- Malaysia's immigration authority published its official visa requirements, listing dozens of countries whose citizens need a visa before travelling there
- Several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Cameroon, appear on the list with an additional travel condition attached
- A special asterisk note in the official list restricts citizens of marked African countries to air entry only into Malaysia
Malaysia's Immigration Department has published an official breakdown of countries whose citizens are required to obtain a visa before entering the country, and a significant number of African nations appear on the list, several with a notable restriction attached.
The list, made available on the official website of Malaysia's Immigration Department, covers countries that must apply for a visa to enter Malaysia.
Source: Getty Images
Among African nations on the list are Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Republic, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, and Angola.
Special condition for Nigerians, other Africans
What sets most of the African countries apart from others on the list is a specific travel condition. Countries marked with an asterisk are permitted to enter Malaysia by air only.
Nearly all the African nations on the visa-required list carry that asterisk, meaning citizens travelling from those countries cannot enter Malaysia by land or sea, regardless of whether they hold a valid visa.
This condition does not apply to all countries on the list. Nations such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Colombia, Montenegro, Serbia, and India are also required to apply for a visa but do not carry the air-only restriction. India is marked separately with two asterisks, indicating a different set of conditions.
Malaysia entry: Which African countries are affected?
The full list of African countries required to obtain a visa, most of which also face the air-only entry rule, includes:
- Angola
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast
- Liberia
- Mali
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Niger
- Rwanda
Afghanistan also appears on the list but under a separate designation marked as VDR, which stands for Visa with Diplomatic Reference, indicating a more complex application process distinct from standard tourist or travel visas.
The requirements are published directly by Malaysia's Immigration Department and reflect the country's current entry rules for nationals of the listed countries.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.
Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.
Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.
The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
Source: Legit.ng