Malaysia: Authorities to reduce quarantine for international arrivals who have received COVID-19 booster shots to five days from Jan. 24 /update 63

Event

Officials will reduce the quarantine for international arrivals who have received COVID-19 booster shots to five days from Jan. 24. Unvaccinated travelers must still quarantine for 10 days, while passengers who are fully vaccinated but have not received booster shots must quarantine for seven days. Authorities may allow vaccinated entrants to undergo quarantine at their residence. All travelers must also undergo COVID-19 tests upon arrival and at the end of their quarantine.

Domestic Measures
Authorities continue to implement a four-tier National Recover Plan. Kelantan and Sarawak remain placed under the stricter Phase 3 restrictions. Social activities remain suspended and unvaccinated people can only travel within their respective state. Officials permit up to 80-percent capacity for office workers, while agricultural and commodities industries can run at full capacity. The rest of the country is under the least stringent Phase 4 controls. Social activities can occur at half the venue's capacity, and offices can operate at full capacity. Authorities also permit interstate travel in Phase-4 locations.

Local officials may impose short-term stricter Enhanced Movement Control Orders in localities with high COVID-19 activity. State governments may also impose restrictions in addition to central government mandates.

International Travel Restrictions
Malaysia continues to ban most foreigners from entry, with exemptions for several groups, including resident diplomats, foreign spouses and dependents of Malaysian citizens, long-term pass holders, and workers in essential industries and their dependents. Travelers must undergo a PCR test 48 hours or less before departure and download the MySejahtera contact-tracing application.

Quarantine-free travel is possible under the Langkawi International Travel Bubble (LITB), the short-term traveller One-Stop Center (OSC), and Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) schemes. Fully vaccinated short and long-term business travelers may apply to enter Malaysia under the OSC initiative. Short-term travelers must stay in the country 14 days or less to qualify for the OSC and be eligible for an exemption from quarantine, but long-term travelers under the OSC initiative remain subject to quarantine requirements. Fully vaccinated international tourists, except for travelers from high-risk locations, can enter Langkawi, Kedah State, through the LITB; the list of high-risk locations is unclear. Travelers under the LITB must undergo daily testing and stay in Langkawi for at least three days or seven days if traveling to other parts of Malaysia. Fully vaccinated passengers who have been in Singapore for the past 14 days can enter Malaysia via a VTL arrangement; authorities have allowed VTL flight and bus trip ticket sales, which had been suspended in December 2021, to reopen as of Jan. 21.

Singapore citizens and permanent residents with a Long-Term Social Visit Pass or Singaporean permanent residents can enter Malaysia for employment under the Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA), but they must stay at least three consecutive months. Travelers under the PCA are subject to a quarantine period determined by the relevant agency.

All entrants must undergo COVID-19 testing on arrival. Sabah requires entrants from high-risk international locations to quarantine for 14 days at authorized sites upon arrival. The government permits foreigners to transit Malaysian airports. Unvaccinated Malaysians must still apply to travel abroad using the MyTravelPass system.

Advice

Follow all official health and safety measures. Ensure contingency plans account for additional disruptive controls or further extensions of current restrictions. Postpone travel if affected by restrictions. Confirm flight status before checking out of accommodation and departing for the airport. Follow all official instructions, particularly if traveling from affected locations. Allow additional time for immigration and health screenings at all ports of entry. Consider delaying travel if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays.

Resources

Prime Minister's Office
Immigration Department of Malaysia
MySejahtera application
MyTravelPass application
One Stop Centre