Do Russians and other citizens need a visa to Malaysia in 2021, details of registration

For our citizens, Malaysia is a country with partial free entry. A visa to Malaysia for Russians in 2021, as before, is not needed if there are no plans to stay longer than thirty days. There are also no restrictions on the purpose of the trip, since some types of Malaysian visas can be obtained on the basis of an entry stamp into the country. This is good, but there is a nuance - such documents are not issued by the Malaysian Embassy in Russia; they must be obtained while already on site.

Russians can travel around Malaysia for a whole month without obtaining a visa.

Cases in which a visa is required

If a Russian citizen plans to stay in the country for less than thirty days, then he will not need a visa. He can enter the state completely freely, having a minimum set of documents in his hands.

Do you need a visa to Malaysia if you plan to stay in the country for a longer period of time, for example, to work, study, or carry out any other activity? Yes, a visa is required. It can be issued both at the Malaysian Embassy in Russia and in Malaysia itself by contacting the authorized authorities.

Long-term tourist visas are issued at the Russian representative office of Malaysia. Our citizen has the right to request a work and study visa only if he is already in the country itself.

Refusal

Causes

Refusal of a visa to Malaysia is rare. Often, those wishing to enter the country are given this opportunity without any problems.

Action plan

Malaysian legislation provides the opportunity for a citizen who has received a refusal to appeal it within two months.

To use this right, it is necessary to submit a letter of appeal, where the applicant will give his explanations.

The letter received will cause the visa application to be reconsidered. The standard procedure is a personal interview with the appellant.

If the diplomatic mission staff left the decision to refuse unchanged, then it will be impossible to appeal it.

Visa-free entry

Visa-free entry is a special regime under which a foreigner crosses the border of a foreign state without prior permission, and a simple date stamp is placed in his passport. Based on a number of agreements between the Russian Federation and Malaysia, Russians are allowed visa-free entry and stay in this state for up to 30 days. An appropriate Malaysia visa will be issued and requested if this permissible period is exceeded.

Malaysian border crossing stamp

Required documents for visa-free entry:

A valid international passport, its remaining validity must be at least six months;
Correctly completed migration card;
Air ticket (any other ticket is possible) back to the Russian Federation or to another state;
Amount of money in cash in the amount of $500, or a bank statement in English.

It should be noted that the last two points are spelled out in visa legislation, but in reality they are a formality, since customs officers very rarely check the availability of air tickets or tickets for other transport for arriving Russians.

During the border crossing procedure, you need to submit your fingerprints. This rule was introduced by the Malaysian authorities in order to introduce at least minimal control over the flow of foreigners coming to the country.

Filling out the migration card

A migration card is not a very large paper form on which a new arrival must enter some information about himself. As a rule, it is distributed on the plane, so it is possible to fill it out in advance.

The Malaysian migration card differs from the same cards of other visa-free countries in a more expanded list of questions that require answers. In addition to the standard items that require you to enter your personal data, passport details, information about the purpose of the visit, place of residence, you also need to check the boxes in the card questionnaire.

Sample of filling out a migration card to Malaysia

Sections of the migration card to fill out:

Full name, other personal data;
Passport data;
Flight number;
Purpose of the visit;
Hotel address in Malaysia;
Where did they come from;
Have you previously entered Malaysia with a different passport and surname, if so, please indicate with which surname;
Occupation;
Do you have any health problems?
Have you previously visited African countries or the Americas in the last month or last six days.

It’s good if the answer to the last two points is negative, so that there are no additional questions or problems with permission to cross the border. You don't have to specify the hotel address; just enter any valid Malaysian address.

Appearance requirements

It must be remembered that Malaysia is a state where the majority of the population professes Islam. Despite the fact that there are no strict requirements for clothing, it is better to adhere to the following rules when crossing the border:

Look neat;
Avoid clothing that is too revealing.

If you need to visit an immigration office, embassy or other official institution, it is better not to wear short sleeves or leg-revealing clothing.

Malaysia Customs Regulations

There are certain restrictions that Malaysian customs imposes on imported/exported items.

Prohibited for import:

Items and materials that threaten human health and life;
Any Israeli goods;
Israel Money;
Clothing or accessories with quotes from the Koran.

Permitted for import:

One liter of alcohol and 200 cigarettes;
Cosmetics and perfumes valued at $65 or less;
No more than 100 gr. gold;
Souvenirs do not cost more than 65 US dollars.

Prohibited for export:

Animals and birds;
Plants;
Hevea seeds;
Gold more than 100 grams;
Antiques.

Permitted for export:

Money not more than $1600;
Souvenirs;
Items purchased for personal use.

Extension of visa-free entry

After the thirty-day period has expired, you can also do without a visa to Malaysia. A so-called extension of stay for another thirty days is available for an additional fee. This is not always possible, since the authorities may have questions regarding the purpose and actual need for such a period of stay in their state.

If you still need to renew your entry stamp, you should come to the immigration office and answer the questions of the visa officers; the conversation will be conducted in English. You need to emphasize your tourist intentions and say that there was not enough time to see everything you wanted, which is why an extension is being requested. If employees are satisfied with what they hear, the document will be renewed. It is hardly possible to do this a second time.

Exceeding your stay may result in a fine and, in some cases, even forced deportation. A fine is charged for each day of illegal stay.

Visa-free transit

For transit purposes, a visa to Kuala Lumpur is not required for Russians. Transit is subject to all rules and regulations of visa-free entry. To make a transfer, you only need to have your international passport and a completed migration card.

Visa-run

For those travelers who, for some reason, cannot or do not want to go to the immigration office to renew their visa stamp or who have already been there once, there is one way to stay in the country for a long time. This exit scheme is called a visa run. This, of course, is not a real visa to Malaysia, but simply a set of certain steps to legalize your further stay in the country.

The scheme works like this: the traveler leaves for a neighboring country closer to the date when the visa-free stamp begins to expire, and then returns back to Malaysia and again receives 30 days of visa-free stay.

This method of exit is not entirely legal, because it can be done by foreigners who work illegally in Malaysia without a visa. Therefore, in order not to arouse suspicion among border guards, you need to stay in another country for at least a few days , in this way you can create the appearance of traveling through several Asian countries.

If you have plans to use the visa-run, then you must keep in mind that the thirty-day visa-free stamp is issued only three times, the first time upon arrival from Russia.

Filling out the Malaysian migration card

Upon arrival in the country, Russians, like other foreigners, must fill out a migration card form. Some items must be filled out by hand, while in others you only need to tick the appropriate answer option. The migration card indicates:

Full name, date and place of birth;
citizenship;
passport series and number, its validity period;
flight number;
where did they come from;
purpose of visiting the country;
was there a previous visit to Malaysia under a different surname, if so, it should be indicated;
whether you have been on the territory of African states and countries of the American continent during the last 6 or 30 days;
occupation;
whether fish, plants or animals are imported into the country;
address where you plan to stop (hotel).

The migration card is filled out in black or blue ink in English.

After clearing customs, a stamp is placed in the international passport indicating the date of entry into the country and the date until which one is allowed to stay in it without a visa.

Traveling with children

The Kingdom of Malaysia does not impose any special restrictions on travelers with children. To be able to take your child on a trip, you just need to have his birth certificate with you.

There are restrictions on the part of the Russian Federation; the child must have special permission to leave Russia in the following situations:

If you are traveling with only one parent, permission must be obtained from the second;
If traveling with third parties, the permission must be signed by both parents.

We should not forget that this document must be previously certified by a notary.

Types of visas

There are situations when a visa to Malaysia is still required for Russians and a visa-free stamp is not enough. These are cases when you need a long-term tourist visa for a period of more than two months, a work visa and a student visa.

A long-term tourist visa is issued before the trip in Russia, and a work and student visa in Malaysia itself.

Malaysia visa photo

Required documents

The list of documents for a long-term tourist visa to Malaysia for Russians is small and can be collected quickly. You will need:

International passport. The requirements for it are the same as for a visa-free stamp;
Visa application form in two copies, the form can be obtained from the Embassy or viewed on their website;
A check confirming payment of the consular fee;
Two photographs, color or black and white, standard size 3.5 by 4.5 cm;
An optional requirement is a tourist invitation from relatives/friends living in Malaysia.

To apply for a student visa in Malaysia, in addition to your passport, application form and photographs, you will need:

Invitation from an educational institution;
Certificate of English language proficiency;
Diploma or certificate with a notarized translation into English.

A student visa is issued only after confirmation of admission to a university or school.

To obtain a work visa you need to provide:

Invitation from the employer;
Work contract.

You can start working only after the appropriate visa has been issued.

Entry into Malaysia with pets

In order to import a pet into Malaysia, you will need to work hard. The import conditions are quite strict, but feasible and will not be difficult. It is mandatory to obtain a permit and to comply with quarantine upon arrival. Stages of obtaining an import permit:

The owner is given a form to fill out (English);
A package consisting of a completed form with a veterinary certificate from a clinic in Russia, vaccination records and a receipt for payment of the fee (just over one dollar) is sent to the Malaysian veterinary service;
Statement on the purpose of importing the animal (pet, sale, protection);
In most cases, a permit for a period of thirty days arrives on the same day.

Transportation of animals

At the time of import, the animal must be more than three months old. There are also restrictions on the import of certain breeds of dogs: American bulldog, pit bull terrier and others (the full list can be found on the embassy website).

Important! Accessories (collars, toys), food may be quarantined and will be destroyed.

Microchips are not required as in other countries, but are encouraged. A month before the flight, you must submit a request for permission and subsequently provide it to obtain an import permit. If such action has not been taken, the services may prohibit the import of the animal.

Quarantine

After the flight, the animal must be sent to the quarantine zone. Quarantine lasts for seven days (in extreme cases, six months). The owner can visit the pet during this entire time during the day. Blood may be taken from the animal for testing or vaccination may be performed. After a week in confinement, a certificate is issued and the animal is released. There is a fee for staying in the quarantine zone: 0.9...1 dollar (depending on the size of the animal) for one day.

Self-receipt

The required visa to Kuala Lumpur for Russians in 2021 can be obtained independently. If a tourist submits an application before traveling, this can be done through the Malaysian Embassy in Moscow. Right there on the spot you can fill out a visa application, pay the consular fee and give your passport with photographs.

If the application is submitted in Malaysia, this is done with the assistance of special departments at the educational institution or through the employer. Without their participation, you cannot obtain such visas yourself.

Price

The fees for a Malaysian visa for Russians are not very high. All information is displayed in the table

Visa type	Price
Visa-free stamp	For free
Extension of visa-free stamp	US$10 – Immigration Fee
Malaysian tourist visa obtained from the Embassy	10 US dollars – consular fee
Tourist visa extension	US$10 – Immigration Fee
Work and student visas	For free

It is better to inquire further about the possibility of paying in rubles at the Embassy; it may turn out that rubles are not accepted.

Validity

Depending on the category, Malaysian visas have different validity periods.

Visa type	Validity
Visa-free stamp	30 days
Extension of visa-free stamp	30 days
Malaysian tourist visa obtained from the Embassy	2 months
Tourist visa extension	2 months
Student/work visa	From 3 months to a year with the possibility of extension

Extension of visa and visa-free regime

After 2 months, or preferably a little earlier, visit the immigration (entry) service to extend your visa. Upon presentation of your passport and return ticket, you will receive the right to stay for another 2 months.

Extension of the visa-free regime is also possible if, shortly before the expiration of the permit, by visiting the immigration office, you are able to convince the employees of the advisability of this step. Having received your answers in English to the questions asked, and having assessed the weight of the arguments in your favor, you may be allowed to stay for another 30 days after the appropriate payment for services.

The unofficial method of extending the visa-free regime is widely used by Russians who do not want to deal with legal paperwork. After 30 days, they cross the border, but do not go home, but move to neighboring Thailand, which is also accessible to us. Having stayed outside Malaysia for several days, vacationers who have not finished sightseeing return to their Malaysian hotels, having received a stamp in their passport allowing a second 30-day vacation. Repeating the maneuver multiple times is not recommended.