Recovery
Movement Control Order
On August 28, 2020, the Prime Minister announced an
extension of the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) through December 31,
2020. The Malaysian Ministry of Defense instituted a mandatory mask
requirement effective August 1, 2020. Failure to comply with any of
the RMCO restrictions, including the mask requirement, may result in a fine of
RM 1,000 (USD $235) or more, and/or jail time.
(NEW!)
Conditional Movement Control Orders
While general restrictions have been relaxed during the
RMCO, specific “red zones” with higher numbers of COVID-19 cases may be placed
under a Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO). On October 12, the
Government of Malaysia announced a new CMCO in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. This CMCO will be in effect on October 14 at 12:01 a.m. until October
27. The government has yet to
publish the full SOPs for the CMCO, but early announcements indicate the
following restrictions will be enforced:
·
Prohibition on inter-district travel. Those who need to cross borders must
present their employee pass or a letter of permission from their employer;
·
Only two members of a household may leave the house to buy necessities;
·
All schools, higher education institutions, training institutes, kindergartens,
childcare centers, public parks and recreational centers will be closed;
·
Mosques and other non-Muslim places of worship will also be closed;
·
All sports, recreational, social and cultural activities including weddings are
prohibited; and
·
Entertainment centers and nightclubs will not be allowed to operate.
On
October 7, 2020, the Malaysian government announced that the following
districts will be under the CMCO for two weeks, beginning October 9:
- Selangor: Klang District (including
Port Klang)
- Sabah: Sandakan, Papar, and
Tuaran Districts
Consular Services
If you are a U.S. citizen with a life or death emergency
(e.g. victim of a violent crime, arrest, reporting a death of a U.S. citizen)
you may reach us at +60-3-2168-5000 or via email at: KLACS@state.gov.
Please note that routine Consular Services at the U.S.
Embassy Kuala Lumpur are suspended from October 14-27 due to the CMCO.
This includes collection of new U.S. passports and Consular Reports of Birth
Abroad (CRBAs). Please complete this form https://bit.ly/2SPVSFf
to request an emergency appointment, making sure to note the nature of your
emergency. Those with an urgent need to collect their new U.S. passport
or CRBA may submit an “Other Service” appointment request. Please note
that the Royal Malaysian Police have advised that travelers from outside Kuala
Lumpur will NOT be permitted to enter Kuala Lumpur during the CMCO for the sole
purpose of obtaining Consular Services at the U.S. Embassy. Further questions
regarding this policy should be directed to local police.
We will announce further resumption of services via alerts
to registered U.S. citizens in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and on our Embassy's website.
Voting
Instructions for U.S. Citizens interested in submitting
absentee ballots for the November 3, 2020 U.S. election can find instructions here. During the
CMCO, the Embassy will continue to accept and forward all ballots dropped off
at the front entrance of the Embassy on any business day between 9 a.m. and 3
p.m.
Sabah
and Sarawak
Additional
entry requirements may apply for travel to the East Malaysian states of Sabah
and Sarawak, which have local autonomy over immigration at domestic and
international ports of entry. For detailed requirements on traveling to
Sabah or Sarawak, please contact the local immigration authorities directly.
Sarawak
state authorities announced on October 9 that beginning on October 10, all
travelers to Sarawak will be required to undergo the mandatory COVID-19 testing
and fourteen-day quarantine at a government facility. Previously some
travelers, including Sarawakians, were permitted to self-quarantine.
Additionally,
a travel ban from Sabah to Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Labuan will be in
place from October 12 until October 25.
Malaysian
Entry Requirements
On
September 18, the Immigration Department of Malaysia announced that foreign
travelers with long-term passes may enter Malaysia with approval by the
Immigration Department of Malaysia. This announcement softened some of
the September 7, 2020 restrictions for some travelers, which prohibited all
foreign nationals from 23 countries, including the United States, from entering
Malaysia.
According to the September 18 announcement, holders of the
following passes may apply for entry permission: “Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T)
and their dependents, Employment Pass (Category EP I, II and III),
Professional Visit Pass (PVP), Dependent Pass to expatriate for all categories,
Long Term Social Visit Pass (LT-SVP) to expatriate for all categories, and
Foreign Maid to expatriate for all categories.” The Director General of
Immigration may consider appeals to enter Malaysia on emergency and
compassionate grounds.
On October 8, Malaysian Immigration launched a consolidated
portal called My Travel Pass for all
categories of pass holders to request permission to enter (or exit and
re-enter) Malaysia during the MCO. Travelers must have formal written
approval from the Malaysian Government before attempting to enter Malaysia.
International Students
On October 4, Malaysian Immigration announced that the
entry of all new and existing foreign students, including those who had already
received entry approval, will be delayed
until December 31, 2020.
Malaysia My Second Home Holders (MM2H)
The Embassy has not yet received clarification on whether
MM2H visa holders are exempted from the September 7 restrictions on entry by
U.S. citizens. Effective October 5, the return approval process for MM2H
visa holders is managed by Malaysian Immigration rather than the Ministry of
Tourism, Arts, and Culture. Return approval may be requested from
Immigration via My Travel Pass.
Quarantine and Testing Information
Any travelers permitted to enter Malaysia during the RMCO
are subject to COVID-19 testing and all travelers are required to undergo a
mandatory fourteen-day quarantine at a facility designated by the Malaysian
government. The full cost of testing and quarantine must be borne by the
traveler.Travelers who test positive are transferred to a designated government
hospital for treatment; there are no exceptions to this mandatory
hospitalization and at this time there no private hospitals authorized to treat
COVID-19 patients. Travelers must download the MySejahtera application
and may be asked to wear a wristband for identification and monitoring by the
authorities. For additional information on quarantine requirements,
please contact the Malaysian National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA).
Malaysian Immigration Services
The U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur encourages all citizens
with visas that have expired during the MCO or RMCO to depart Malaysia as soon
as possible to comply with immigration requirements.
Malaysian Immigration stated that the standard operating procedures in place as of August 29 are effective through the end of
the extended RMCO on December 31, 2020. The U.S. Embassy reminds citizens
that all questions regarding immigration policy must be directed to Malaysian
Immigration.
During the RMCO, the Government of Malaysia has opened
immigration services by appointment only. U.S. citizens with specific
questions or concerns may contact the Malaysian Government call center (MyCGG)
at 03-8000-8000 or refer to the FAQs at the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
Malaysian Immigration strongly encourages all social visit
pass (tourist) holders whose passes have expired to depart Malaysia as soon as
possible. United States citizens whose social visit pass (tourist)
expired after January 1, 2020 can depart Malaysia within 14 working days after
the RMCO period ends without undergoing any immigration processing or
penalties. U.S. citizens still stranded in Malaysia after 14 working days
following the end of the MCO must visit immigration within 30 working days to
request an extension. There are no guarantees that requests for
extensions will be approved.
Long-term passholders (such as expatriate pass or spouse
visas) whose passes expired before or during the MCO must visit immigration and
apply for an extension in the usual manner.
If your renewal or extension request is denied, you may be
subject to immigration fines, immediate deportation, or other enforcement
action.
While the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur cannot intervene on
your behalf when you request an extension for a Malaysian visa, we are issuing
letters that ask Malaysian Immigration to consider the COVID-19 pandemic and
our advice to avoid all international travel. The U.S. Embassy CANNOT
certify or validate your specific or personal justification for remaining in
Malaysia. Permission to enter and remain in Malaysia is at the decision
and discretion of the Malaysian Immigration Department. If you require such
a letter, please complete: https://bit.ly/2Wd64te
COVID-19 Information
For more information regarding COVID-statistics in
Malaysia, please review the Malaysian Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Portal and visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has
issued a Level 3 - Avoid Non-Essential Travel- Notice for Malaysia. The State Department has moved
away from its previous Global Level 4 Health Advisory – Do Not Travel and each
country will return to issuing its own advisory based on local conditions once
again. As of August 6, 2020, Malaysia is listed as Level 3 – “Reconsider Travel”.
Actions to Take:
· Consider
returning to your country of residence.
· Have a
travel plan that does not rely on the U.S. Government for assistance.
· Review
and follow the CDC’s guidelines for the prevention
of COVID-19.
· Check
with your airline or travel operator regarding any updated information about
your travel plans and/or restrictions.
· Visit travel.state.gov to view individual Travel Advisories for the most urgent
threats to safety and security. Review what the State Department can
and cannot do for you during an international crisis.
· Visit our
Embassy webpages on COVID-19 for information on conditions in each country or
jurisdiction.
· Visit
the Department of Homeland
Security’s website on the latest
travel restrictions to the United States
·
Visit keeping workplaces, homes, schools,
or commercial establishments safe.
Assistance:
U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
376 Jalan Tun Razak
50400 Kuala Lumpur
Phone: 60-3-2168-5000
KLACS@state.gov
https://my.usembassy.gov/
· State
Department - Consular Affairs: 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
· Malaysia Country Information
· Enroll
in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts.
· Follow
us on Facebook and Twitter
