The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKSEM) conducted a seven-hour operation, screening over 400 passengers from high-risk flights. Among those denied entry were 80 Bangladeshi nationals, 10 Indians, and nine Pakistanis, all of whom were men.
This incident comes at a time when Malaysia has extended its visa-free facility for Indians until December 31, 2026. The extension aims to attract more Indian visitors ahead of Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2025 and Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
Malaysia has seen a record number of Indian tourists, with around 1.13 million visitors in 2024, a 71.7% increase from the previous year. The growth is attributed to visa-free entry and improved air connectivity. Malaysia aims to welcome 1.5 million Indian tourists by the end of this year.
Reasons for Denied Entry
In a recent advisory, the High Commission of Malaysia in India has noted that many Indian travellers are being placed in the “Not To Land” (NTL) category and denied entry. “Several Indian nationals have arrived at Malaysian airports and are placed in the ‘Not To Land’ (NTL) category by the Malaysian immigration authorities,” it said.
Passengers categorised as NTL are not permitted to exit the airport. Instead, they must wait inside the terminal until the airline that transported them returns them to India.
Common reasons for being placed in NTL
– Insufficient funds for travel
– Unverifiable or missing accommodation details
– Lack of a genuine return ticket
– Suspected intent to violate immigration rules, such as seeking employment under this scheme
30-Day Visa-Free Entry Is Not For Employment
The High Commission has also warned Indian citizens about fraudulent visa and job agents who mislead people regarding employment in Malaysia under the visa-free scheme.
“Many unscrupulous visa/employment agents are misleading Indian citizens regarding employment in Malaysia under this scheme. The 30-day visa-free entry scheme is not for employment in Malaysia. Indian nationals are advised to remain vigilant and avoid being cheated,” the High Commission said.
Details About The Visa Waiver Scheme
Indian passport holders are eligible for visa-free entry into Malaysia for stays of up to 30 days for business, tourism, social, or transit purposes for travel between December 1, 2023, and December 31, 2026.
They must meet the following requirements to successfully clear security and immigration checks at the port of entry:
The passport’s validity must be at least six (6) months.
Confirmed return flight tickets
Confirmed hotel bookings
Mandatory online submission of the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) three (3) days before arrival date.
