From today, July 1, tourists from Malaysia will be eligible to enter India on a free double-entry e-visa that will be valid for one year.
Confirming that the validity of the new visa will be until June 30, 2025, the High Commission of India in Kuala Lumpur, said that travelers could make their applications at the official website provided in the statement.
The e-tourist visa must be used within 120 days of issuance, VisaGuide.World reports.
The existing rules regarding e-tourist visas and other categories will continue to apply.
However, the High Commission emphasized that those opting for normal paper visas through outsourced providers or through the commission will continue to be subject to the prescribed visa fee. The cost of an e-tourist visa was about RM465.
The recent changes come as part of efforts to attract a larger number of international visitors, thus contributing to further economic growth.
The statistics from India’s Ministry of Tourism revealed that last year, foreign tourist arrivals increased by 64 percent compared to 2022 statistics.
The Ministry said that in 2023, India registered a total of 92,36,108 visitors, compared to 64,37,467 in the same period in 2022.
Malaysia Already Permits Visa-Free Entry for Indians
While authorities in India have recently applied new changes for travelers from Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur already applies a visa waiver process for nationals from India.
From December 1 last year, until December 31, 2024, nationals from India are eligible to enter Malaysia visa-free, which permits a stay of up to 30 days for each entry and visit to the country.
The decision was confirmed through a statement provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia. A similar decision was also applied to travelers from China as well.
Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing previously said that the decision to exempt nationals from China and India from visa requirements led to a boost in arrivals in Malaysia this year.
According to the Minister, there were a total of 5.8 million tourists registered in Malaysia in the first quarter of 2024, accounting for an increase of 32.5 percent compared to the statistics from the same period last year, during which period 4.3 million travelers were registered.
Back then, Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said that his ministry would seek to increase flights to territories like India and China in order to encourage more direct flights into the territory.
Malaysia aims to attract 36 million tourists by 2026, through the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign, generating target receipts of a total of RM147. 1 billion.