The pass will only be issued after validation from the Chinese embassy in Malaysia, he said.

This follows the travel ban on Chinese visitors from Hubei province, including Wuhan city, where the 2019 novel coronavirus was first detected in December last year.

“The visas for all Chinese tourists who are still in the country will not be extended, except for those with health issues or those who have failed to get on flights out of the country.

“They are required to come to the immigration office with their departure flight tickets and validation from the Chinese embassy to apply for the special pass,” Khairul Dzaimee told reporters after an immigration operation at an apartment block at Ara Damansara here.

He said the special pass would be issued for a 14 or 30-day stay in Malaysia, based on the departure flight dates.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had said the travel ban imposed on visitors from Hubei province would be extended to other provinces, following the lockdown by the Chinese government on those areas.

Wan Azizah, who is also National Disaster Management Committee chairman, said the immigration authorities would implement the travel ban as soon as the Chinese government declared a lockdown in a particular province.