KUALA LUMPUR, 1 September 2020: Malaysia looks ahead giving travellers warning that the country’s Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) that maintains strict travel restrictions will remain in place until 31 December 2020.

Initially, the RMCO was due to expire 31 August.

As long as the RMCO is in place foreigners who have a ‘social visit pass’ (tourist visa) that expired after 1 January 2020 will be permitted to leave Malaysia without incurring any fines or penalties. The concession does not apply to social visit passes that expired before 1 January 2020.

Neighbouring Thailand gave foreigners a much shorter grace period that ends on 26 September. Foreigners will need to apply for a visa extension or leave Thailand to avoid penalties by the deadline.

Travel to Malaysia will continue to have strict controls with foreigners needing to obtain a Letter of Undertaking and Indemnity’ approved by the nearest Malaysian consulate or embassy in addition to an appropriate visa. However, leisure travellers will not be permitted to visit Malaysia as long as the RMCO is in place. Entry is limited to travellers who have families in Malaysia and for essential travel linked to business and investment activities.

All travellers who are permitted to enter Malaysia must undertake mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Thailand follows similar protocols, strictly applying the 14-quarantine rule but offering travellers arriving in Bangkok what it calls “alternative state quarantine” in certified hotels that are linked to hospitals. They charge around THB70,000 to 50,000 for the 14-day stay, including three meals a day and Covid-19 tests.

Thailand is currently confusing overseas tour operators with contradictory statements by leaders who in the space of a few days suggest they are opening the borders gradually to limited travel and then contradict themselves just days later by suggesting the opposite.

There are various programmes bandied about by the media, but due to the 14-day quarantine rule, they would appeal only to long-stay visitors (six months or more) repeat travellers who are prepared to buy into expensive schemes to return to Thailand.

13 COMMENTS

  1. RMCO still continued until 31 December 20, is foreigner still can stay in this period however the travel visa is expired?

  2. My husband is Pakistani and with PR status. What is the procedure for him to come back and how much cost incurred. Pls advise.

  3. How long are the borders going to be closed…unless we don’t mind that the economic growth remains at a standstill or at a very much slower pace…do we plan to shut off indefinitely…life has to go on…acceptable protocols have to be in place to accommodate the new changes that are taking place but at the same time , it should not be at the expense of the livelihoods of those severely affected. What about those people in Johor who have been commuting daily to Singapore?

  4. Does this mean that my tourist social visit pass, expiry date July 2020, is now extended until 1st January 2021 without further processing?

  5. Hope this advise is useful for all countries law makers. Because putting restrictions or banned entry to visitors is not the answer to this covid situation. We have to plan more smartly in this pandemic situation. Plz. Think 100 times before putting these kind of restrictions becz airlines tourism hotel industry is dying…………….. Do discussion with country to country to resolve this serious issue. If any differencies in past plz plz keep a side and face this issue all together. 🙏

    1.passeger must carry covid 19 negative report before fly to any country. At least 72 hours before departure. And fill the undertaking form for any expenses for treatment of covid 19 have to bear by affected passenger if need it.

    2.Upon arrival do the test again or appropriate arrangements to check passenger again.

    Note. Whoever needs to fly those people will only fly. Unnecessary people will not travels and this all knows. Tq so much hope this will read and reach to right people.

  6. To close the borders to tourists is keeping Malaysians safe but at what cost?
    There have been quite a number of hotels closing during this period..
    How will the hospitality and aviation industries survive?
    What are the government measures to help them?
    The government should be looking at ways to open the borders safely, such as ensuring that the travellers provide negative Nucleic Acid Tests results or undergoing quarantine on arrival, till they get a negative result.

  7. How about persons having working visa in Malaysia who are stranded in their own country can they enter in Malaysia to continue to work

  8. How about the persons who have working visa in Malaysia but stranded in their own country they can enter Malaysia to continue to work can they enter malaysia ?

  9. To open border to foreigners is good for tourism n the aviation industry.Just test all tourists entering at the airport is sufficient.UK is offering assistance including individual responsibilty to home quarantine.So all Malaysians are allowed to enter UK.My sincere advice for good relations n effective protocol n total solution of Covid 19 show a responsible nation n full of aspiration.

    • Is that Malaysian can travel to UK now , I have my boyfriend over there because of I can’t travel and meet him. Is there any way to travel to London now.please share if have any info

      • Turkish Airlines has flights to London Via Istanbul. At the moment both Malaysia and Turkey are considered as Green Zones and therefore no quarantine is necessary when reaching London. Conditions for Scotland and Wales could be different!

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