EDUCATION MALAYSIA GLOBAL SERVICES (EMGS)
18th JULY 2020
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES DURING AND AFTER MOVEMENT CONTROL ORDER AMIDST COVID-19 PANDEMIC
1. PURPOSE:
1.1. The purpose of this bulletin is to provide clarification regarding the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for New and Existing International Students to enter Malaysia.
1.2. The Minister of Higher Education, YB Dato’ Dr. Noraini Ahmad announced on 8th July 2020 that all New and Existing International students from Public and Private Higher Education Institutions will be allowed to enter Malaysia. However, they must be registered with Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) before being given permission to enter Malaysia by the Director General of the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
2. IMPLEMENTATION:
2.1. The category of International Students from Public and Private Higher Education Institutions that will be allowed to enter Malaysia are:
· Existing Students that are outside Malaysia who has a valid student pass or if the student pass has expired from 1st February 2020 onwards;
· New and Mobility (mobility programmes for more than 3 months) Students whose VAL has been approved by the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
2.2. All the categories of students mentioned above that intend to enter Malaysia will be subjected to relevant procedures which has determined by the Malaysian Government prior to their entry (Pre-Arrival Process) and after they have entered Malaysia (Post- Arrival Process).
2.3. Pre-Arrival Process
2.3.1. All students that intend to enter Malaysia must submit their application to EMGS through the Travel Authorisation form available in the EMGS website. Please refer to 2.7 for a guide on how to fill up the form.
2.3.2. These students must purchase a flight ticket before creating their application as they are required to update the flight details to Malaysia. Please ensure that there is ample time (Suggested 21 days) to travel as there are multiple layers of processing involved to approve the travel request by students.
2.3.3. Students are required to make a declaration that they will adhere to the requirement of ensuring that a COVID-19 test is completed within 72 hours prior to their arrival at Malaysia. The official test result which must be translated in ENGLISH has to be given to the relevant health authorities upon arrival at Malaysia.
2.3.4. All applications created by students will be made available to the Educational Institutions. The applications must be approved by the Education Institutes via the EMGS STARS System before EMGS begins processing the application.
2.3.5. Upon receiving the approval from Education Institutions, EMGS will process the application to ensure that the student has met all the requirements.
2.3.6. The application will subsequently be forwarded to the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) to obtain the approval of the Director General of the Immigration Department of Malaysia. Once approved, students will be able to download an approval letter through the EMGS website (Track My Application).
2.3.7. International Students must also ensure that
they have downloaded the MySejahtera mobile application and complete the registration process prior to their arrival.
2.4. Post-Arrival Process
2.4.1. All International Students will only be allowed to enter Malaysia via KLIA and KLIA 2 entry points. International Students that attempt to enter Malaysia from other entry points will be denied entry and may risk being deported to their country of origin.
2.4.2. Once the student arrives at the entry checkpoint, students are required to abide by these following steps:
2.4.2.1. A COVID-19 test clearance must be done at the entry checkpoint
a. In the event that the COVID-19 screening test result is verified VALID by the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) and the student DOES NOT EXHIBIT ANY COVID-19 SYMPTOMS, the student will be allowed to proceed to the Immigration Counter; and
b. In the event that the COVID-19 screening test result is verified as INVALID by the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) and/or the students EXHIBITS ANY COVID-19 SYMPTOMS, the student will have to undergo an RTK Antigen test.
c. In the event that international students arrive at the entry checkpoint without any COVID-19 screening test results, they will have to undergo a COVID-19 screening test arranged by the Health Office at the international entry checkpoint.
2.4.2.2. After the COVID-19 test clearance, students will submit the Student Entry Approval Letter from the Immigration Department of Malaysia to the officer- on-duty at the Immigration Counter.
2.4.3. Upon clearance from the Immigration Department of Malaysia, students that test negative will be escorted by the International Student Arrival Centre (ISAC) representatives to the arrival hall. The Education Institution representatives must be present to pick up the students. Failing which, the students may not be able to leave the airport. Kindly note that the exemption for Education Institutions that are rated in Tier 5 and 6 for SETARA and MyQUEST to pick up their students from the airport are no longer applicable with this SOP in place.
2.4.4. Students that test positive will have to follow the current guidelines set by MOH.
2.4.5. Students that test negative and released to Education Institutions are required to undergo a mandatory quarantine of 14 days. The location will be determined by the Education Institution and it must follow the MOH guidelines. Students will also be fitted with a wristband which cannot be removed until they complete the 14 days mandatory quarantine period.
2.4.6. Upon completion of the quarantine period (14 days), all students will be required to undergo a COVID-19 Antibody test. The wristband will be removed if the students test negative for this test.
2.4.7. International student that are required to undergo a Post-Arrival Medical Screening as per their eVAL application process must complete the screening after their quarantine period prior to obtaining their student pass.
2.5. Adherence to Quarantine Orders
2.5.1. All International Students are required to undergo self-quarantine for 14 days at locations that are in compliance with the quarantine procedures set by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) and MOH.
2.5.2. Education Institutions must ensure that the student affairs at the quarantine locations are in accordance with the instructions issued by the Government of Malaysia. Education Institutions must comply with the following:
· Education Institutions need to identify suitable quarantine locations and ensure that students adhere to the prescribed quarantine procedures;
· Education Institutions need to plan carefully to ensure that students quarantine affairs are managed in accordance to the procedures set out;
· Education Institutions must ensure that their students get an appointment with the nearest District Health Office (Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah) to undergo the COVID-19 Antibody test on the 13th day; and
· Education Institutions are required to assist students to verify with MOH at the end of the self-quarantine period on 14th day.
2.6. Financial Implications
2.6.1. All expenses for the student’s entry into Malaysia will be borne by the student. This includes:
· The cost of COVID-19 detection screening tests;
· Cost of transportation to the quarantine locations;
· Cost of quarantine for international students.
2.6.2. International students will be able to pay using cash in Malaysian currency, credit or debit card for payments related to the COVID-19 detection screening test at both port of entries.
2.7. Travel Authorisation Form
2.7.1. Students will first be required to register an account at https://visa.educationmalaysia.gov.my
2.7.2. Once an account is registered, the student may proceed to request for a travel authorisation at https://visa.educationmalaysia.gov.my/student-visa/travel-authorisation-form-base.html. Please ensure that the student reads the ‘Travel Advise thoroughly before clicking ‘Apply’.
2.7.3. Students are then required to enter the Travel Document Number (Passport) and Nationality. The student’s details such as the Full Name, Institution Name, Course Name and Application ID in STARS will be
auto populated if the student fulfils the requirement as stated in item 2.1
2.7.4. The student will then be required to enter the Country of Origin, Flight Departure & Arrival Date and Time details before uploading the flight details. A screenshot of the Travel Authorisation form is as follows:
Education Malaysia Global Services
18th July 2020
EDUCATION MALAYSIA GLOBAL SERVICES (EMGS)
10th JULY 2020
UPDATE – CLARIFICATION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND INSTITUTIONS ON APPLICATION PROCESS DURING AND POST THE MOVEMENT CONTROL ORDER PERIOD
PURPOSE:
1. EMGS would like to provide further updates on the bulletin issued on 17th April 2020 regarding clarification on the various scenarios that may be experienced by International Students and Institutions during and after Movement Control Order and the global border closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. This bulletin will also provide clarification on new updates received from the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
CLARIFICATION ITEMS:
1. Electronic Visa Approval Letters (eVAL) issuance by the Immigration Department of Malaysia
1.1. The Immigration Department of Malaysia will begin processing eVAL approvals for Progression/Variation applications for students that are currently in Malaysia beginning 13th July 2020. Education Institutions must ensure that they submit a declaration indicating that the student is in Malaysia (Refer to EMGS bulletin dated 6th May 2020 – EMGS Approval letter)
1.2. Processing of eVAL approvals for students that are outside Malaysia will only begin from 1st August 2020 onwards.
2. Extension of eVAL approvals
2.1. EMGS is pleased to announce that the Immigration Department of Malaysia will begin processing eVAL extensions beginning 1st August 2020.
2.2. The request will be processed on a case by case basis involving students that were unable to travel to Malaysia upon receiving the eVAL because of global border closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.
2.3. The institutes / students will be required to furnish relevant supporting documents to justify their request for an eVAL extension.
3. Expiry of SEV (Obtained after eVAL Issuance)
3.1. Certain students may have proceeded to obtain their Single Entry Visa (SEV) upon receiving their eVAL but were not able to travel to Malaysia before the expiry of the SEV due to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.
3.2. International students that fall under this category should visit the nearest Malaysian Embassy or High Commission and submit a request to obtain a social visit SEV. The respective Embassy or High Commission may consider the request based on the justification provided to them.
3.3. In addition to the social visit SEV, these students must also ensure that they obtain the approval letter to enter Malaysia from the Director-General of the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
4. eVALs rejected due to COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in the student’s country of origin
4.1. The Immigration Department of Malaysia had rejected certain eVAL applications for students that originated from countries that had a widespread transmission of COVID-19 prior to the Movement Control Order implemented by the Government of Malaysia.
4.2. Educational Institutions will now be able to submit an appeal for these applications and the Immigration Department of Malaysia will review them on a case by case basis. Kindly note that the decision to approve the appeal is solely at the discretion of the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
5. Students outside Malaysia with an expired students pass – students that were unable to travel to Malaysia in time to renew their student pass due to the travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
5.1. Based on the current / existing process, the Immigration Department of Malaysia will only allow students to renew their student pass if the current student pass expiry has not lapsed for more than 3 months.
5.2. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide which forced international borders to be closed, the Immigration Department of Malaysia is now allowing students to continue renewing their student pass only if it expired after 1st February 2020. Students that fall under this category will be required to enter Malaysia on a social visit pass and subsequently submit their passport for the extension of their student pass. These students must ensure that they have obtained the approval to enter Malaysia from the Director-General of the Immigration Department of Malaysia prior to leaving their home country.
5.3. Students whose pass expired prior to 1st February 2020 will not be allowed to renew their student pass. They must submit a new application to obtain an eVAL to continue their studies in Malaysia.