Malaysia and China Extend Visa Exemption for 5 Years

Malaysian and Chinese nationals are set to enjoy visa-free travel to each other’s countries for another five years following the signing of a visa-free agreement during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent state visit. 

The new reciprocal agreement was one of the 31 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) signed on April 16 during President Xi’s Southeast Asian tour from April 14 to 18. 

The current visa waiver policy between Malaysia and China is due to expire at the end of 2025 and 2026 respectively. At present, Chinese nationals can enter Malaysia for a period of 30 days until the end of 2026, and Malaysian nationals can likewise visit China for up to 30 days until December 31, 2025. 

Malaysian Interior Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin said that it will be possible for the mutual visa exemption to be renewed for another five years after it expires, possibly extending till 2035. The Ministry of Home Affairs has been tasked to follow up on implementation of the mutual visa-waiver extension with China. 

Speaking at a press conference after the Home Ministry’s monthly meeting, Minister Saifuddin said, “The visa exemption allows Chinese tourists to stay in Malaysia for up to 90 days, and China has offered a similar arrangement for Malaysians.”

When the visa exemption was first implemented on December 1, 2023, China only permitted Malaysian nationals to visit the country for a maximum of 15 days. This period was extended to 30 days with effect from November 30, 2024. 

“From 30 days, we extended the visa-free period in Malaysia to 90 days and also asked China to reciprocate, but at that time, we were only given 15 days,” Minister Saifuddin added, as quoted by The Star. 

He also shared that the visa exemption policy has been instrumental in driving economic growth through the tourism industry. As of April 2025, Minister Saifuddin revealed that nearly 900,000 Chinese nationals had arrived in the country. 

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture found that the average spend of each Chinese tourist amounted to RM7,000, according to its internal calculations. With the extension of the visa-free agreement, Malaysia is anticipating further economic stimulation.