KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Students who received an offer to study overseas are now required to apply for a travel pass from the Immigration Department.

Its director-general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud said that the requirement took effect on May 17 and all new students travelling abroad must apply through the department’s My-TravelPass system, The Star reported.

"New students are required to upload their offer letter on the My-TravelPass system.

"Existing students are required to show their student card,” he said.

He said that returning students who are travelling to their respective campuses for physical learning must show their student cards at Immigration counters at the point of exit.

The report stated that the new rules requiring new students heading overseas for studies to apply for a travel pass is a change from last year’s directive that did not indicate such a need.

In a September 15 directive last year from the Immigration DG’s office, those who did not need to apply for a travel pass included diplomats, staff and their dependents at Malaysian embassies, as well as students with new offers or those continuing to study, and their guardians (limited to two people).

Others in this category were students sitting for exams, other countries’ long-term pass holders, petroleum and shipping workers who need to sign-on with foreign ships as well as those with a new job offer.

But the directive also stated that all the categories above would still need to show relevant documents to pass the Immigration counter.

Meanwhile, the latest May 17 directive, which was updated in the department directive, that was later shared on its website and Twitter, requires new students, students sitting for exams and those with a new job offer to apply for a travel pass.

Khairul Dzaimee also assured that the department would be able to handle the surge in the students at the airport Immigration clearance.

"We have enough staff. No worries on this,” he said.

The report stated that July to October are usually the "peak month” for new and existing students to head to their universities or colleges.

According to the Higher Education Ministry’s website, over 73,000 Malaysian travelled overseas to pursue their studies in 2019.

The number dropped to 39,882 in 2020.