Travelling to the UK from Malaysia? Here’s what Malaysians need to know

According to the latest available statistics from Visit Britain, over 200,000 people travelled to the UK from Malaysia annually before the pandemic broke out. The UK is also the most visited country in Western Europe for Malaysians, and a popular pick for holidays as well as a destination for work or study.

Since Covid closed down international travel, restrictions and requirements have evolved rapidly. But what about travel from Malaysia to the UK?

This guide covers all you need to know, plus we’ll introduce Wise as a perfect partner for your next trip. Read on as we explore the key question: can Malaysians travel to the UK now?

Travel to UK from Malaysia: coronavirus situation

At the height of the pandemic travel overseas was all but impossible. But as the vaccination programme has rolled out globally, the situation has been normalising as countries open up to tourists and travellers once more.

The the time of writing, the UK government coronavirus travel requirements state that you can enter the country whether or not you are vaccinated, with no need to take pre departure or on arrival covid tests, no passenger locator form to worry about, and no quarantine requirements.

While covid hit the UK pretty hard, fairly high vaccination uptake allowed the country to start reopening its borders faster than many other countries. Of course, that doesn’t mean covid has disappeared in the UK - if you’re interested in the data, the UK government publishes covid statistics on vaccinations and positive cases, at a national and local level. That makes it pretty easy to stay in touch with the covid situation if you feel you need to.

As we know, travel rules and restrictions do change abruptly from time to time. Keep an eye on the covid situation in the UK, and whether there are any changes to entry requirements, before you leave, just in case.

Travel to UK from Malaysia requirements and documents

UK border control rules state that you’ll need a valid passport to enter the UK. Your passport must be valid for the entire length of your planned visit, and you may also need a visa if you’ll be staying for over 6 months or if you want to work while you’re in the country. More on visa rules, next.

As with most countries, the UK has a series of laws about what can be imported. You’ll need to declare items in excess of your duty free limit, and if you’re carrying the equivalent of 10,000 EUR or more (about 50,000 MYR). There are also banned and restricted items that you can’t bring in your luggage. Most of these are pretty common sense, but it’s still worth a look at the list. One good example is that you can’t import any meat products to the UK from Malaysia - so if you were thinking of taking food gifts, you’ll need to make sure your choices meet the requirements.

One other note - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Malaysia has issued general travel advice for Malaysians headed to the UK, reminding travellers to keep an eye on their baggage, and make sure nobody tampers with your cases during your journey. There’s also an advisory for anyone travelling for a new job, to double check the employer is legitimate, following an uptick in criminal gangs targeting Malaysians with criminal or illegal work offers.

Do I need a visa to travel to the UK from Malaysia?

There’s comprehensive UK visa advice available online on the UK government’s website. Whether or not you need a visa to travel to the UK will depend on the length of your trip and what you intend to do while you’re in the country.

Generally, Malaysian passport holders do not need a visa to enter the UK for up to 6 months for tourist purposes. You can’t do paid or unpaid work while in the UK, and you can’t get married in the UK either.

There are checks in place to make sure people don’t abuse the system by leaving and re-entering the country repeatedly to allow them to, effectively, live in the UK full time. As part of this, you might find that you’re asked on arrival to show you meet the eligibility criteria, which include:

• You intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit
• You can pay for yourself while in the UK
• You can pay for your onward travel to leave the country
• You’re not attempting to establish the UK as a full time home

Flights Malaysia to UK

You can fly easily to the UK from Malaysia, with a number of supported routes and different carriers so you can pick the one that suits your needs and budget. Most travellers to the UK will leave from Kuala Lumpur, or else make a connection along the way if travelling from a regional Malaysian airport. International flights commonly finish up in London’s Heathrow airport, although there are several other London airports, as well as air services to other major UK cities like Edinburgh and Manchester.

Direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to London take over 13 hours, so be prepared for your journey to be a long one. Singapore Airlines and Scoot offer connections via Changi Airport from Penang and other Malaysian cities, or you can choose to fly with Malaysia Airlines via KL, or even Emirates, depending on your starting point. As you’d imagine, journey times increase sharply once you add in connections and layovers, so shopping around for a route that suits you is essential.

Travelling to the UK? Get the Wise card to spend GBP without losing ringgit on exchange rates and foreign transaction fees

Make the most of your trip to the UK, with a powerful multi-currency account and card from Wise.

Get your Wise account online or in the Wise app before you travel, and order your linked Wise card to spend and withdraw conveniently while you’re away. You’ll be able to add money to your account in MYR, and either convert to GBP in advance, or just let the card convert for you at the point of purchase.

All Wise currency exchange uses the mid-market exchange rate with low fees from 0.43% - plus you’ll get some fee free international ATM withdrawals every month, too (watch for ATM operators charging their own fees though!).

There’s no monthly fee for a Wise account or card, no foreign transaction fee to pay, and no inactivity charge - just order your card for a one time low fee, and use it as and when you need it.

Order your Wise card today! 💳

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