the change?

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced on 1 May 2020 the implementation of the CMCO, which allows certain economic and social activities to resume from 4 May 2020 subject to a set of conditions and standard operating procedures.

In order to observe social distancing measures at the immigration offices and service centres (i.e., Malaysia Expatriate Talent Service [MYXpats] Centre & Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation [MDeC]), walk-ins are strictly not permissible and all submissions must be made on an appointment basis only. Please refer to the table below for the latest updates to immigration services.

In addition:

• Foreigners who have overstayed from 1 January 2020 until 14 days after the end of the Movement Control Order (MCO) are allowed to leave Malaysia without being blacklisted.
• Pass facilitation for foreigners whose pass has expired from 1 February 2020 can be done at any immigration office within 30 working days from the end of MCO.
• No appointment will be needed for transactions at the Security and Passport Division (for Malaysians working/studying abroad). Manual queue numbers will be given.

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Update: April 24^th, 2020

Malaysia extends Movement Control Order (MCO) for the third time until 12 May 2020

What is the change?

Malaysia’s MCO has once again been extended by another 14 days, until 12 May 2020, as announced by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Thursday (23 April 2020).

The MCO, which began on 18 March 2020, has been extended twice. The prime minister added that he does not discount the possibility that the MCO would be extended further after this, but the Government might ease some restrictions should infections continue to slow.

Under the MCO, interstate and international travel are prohibited. Schools and non-essential businesses are ordered to shut, while people are urged to stay home to break the infection chain. Several locations with a large number of cases were also placed under an enhanced MCO, which further restricted the residents’ movement.

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Update: April 14^th, 2020

Extension of Movement Control Order (MCO) to 28 April

What is the change?

The Government of Malaysia has announced to extend the MCO until 28 April. With the latest update, Malaysia Expatriate Talent Service Centre (MYXpats Centre) and Immigration Department of Malaysia will be temporary closed until 28 April. MYXpats Centre and as well as all call services will also be temporary unavailable until further notice. All communications with MYXpats Centre will be limited to email only. More details can be found in the frequently asked questions (FAQs) in the link below.

The International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) has identified several sectors can operate on the condition of strict adherence to health and safety guidelines during this period. These include but are not limited to the automotive industry; machinery and equipment industry; aerospace industry; construction projects and services related to construction work; science, professional and technical services, including Research and Development (R&D), and social health services. To view the full list of industries, please click here.

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Update: March 26^th, 2020

Prime Minister Muhyiddin extends movement control order in Malaysia until 14 April

What is the change?

Malaysia will extend the movement control order (MCO) by two weeks until 14 April to contain the further spread of COVID-19, said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Wednesday. The Malaysian government had earlier imposed the MCO for two weeks from 18 March until 31 March to curb the spread of COVID-19.

As part of the order, Malaysians are barred from travelling overseas while visitors are not allowed to enter the country. It also involves the closure of all government and private premises except for those providing essential services. All houses of worship and business premises are also closed except for supermarkets, grocery shops and convenience stores selling daily necessities.

The government has announced that offenders could be fined up to RM1,000 or jailed up to six months, or both.

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Update : March 17^th, 2020

Malaysia to restrict movement, shut businesses

What is the change?

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced on Monday night, 16 March 2020 measures to restrict movement nationwide, starting from 18 March until 31 March, in a bid to stem the rising number of coronavirus cases.

All Malaysians will be barred from travelling abroad. For those who are returning from overseas, they must undergo a health inspection and undergo self-quarantine for 14 days.

There will also be a ban on all foreign tourists and visitors.

All government and private premises will be closed except those in essential services, including water, electricity, energy, telecommunications, postal services, transport, oil and gas, broadcasting, finance, banking, healthcare, pharmacies, fire department, prisons, ports, airports, security, defence, cleaning and food supplies.

Sarawak to impose 14-day stay-home notice on all inbound travelers

What is the change?

All foreign and domestic visitors coming into Sarawak will be issued a 14-day stay-home notice as the state embarks on its latest control measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

This measure, which takes effect on Wednesday, 18 March 2020, also applies to Sarawak residents returning to the state, as well as long-term and short-term pass holders.

Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg said that the relevant agencies will monitor the stay-home notice holders through random visits, phone calls and other applications.

“Exemptions shall only be given by the State Health Department to those who are required to travel under special circumstances (official and business duties),” he said.