The minister stated at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing that officials are “finalising the process to gazette and submit the new regulation to Parliament for approval. After that, we expect it to be implemented within one to two months.”
The policy in question was originally announced in August 2024, when the previous administration declared that nationals of 35 countries would receive free tourist visas from 1 October 2024. However, this intended rollout has repeatedly been delayed — reasons include the dissolution of Parliament, regulatory formalities and the transition to the new government.
