Effective August 7, 2025, Malaysia’s Expatriate Services Division (ESD) launched a new online document verification measure called the “Document Sighting” feature on its ESD Online platform. The measure is intended to enhance the ESD’s ability to verify the authenticity of documents submitted for Employment Pass and Professional Visit Pass applications and follows the recent rollout of the online company interview feature. Under this new requirement, if the ESD determines that document sighting is needed (this is determined on a case-by-case basis), it will notify the employer through ESD Online. The notification will specify the documents required and provide detailed instructions for compliance. When the requirement is triggered, employers must present original documents in person at the MyXpats Centre for verification. Users can manage appointment logistics directly through the ESD Online platform, including rescheduling and securing the earliest available time slots to minimize delays. While the ESD has not confirmed how long the review process will take, it is expected to impact overall application processing times. Fragomen is actively seeking clarification on this new procedure and will issue further updates as more details become available.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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