Logistics - Visa - Convention Travel Document

fd9 on 09/04/2023 - 10:02
Last edited 09/04/2023 - 18:55 by 1 other user

Hello, a relative of mine has a convention travel document / titre de voyage issued by Australia (for refugees). The convention travel document lists their nationality as X country which they were born in.

They are wanting to go overseas for 3 weeks. In this case to Malaysia.

On the Malaysian consulate Melbourne website.

It states that to apply for a visa you need to show booked tickets, hotels, email it to them, then come into their consulate in Melbourne and have an appointment before getting your visa.

Now that seems a lot of up front expense/cost without the guarantee of a visa at the end of it.

However, as mentioned above, X country is as their nationality on their Australian conventional travel document.
Citizens of X country can enter malaysia Visa free.

I am wondering (already sent an email to the consulate but no reply).

1. If having X country listed as a nationality on their AUSTRALIAN convention travel document would be enough to get VISA free access to Malaysia. Probably too risky a move.

2. Best way to apply for a Malaysian Visa. As mentioned above, the visa application form requires you to have already booked the hotels, flights – with no guarantee of a visa at the end. I thought about checking refundable/no change fee flights but they are $1.7k. Hotels I should be able to find something with no cancellation fee easier.

• Wondering if I could book one of those $2k flights that allow cancellation, get the visa, then cancel and re-book a cheaper ($700) flight to actually travel on – or if that would be breaking some sort of rule / the visa shows the flight number

Thank you for any advice. Something that is normally so easy for me is much more complicated for my family member without an Australian Passport.

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  Transient on 09/04/2023 - 12:51

  +1

  Does your relative have a country X passport?

  • 

    fd9 on 09/04/2023 - 14:57

    Unfortunately not.

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  Love a bargain on 09/04/2023 - 13:19

  +2

  It doesn't matter what some random people on an internet forum say. Contact Malysian embassy and get their reply in writing.

  Btw, Malaysia is not the only country that requires for evidence of a booked trip before granting a visa. Is there any reason that your relo might be denied a tourist visa?

  • 

    fd9 on 09/04/2023 - 14:57

    No I don't think so. Just haven't been through the visa application process before - always travelled myself on an Australian passport and was visa on arrival for places I have been. So I didn't really know if it was like an "everyone gets one unless an issue comes up" or was luck.

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  HardQuiz on 09/04/2023 - 13:54

  +1

  Even if they tell you option 1 is acceptable, the airlines will follow what’s here..

  https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/

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    fd9 on 09/04/2023 - 14:58

    Ahh okay. Thank you.

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  bluesky on 09/04/2023 - 13:57

  +1

  Your relatives will likely require a visa - if this article is accurate:

  Since Australian CTD is not a regular national passport, most countries and territories require visas prior to arrival.

  The only countries listed as being visa-free or providing visa on arrival are Macau, NZ, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia.

  The best bet is to wait for a response from the Malaysian Consulate.

  the visa application form requires you to have already booked the hotels, flights – with no guarantee of a visa at the end

  Ask the Malaysian Consulate whether an Australian CTD, with Country X listed as the nationality is acceptable and can obtain a visa. If the answer is yes, then I would think it is quite safe to go ahead and make travel arrangements.

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    fd9 on 09/04/2023 - 14:57

    Thank you for the info! Will do.