FOREIGNERS whose social visit passes expired in 2020 have been informed by their respective embassies that they have until April 21 to leave Malaysia to escape strict penalties, FMT reports.

Emails conveying the warning were sent out those stranded in the country due to the movement control order.

Those who remain in the country on and after the deadline may be subjected to immigration detention and fines.

Diplomatic missions that have emails their citizens include the US embassy, British High Commission, the Romanian Embassy and the Italian embassy, said the report.

Americans in Malaysia were informed on April 7 of the deadline via a traveller registration programme run by the US State Department on April 7.

“The Malaysian authorities have not indicated that the grace period has been extended,” the email read.

“US citizens in Malaysia holding expired social visit passes should prepare to depart Malaysia prior to April 21,” it added.

The Malaysian government has not announced whether the grace period will be renewed even as the MCO was extended until April 14.

However, foreign missions have warned their citizens they have less than two weeks to leave.