Malaysia visa application process and rules

Malaysia had VISA on Arrival for Indian tourists till August 2010, but probably due to misuse or abuse of the system, the VOA facility for Indians have been withdrawn. Indians need prior visa before visiting Malaysia

Just sharing Malaysia visa application process, based on personal experience, for the benefit of prospective tourists.

Applying for Malaysian visa is a fairly simple process (compared to US and some other countries). You download the application  form, fill it up, affix photo, get a DD for Rs 750, go to Malaysian Embassy by 9AM, stand in line, submit your passport and documents, collect your slip and come back…

Go back after 3 days and collect your passport with visa stamped

Documents Required:

·         Passport, valid for 6 months minimum
·         2 passport sized photos with white background, not very particular about size, regular ones (30mm by 40mm) would do
·         Demand Draft, drawn in favor of “The Consulate General of Malaysia, Chennai”, for Rs 750, drawn on at few select banks, including State Bank of India, RBS and few others (you may call the embassy to know other banks, I forgot). Don’t go with a DD of any bank not specified by the embassy
·         Filled application form, can be downloaded online or even the embassy staff will give you one on the spot. It is a fairly simple form with 2 pages, asks your basic details and purpose of travel-should be easier to fill
·         Valid Return ticket

We had taken few other documents like Hotel booking receipt, bank statement, credit card copy etc. These were not asked for.

There’s no online application or appointment taking. Just go early to the consulate (open for applicants from 9 am to 10.30AM), stand in line if there’re others waiting. Sign, walk in, handover your documents, collect an acknowledgement slip and go home.

Acknowledgement slip will have the date on which you can collect the passport. If you’d applied in a group, it’s enough if one person goes to collect the passports.

It takes about 3 business days to get the visa- I think this time frame is mainly to encash the DD.

Visa is valid for 1 year, multiple entry and one month per entry.

If there’s no Malaysian consulate in your city, then you may have to travel to nearest metro or rely on a travel agent. I didn’t have the need for this, hence not sure.

In Chennai the consulate is located in Cenotaph Road, Alwarpet. There’re no signboard outside the building and it is difficult to identify the building. Take help from locals or ask security guards and they’ll  point you to right building.

Disclaimer: All information as experienced by the blogger at the time of application. Visa rules may change over time and granting or denying the visa is at sole discretion of embassy staff. Above stated is only an ideal scenario and may not always be true.