Multiple-entry Visa Proposal Needs Careful Study

[george]

Multiple-entry Visa Proposal Needs Careful Study

KUALA LUMPUR: -- The proposal by Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Donald Lim that Chinese tourists be issued multiple-entry visas should be thoroughly studied before it can be tabled to the government for consideration, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho said Tuesday.

He said the ministry needed to study the proposal carefully before making any recommendation because the multiple-entry visa could easily be abused.

He said the Immigration Department would not simply issue the multiple-entry visa as it required a stringent process and was only granted on certain conditions.

"We also need to talk to the Chinese authorities as consent from both the Malaysian and the Chinese authorities is required," he said when contacted.

Tan also said that China would not simply allow its citizens to be given multiple-entry visas as it was also regulating its citizen travelling abroad.

The multiple-entry visa, or commonly known as "double entry visa", will allow non-citizens to re-enter Malaysia after exit, compared with the normal visa which only allows single entry.

Lim had made the proposal to enable Chinese tourists to travel from Malaysia to another country and return to Malaysia by using the same visa, which is not allowed now.

This has been identified as one of the reasons Chinese tourists choose a shorter stay, an average of one day in Malaysia, compared with neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Thailand.

Travel agencies have suggested that the Chinese tourists be given the multiple-entry visa to give them flexibility to re-enter Malaysia under the same tour package.

The Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (Mita) had even suggested that the Immigration Department set up special designated counters at the KL International Airport to clear the multiple-entry visas.

-- BERNAMA, MY 2006-04-18

[Khun Bob]

My question doesnt have alot to do with thailand - but a little with this post...

Is it possible to stay in malaysia for a longish time by doing visa on arrival runs with a uk passport, giving 3 months each time ? in a similar way that people do in thailand, albeit 30 days with uk passport

Cheers

[vinny]

See Visa Runs.

[astral]

Interesting though it is, the Original Post has nothing to do with visas for Thailand.

[vinny]

There are aims for A Single Visa for ASEAN.

[Khun Bob]

Thanks for the good links vinny...

Cheers