The government has announced an extension of the visa exemption for Indian nationals until December 31, 2026.

In a statement on Friday (Dec 20), Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Awang Alik Jeman said this was in line with Malaysia’s 2025 Asean chairmanship and preparations for Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

He added that the government had extended a similar visa exemption to Chinese nationals until the same date.

Awang Alik said the government’s visa liberalisation plan, which has been in place since December 1, 2023, aims to boost the country’s economic and tourism sectors while maintaining national security.

As part of this plan, a 30-day visa exemption is granted to nationals of the People’s Republic of China and India.

“This initiative is part of broader efforts to enhance Malaysia’s appeal as a travel destination while ensuring the safety and security of the nation,” he said.

About Tourism Malaysia

Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, also known as Tourism Malaysia, is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia. It focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination. Since its inception, it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene.

The next Visit Malaysia Year, set to take place in 2026, will commemorate the sustainability of the nation’s tourism industry, which is also in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).

Furthermore, Tourism Malaysia actively endorses the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), working towards the realisation of the IMT-GT Visiting Year 2023-2025, with the shared aim of promoting the region as a unified tourism destination. For more information, visit Tourism Malaysia’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok.