Malaysia

Malaysia visa guide: every visa and pass type explained

18 visa types
checked 25 October 2026

How visas for Malaysia work

Malaysia separates entry from residence. A short visit is handled at the border: nationals who are not on the Immigration Department's visa-required list receive a social visit pass on arrival, while visa-required nationals obtain an eVISA online beforehand. Almost every foreign visitor must also file the free Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) during the three days before arrival.

Longer stays are granted as "passes" rather than visas, and each has its own gatekeeper. Employers apply for Employment Passes, Professional Visit Passes and family passes through the Expatriate Services Division (ESD); MDEC runs the DE Rantau digital nomad pass and the MTEP start-up route; TalentCorp manages the 10-year Residence Pass-Talent; the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture runs MM2H through licensed agents; and Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) handles international students.

Applicants for these passes are usually approved first and then enter Malaysia to have the pass endorsed. Nationals of countries outside the 51-country exemption list may need a visa with reference (VDR) for that entry, and the approval letter states it. Sabah and Sarawak operate their own immigration control, and several passes are valid only in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan.

Which visa do I need?

Holiday, family visit, meetings or a trade fair: the social visit pass on arrival (or an eVISA if your nationality needs one), plus the MDAC.

A job with a Malaysian company: the Employment Pass, applied for by the employer; short assignments for a foreign company use the Professional Visit Pass.

Remote work for foreign clients or employers: the DE Rantau Nomad Pass. Founding a tech start-up: MTEP. Exploring an investment: the Investor Pass.

Long stays without working, including retirement: MM2H (Silver or SEZ/SFZ for most retirees, Platinum or Gold as residence by investment).

Study: the Student Pass through EMGS. Joining a Malaysian spouse: the Long Term Social Visit Pass and later the Residence Pass.

Visa types for Malaysia

Visits and short stays

Tourist visa Short Term Social Visit Pass (visa-free entry for tourism)
Most visitors do not apply for a tourist visa in advance: the immigration officer stamps a Short Term Social Visit Pass on arrival.
Maximum stay: Set by the immigration officer at entry; the usual period depends on nationality.
Transit visa
Malaysia issues a transit visa only to nationals on its visa-required list who must pass immigration on the way to a third country.
Processing time: Set by the Malaysian mission where you apply; apply at least three working days before the flight.

Business and self-employment

Business visa Business visit on a Social Visit Pass and the Multiple Entry Visa (MEV)
Malaysia has no separate business visa for visa-exempt nationals: short business trips are made on the social visit pass stamped at entry.
Maximum stay: Social visit pass: as stamped at entry. MEV: 30 days per entry.
Entrepreneur and start-up visa Malaysia Tech Entrepreneur Programme (MTEP): PVP-MTE and RP-MTE
MTEP is MDEC's route for foreign technology founders.
Maximum stay: New: 1 year plus 1 renewal. Established: up to 5 years plus one 5-year renewal.
Investor visa Investor Pass (multiple-entry facility for business visitors and investors)
The Investor Pass is a multiple-entry facility for business visitors and prospective investors who have committed to investing in Malaysia through investment agencies or the authorities.
Maximum stay: Six months, with a possible six-month extension.

Study and training

Student visa Student Pass (via Education Malaysia Global Services)
International students at Malaysian universities, colleges and language centres need a Student Pass.
Maximum stay: Pass duration follows the course, renewed as needed.

Work

Work visa Employment Pass (Pas Penggajian), Categories I, II and III
The Employment Pass is Malaysia's main work permit for foreign professionals.
Maximum stay: Each pass up to 60 months, following the employment contract; total tenure up to 10 years (Categories I and II) or 5 years (Category III).
Intra-company transfer visa Professional Visit Pass (Pas Lawatan Ikhtisas)
The Professional Visit Pass lets a qualified foreign professional provide services or undergo practical training with a Malaysian company on behalf of an overseas company, for up to 12 months per issuance.
Maximum stay: Up to 12 months per issuance; training at a factory or hotel up to six months.
Skilled worker visa Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T)
The Residence Pass-Talent is a 10-year renewable pass managed by TalentCorp for experienced expatriates already working in Malaysia.
Validity: Approved for 10 years; the ePASS is first issued for five years or the passport validity, then renewed to complete 10 years.
Digital nomad visa DE Rantau Nomad Pass (Professional Visit Pass for digital nomads)
The DE Rantau Nomad Pass is a Professional Visit Pass run by MDEC for remote workers and freelancers earning from abroad.
Maximum stay: 3 to 12 months, renewable for 12 more months; 24 months in total.

Family

Family reunification visa Dependant Pass and Long-Term Social Visit Pass for families of expatriates
Family members of an Employment Pass holder join through the employer's ESD account.
Validity: Follows the principal's Employment Pass, or the dependant's passport if shorter; LT-SVP approvals are for up to 12 months at a time.
Spouse and partner visa Long Term Social Visit Pass and Residence Pass for foreign spouses of Malaysian citizens
A foreign husband or wife of a Malaysian citizen lives in Malaysia on a Long Term Social Visit Pass under the spouse facility, which may be granted for up to five years and can carry a work endorsement.
Validity: LTSVP for at least six months and up to five years, subject to approval.

Residence

Golden visa and residence by investment Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H): Platinum and Gold categories
Malaysia's residence-by-investment route is the MM2H programme of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
Maximum stay: Minimum stay of 90 days a year for participants under 50; no maximum.
Retirement visa Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H): Silver and SEZ/SFZ categories
Malaysia has no separate retirement visa; retirees use the MM2H programme.
Maximum stay: No minimum stay for participants aged 50 and over; under 50 must spend 90 days a year in Malaysia.
Permanent residence Entry Permit (permanent residence)
Permanent residence in Malaysia is granted through an Entry Permit, which lets a foreign national enter and live in Malaysia without a time limit and leads to the MyPR identity card.
Maximum stay: No time limit.

Online travel permits

Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC)
The MDAC is a free online arrival declaration that almost every foreign visitor to Malaysia must submit within the three days before arrival.
Validity: Submitted within three days before arrival, counting the day of submission.
e-Visa eVISA (Single Entry Visa via MyVISA)
The eVISA is the online single-entry visa for nationalities on Malaysia's visa-required list.
Validity: Normally one entry within three months of issue.

Asylum and international protection

Asylum and international protection Registration and refugee status determination by UNHCR in Malaysia
Malaysia is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and has no national asylum system.
Processing time: No fixed timeline: UNHCR schedules status interviews by need, not by how long someone has been registered.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa to visit Malaysia?

Only if your nationality is on the Immigration Department's visa-required list; those travellers apply for an eVISA on MyVISA before travelling. Everyone else receives a social visit pass on arrival, for a period set by the immigration officer. Almost all visitors must file the MDAC within three days before arrival.

What is the official site for the Malaysia eVISA?

MyVISA, run by the Immigration Department of Malaysia. The department has warned that other sites, such as keymalaysia.com, are not official.

Can I change from a tourist entry to a work or nomad pass inside Malaysia?

No. Work passes are approved through ESD and endorsed after entry with the right visa, and MDEC states that a tourist pass cannot be converted into DE Rantau.

Does Malaysia have a golden visa?

The MM2H programme serves as residence by investment: Platinum requires a USD 1 million fixed deposit and an RM2 million home for a 20-year pass, Gold USD 500,000 and RM1 million for 15 years.

What salary do I need for a Malaysian Employment Pass?

Since 1 June 2026: RM5,000 basic per month for Category III, RM10,000 for Category II and RM20,000 for Category I.

Is there a digital nomad visa in Malaysia?

Yes, the DE Rantau Nomad Pass for remote workers earning at least USD 24,000 a year in tech roles or USD 60,000 in non-tech roles.