Welcome to the website of the British High Commission in Malaysia.

This website seeks to explain why the British High Commission is here; how its staff work to strengthen the close ties between Malaysia and the United Kingdom; and how we can help British citizens visiting, doing business with, or living in Malaysia and Malaysian citizens interested in the United Kingdom. The website also aims to answer the questions we are most often asked: about travelling to the United Kingdom and visiting Malaysia, studying in Britain and doing business with British companies. It sets out the services we can provide to you. I hope you will find the information you need.

The links between the UK and Malaysia are exceptionally close.

Many hundreds of thousands of Malaysians have studied in the UK: some 11,500 are doing so now. And tens of thousands of Malaysians are studying for British qualifications here in Malaysia. Our educational partnership is taking new forms, for example through the setting up of "off-shore" British University campuses in Malaysia. It remains the foundation of our wider relationship.

The UK and Malaysia are both strong parliamentary democracies and have a common legal heritage. Exchanges within the Commonwealth reinforce the sense of shared values. Our Governments talk to each other at every level about the problems facing the international community. Our bilateral defence links are strengthened by our joint membership of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA).

British companies are major investors in Malaysia. Over the last 30 years, they have made cumulative investments here of well over £20bn or RM140bn. Many Malaysian companies have been welcomed to the UK as investors in both services and manufacturing sectors. Two-way trade in goods between the two countries totals in excess of £3bn or RM20bn annually, plus some £350m or RM2.5bn in invisibles. Our aim is to expand these commercial links further.

Malaysians are always welcome in the UK, for business or pleasure, and short-term visitors going to the UK for less than six months do not need a visa or residence permit. Meanwhile, in the other direction, over 250,000 British tourists annually enjoy the many delights Malaysia has to offer. For them our website provides essential security and other advice.

I hope that you will find this website useful and that it will answer your questions. If you need further help, do not hesitate to contact us at the High Commission. With your help, we will ensure that relations between Malaysia and the United Kingdom become ever closer and mutually beneficial.

Boyd McCleary