E-VISA APPLICATION FOR 10 NATIONS
Positive tourist experience starts with Immigration Dept, says Najib
MALAYSIA is ramping up efforts for tourists to have more positive experiences when they visit the country, starting from the first contact with those in the Immigration Department.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said tourists would have a good impression of Malaysia if they had pleasant experiences with those manning the country’s entry points.
“Our efforts should start even before the tourists arrive.
“By making it a hassle-free experience to get a visa, they will have a good impression of this country,” he said at the launch of Electronic Visa (eVisa) and Visa Communication Centre (eVCOMM) yesterday.
Present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa.
The eVisa is a web-based visa application portal that offers tourists a quick, convenient and secure way to apply for a Malaysian visa.
Najib lauded the Home Ministry’s efforts to ease the process of visa application, especially for those of 10 chosen countries: China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Serbia and Montenegro.
Visitors from these countries will be allowed to apply for visas online.
“The eVisa programme is a user-friendly online facility that will allow tourists, international students and expatriates to get their visas within 48 hours without having to go to the one-stop centre or embassies like in the past,” he said, adding that applicants could save on transport costs.
The eVisa facility, Najib said, could tap into some 100 million diaspora from the 10 chosen countries, who were spread across the globe.
He said Malaysia expected to welcome 32 million visitors with an expected revenue of RM118 billion to be generated this year.
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“We expect three million visitors from China, and all indicators in the past six months have shown that Malaysia is on track to achieve it.
“Visa applications from India have also increased by 91.1 per cent from 36,442 approved in March last year, to 69,635 approved in April this year.”
With the eVisa and the Electronic Travel Registration and Information programmes, Najib said the improvements made by the Immigration Department could attract more visitors.
He announced the set-up of two more eVisa regional hubs, each in Brasilia, Brazil, and Moscow, Russia, by year end.
The prime minister added that the programme could elevate the country's security to greater heights and promote Malaysia as a safe place for everyone.