Sarawak SAFHIS Medical Screening 2026/2027: The Complete Post-Arrival Guide
Direct answer: SAFHIS (Sarawak Foreigners Health Information System) is the local medical screening every foreign worker must complete after entering Sarawak. The official rule is explicit: the booking can only be made after the eVDR (Visa with Reference) is approved, and the appointment must be booked three (3) days ahead with a SAFHIS Panel Medical Facility. It sits at step 4 of six — Approval Letter → Labour Licence → eVDR → SAFHIS → PLKS → non-Sarawakian ID card.
Updated 30 October 2026. Official sources: the GENESIS SAFHIS booking page and the EVDR module page (page text, checked 30 October 2026).
Key Facts at a Glance
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Full name | SAFHIS = Sarawak Foreigners Health Information System |
| Official page | "Booking for Medical Screening" |
| When you may book | Only after the eVDR (Visa with Reference) is approved |
| How far ahead | Book three (3) days before the preferred appointment date |
| Who must do it | Non-Sarawakians entering on a work pass: general workers, skilled workers, domestic helpers |
| Before vs after entry | Source-country screening happens before the eVDR; SAFHIS happens after entry, inside Sarawak |
| Login | aliance.sarawak.gov.my/sso/login — one SSO covers every module, including SAFHIS |
| Position in the chain | Step 4 of 6: Approval Letter → Labour Licence → eVDR → SAFHIS → PLKS → non-Sarawakian ID card |
| Official fee | No unified fee is published; the panel facility charges according to its own schedule |
Who This Guide Is For
If you are the employer (HR, factory owner, site manager, household employer): this is the step you still have to chase after the worker lands. Miss it and neither the PLKS nor the ID card can be issued — the worker is here but cannot start.
If you are the worker: this is a screening you must attend after arriving in Sarawak. It is not optional, and it is not the same as the one you did back home.
Both sides see the same process from different angles — the employer sees whether the chain broke, the worker sees how many trips it takes. The order below applies to both.
Why There Are Two Medical Screenings
This is the most commonly misunderstood part of the whole process. The Sarawak route has two screenings, done in different places for different purposes:
| Source-country screening | SAFHIS screening | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Your own country | Inside Sarawak |
| When | Before applying for the eVDR | After the eVDR is approved and the worker has entered |
| Who reads it | The eVDR approval stage | Sarawak authorities (used later for PLKS and the ID card) |
| Official wording | Employees must be fit from the medical screening result from their country of origin before applying for eVDR | Must be upon the approval of Visa Dengan Rujukan (VDR) in eVDR |
One line to remember: the first screening decides whether the worker can come in; SAFHIS decides whether the worker can stay and start work.
Doing both is not double charging — two systems, each keeping its own record.
The Booking Process, Step by Step
- Confirm the eVDR is approved. Without a VDR approval on record, the SAFHIS booking cannot be submitted. This is a hard sequence, not a suggestion.
- Choose an approved facility. The rule says a SAFHIS Panel Medical Facility — not any clinic you happen to pass. Pick the wrong one and the result never reaches the system.
- Book three days ahead. Official wording: Book the appointment with SAFHIS Panel Medical Facilities three (3) days before the preferred appointment date. Same-day booking is effectively impossible.
- Log in with your ALIANCE account. Every module (SANSOLS / HAVEN / EVDR / EXPRT / SAFHIS) shares one SSO:
aliance.sarawak.gov.my/sso/login. You do not need a separate SAFHIS account. - Bring the worker in person. The screening requires the worker's physical attendance with the original passport and approval documents. Nobody can attend on their behalf.
- The result goes into the system, then PLKS follows. SAFHIS is a health information system — the result stays in the system for the next stages to read. It is not a piece of paper you keep.
What to Bring
- Original passport (check the expiry first — the record is tied to the passport number; a new passport mid-process means redoing it)
- The approved eVDR / VDR record (visible in the system, but print a copy)
- The approved Labour Licence details
- Employer details (company name, GENESIS account)
- Any photo or form the facility requires (varies by facility — ask when you book)
Where to Go: The Five ILC Centres
Sarawak's immigration and labour services are consolidated at the ILC (Immigration & Labour Integrated Centre), with five locations statewide:
| Centre | Location |
|---|---|
| Kuching | Queen's Court, DB/GB Block E (head office) |
| Sibu | — |
| Bintulu | — |
| Miri | Piasau Business Park, Jalan Bulatan Park |
| Mukah | — |
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am–5:30pm. Closed Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.
Official contact: admin.genesis@sarawak.gov.my · +60 16-811 0799
⚠️ What each centre handles changes from time to time. Call before you travel to confirm that this particular centre handles the item you need.
Where People Get Stuck
1. Booking before the eVDR is approved — it will not go through. The official wording is rigid: Must be upon the approval of Visa Dengan Rujukan (VDR) in eVDR. Get the order wrong and there is no VDR record on file, so the booking cannot be submitted at all.
2. Assuming the pre-departure screening is enough. It is not. The source-country result only serves the eVDR approval. SAFHIS is a second, separate screening after entry.
3. Trying to book on the day. Three days ahead is the rule. In peak periods or in the smaller towns (Mukah, Bintulu), the wait is often longer.
4. Choosing the wrong facility. It must be a designated Panel Medical Facility. A report from any other clinic will not be recognised — the money is simply lost.
5. The worker changes passport. The record is bound to the passport number. New passport, mismatched record, screening redone.
6. Expecting the system to notify you. It will not. This is an action the employer has to track, not something that arrives as a reminder.
7. Thinking SAFHIS means the worker can start. PLKS and the ID card still follow. All three must be in place.
FAQ
Is SAFHIS a visa? No. It is a health information system that holds screening records. It issues neither a visa nor a pass.
How much does SAFHIS cost? No unified fee is published on the official page. The panel facility charges according to its own schedule — the "fixed price" figures circulating online are usually agency package prices, not the screening fee alone. Before paying, ask which part is the screening and which part is the agency service.
Which tests are involved? The official page says only "Medical Screening" and publishes no unified test list; the panel facility applies its own requirements. ⚠️ Practical note (not official text): most employers aim to complete it soon after the worker arrives, because PLKS and the ID card both sit behind it. The actual deadline is whatever your approval letter and the ILC tell you.
Once SAFHIS clears, can the worker start? Not yet. PLKS and the non-Sarawakian ID card (NSIC) still follow. All three together complete the chain.
Can we book while the worker is still abroad? No. The eVDR must be approved first, and the screening is done inside Sarawak. While the worker is abroad, the step to complete is the source-country screening.
How do I tell a genuine notice from a scam?
GENESIS contacts employers only through: genesis.sarawak.gov.my · admin.genesis@sarawak.gov.my · admin.sansols@sarawak.gov.my · no-reply@aliance.biz · no-reply@sarawaksansols.com · no-reply@securepayment2u.com · fwta.gov.securepayment2u.com · phone +60 16-811 0799. Treat every other domain and number as fraud.
Want Someone to Walk You Through It?
Nine out of ten SAFHIS problems are not about the screening itself — they are about sequence: eVDR not yet approved, wrong facility, passport mismatch. Message us on WhatsApp with three facts: is the Labour Licence approved, is the eVDR approved, has the worker landed in Sarawak. We will tell you which step is actually next — no promises about outcomes, just the workable path.
Related Guides
- Sarawak Work Permit 2026/2027: requirements, documents and process — work out whether you need EXPRT or SANSOLS first
- SANSOLS Sarawak foreign worker guide 2026/2027 — where the labour licence and quota come from
- Sarawak eVDR 2026/2027: the electronic entry visa guide — the step immediately before SAFHIS
- Sarawak maid application 2026/2027: the HAVEN guide — domestic helpers go through SAFHIS too
- Sarawak Employment Pass via EXPRT: employer and applicant guide
- Sarawak PLKS: application, collection and renewal guide
Sources:
- GENESIS — SAFHIS booking page:
genesis.sarawak.gov.my/immigration-&-labour-integrated-centre/bookings(full name Sarawak Foreigners Health Information System; "Must be upon the approval of Visa Dengan Rujukan (VDR) in eVDR"; book three days ahead with a Panel Medical Facility; checked 30 October 2026) - GENESIS — EVDR module:
genesis.sarawak.gov.my/EVDR(source-country screening as a precondition for the eVDR; Labour Licence as the basis of application; checked 30 October 2026) - GENESIS — Immigration & Labour Integrated Centre:
genesis.sarawak.gov.my/immigration-&-labour-integrated-centre(Kuching / Sibu / Bintulu / Miri: Piasau Business Park, Jalan Bulatan Park / Mukah; Monday–Friday 8:30–17:30; checked 30 October 2026) - GENESIS FAQ:
genesis.sarawak.gov.my/faq(the ALIANCE SSO ataliance.sarawak.gov.my/sso/loginopens every module including SAFHIS; checked 30 October 2026) - GENESIS official security notice (list of legitimate domains and phone number; checked 30 October 2026)
- Sarawak administers immigration and labour under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63)
