Malaysia (Commonwealth Union)_ Malaysia will increase access to the automated immigration gates at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) for tourists from Australia, New Zealand, and four other countries starting February 1. Previously, individuals traveling from seven countries rated ‘low risk’ were allowed to use the KLIA e-gates if they met the conditions of the country’s Social Visit Pass, which is an entrance visa for a 90-day stay for purposes like business and tourism.
The newly added countries are Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Brunei, and Saudi Arabia. As of now, only Malaysian citizens have access to the e-gates at KLIA. However, in an effort to alleviate peak-hour congestion at the busy airport, where up to 20 planes may arrive within 10 minutes, the government has increased the use of automatic gates. The Minister of Home Affairs of Malaysia, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, announced the news in a Facebook post and also revealed about the rapid response squad that was formed to assist immigration agents during peak hours.
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In addition, travelers entering Johor Bahru from Singapore via the Tusa and Woodlands checkpoints are permitted to use the e-gates. The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) must be submitted by the travelers within three days after arrival. Malaysia Airlines provides direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth to Kuala Lumpur, making the Malaysian city a principal entry point for the majority of Australians. As previously mentioned, Malaysia has resumed business as usual following the pandemic, with the country’s excellent cuisine and warm friendliness being two of the many reasons to travel there.
According to the minister, peak hours are at around 7 am, 2.30 pm, and 8 pm. He noted that another reason for congestion is the inspections conducted on guests to verify they are legitimate tourists. He also stated that KLIA has 28 immigration desks, four electronic gates, and ten automated clearing gates to handle immigrations. The busy airport handles around 500 passengers every 47 minutes. Saifuddin stated that the clearance rate for immigration must be on average 1,500 per hour.