Malaysia axes visas on arrival for tourists

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia will tighten visa requirements for tourists from countries including China and India after many foreigners took advantage of easy entry procedures by overstaying, a

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia will tighten visa requirements for tourists from countries including China and India after many foreigners took advantage of easy entry procedures by overstaying, an official said Tuesday.

Immigration Director General Abdul Rahman Othman said authorities will stop issuing visas on arrival to visitors from various countries starting Aug. 15. Currently, many tourists can obtain visas at Malaysia’s entry points if they show they have tickets to leave the country within up to 14 days.

Visitors affected by the new rule include those from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan, Abdul Rahman said. They will have to apply for visas before coming to Malaysia “for us to really vet our arrivals,” he said.

The visas on arrival were introduced four years ago to attract tourists. Officials previously said tens of thousands of people who received the visas had overstayed.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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