🇲🇾Visa options for Malaysia
Malaysia offers 40 visa and permit types across 9 categories — from short-stay eVisa and Visit Pass tourism, to Employment Pass tiers, the 10-year Residence Pass-Talent, the DE Rantau Nomad Pass for remote workers, three MM2H tiers (Platinum/Gold/Silver, 2024 reforms), the 20-year Premium Visa Programme (PViP), Sarawak and Sabah autonomous schemes, family reunification, student passes, and 5 distinct Permanent Residence (Entry Permit) categories. 20 lead to PR; 32 don't require a job offer.
40permit types
9categories
20PR pathways
32no job needed
Check which Malaysia visas you qualify for →
Visa categories in Malaysia
All Malaysia visa types
Work (10)
Employment Pass (Category I) Work
Top-tier work pass for expatriates earning RM 10,000+/month with ESD-registered employer; up to 5 years renewable; PR pathway after 5 years.
Employment Pass (Category II) Work
Mid-tier EP for RM 5,000–9,999/month earners; up to 2 years renewable; counts toward PR.
Employment Pass (Category III) Work
Entry-level EP for RM 3,000–4,999/month earners; capped at 36 months total; no dependants permitted.
Professional Visit Pass (PVP) Work
Short-term pass for foreign experts on technical/professional assignments; up to 12 months, employer remains overseas.
Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T) Work
10-year renewable pass for top talent (RM 15K+/month, 3+ years in Malaysia); portable across employers; spouse can work.
DE Rantau Nomad Pass Work
Digital nomad visa launched Oct 2022; USD 24,000/year minimum; up to 24 months stay; remote work for foreign clients only.
Sarawak Employment Pass / iKad Sarawak Work
State-issued EP for foreign workers in Sarawak (autonomous immigration); RM 5,000+/month for professionals.
Intra-Company Transferee (ICT) EP Work
For employees transferred from overseas parent/affiliate to a related Malaysian entity; up to 36 months.
Temporary Employment Visit Pass (PLKS) Work
Foreign worker permit for low-skilled labour in approved sectors; sector levy RM 410–1,850/year; from approved source countries only.
Labuan Work Permit Work
Special work pass for directors and employees of Labuan IBFC entities; min RM 10K/month for directors; PR-eligible.
Investment (7)
Malaysia My Second Home — Platinum Tier Investment
Top MM2H tier (2024 reforms): 20-year residence; USD 1M fixed deposit + RM 2M property; work and business permitted.
Malaysia My Second Home — Gold Tier Investment
Mid MM2H tier: 15-year residence; USD 500K fixed deposit + RM 1M property; work permitted with conditions.
Malaysia My Second Home — Silver Tier Investment
Entry MM2H tier: 5-year residence; USD 150K fixed deposit + RM 600K property; passive investment only.
Sabah MM2H Investment
Sabah-specific MM2H variant; lower thresholds (RM 150K–200K deposit + RM 10K/month income); 30 days/year residency.
Sarawak MM2H (S-MM2H) Investment
Sarawak-specific MM2H scheme; RM 150K + RM 50K spouse deposit; requires Sarawak-resident Malaysian sponsor.
Sarawak Privileged Residence Pass (Investor) Investment
Sarawak business investor pass; RM 2M+ business investment; 5 years renewable; work permitted in invested business.
Labuan Director's Pass Investment
Long-term residence for Labuan IBFC directors/shareholders; USD 250K+ paid-up capital; 3% Labuan tax regime.
Special (2)
Premium Visa Programme (PViP) Special
20-year residence visa launched Oct 2022; RM 200K participation fee + RM 1M deposit + RM 480K/year offshore income; full work, business, study rights without separate work pass.
Returning Expert Programme (REP) Special
TalentCorp programme for Malaysian diaspora returnees; foreign spouse and children fast-tracked to PR; 15% flat tax for 5 years.
Visitor (5)
Single Entry Visa (SEV) Visitor
Single-entry tourist visa for visa-required nationals; MYR 20; up to 30 days; applied at Malaysian missions abroad.
Multiple Entry Visa (MEV) Visitor
Business multi-entry visa; MYR 100; valid 3–12 months; for business travellers and government officials.
Visa on Arrival (VOA) Visitor
7-day VOA at major airports for India/China nationals arriving from Singapore/Thailand/Indonesia/Brunei; MYR 200.
Electronic Visa (eVisa) Visitor
Online visa for nationals of China, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Montenegro, Serbia; MYR 100.
Visit Pass (Social) / Visa-Free Entry Visitor
Free entry stamp for visa-exempt nationals; 90 days for most Western/ASEAN, 30 days for China/India through Dec 2026.
Study (4)
Student Pass Study
Primary study visa for full-time students at MOHE-approved institutions; ~RM 2,500–4,500/year via EMGS; up to 7 years total.
Visa Approval Letter (VAL) / Pre-Arrival Study
Pre-arrival approval letter from EMGS/JIM allowing entry to convert to full Student Pass on arrival.
Short-Term Student Pass Study
For language courses, exchange, summer schools under 12 months; issued as PVP variant.
Research Pass Study
For postgraduate researchers and visiting academics; MOSTI/EPU endorsement required for many fields.
Family (4)
LTSVP — Spouse of Malaysian Citizen Family
Long-term pass for foreign spouses of Malaysians; work endorsement after first renewal; PR after 5 years; citizenship after PR + 2 years.
Dependent Pass Family
For spouse and children under 18 of EP Cat I/II or RP-T holders; spouse may work with endorsement (since 2021).
LTSVP — Other Family Family
For parents, parents-in-law, common-law partners, children 18+, and family of EP Cat III holders.
Spouse VDR Entry Visa Family
Single-entry visa for foreign spouses of Malaysians to enter and convert to LTSVP onshore.
Permanent (5)
Entry Permit — Investor / High Net Worth Permanent
PR for foreign investors with USD 2M fixed deposit (5-year lock-in); MyPR card for life; citizenship eligible after 10+ years.
Entry Permit — Expert / Highly Skilled Permanent
PR for world-class experts endorsed by relevant Malaysian agency (MOSTI, MITI, MOH, MOE).
Entry Permit — Highly Skilled (Points-Based) Permanent
Points-based PR; ≥65/120 points; 3+ years employed in Malaysia; sector regulator endorsement.
Entry Permit — Spouse of Malaysian Citizen Permanent
PR after 5 years on LTSVP married to Malaysian citizen; citizenship by registration after PR + 2 years marriage.
Entry Permit — General Points-Based Permanent
Catch-all PR for long-staying foreigners (MM2H/PViP/EP); ≥65/120 points; min 5 years residence.
Humanitarian (2)
UNHCR Refugee Card (de facto) Humanitarian
Malaysia is not a 1951 Convention signatory. UNHCR card provides de facto tolerance only — no legal work right; pathway is third-country resettlement.
Stateless Person Pathway (Article 15A / IMM13) Humanitarian
Discretionary citizenship under Federal Constitution Articles 14, 15, 15A; IMM13 pass for select humanitarian cases (e.g. Filipino Muslims in Sabah).
Frequently asked questions about Malaysia visas
How many visa types does Malaysia offer?
Malaysia offers 40 visa and permit types across 9 categories — covering visitor visas (eVisa, VOA, Visit Pass), Employment Pass Cat I/II/III, Residence Pass-Talent (10-year), DE Rantau Nomad Pass for remote workers, MM2H Platinum/Gold/Silver tiers, Premium Visa Programme (PViP, 20-year), Sarawak/Sabah autonomous schemes, student passes, family passes, and 5 Permanent Residence (Entry Permit) categories.
Can I move to Malaysia without a job offer?
Yes — 32 of Malaysia's 40 permit types don't require a pre-arranged job offer. Options include the DE Rantau Nomad Pass (USD 24,000/year remote income), MM2H Silver/Gold/Platinum tiers (USD 150K–1M fixed deposit), Premium Visa Programme (PViP, RM 200K participation fee + RM 1M deposit), Long-Term Social Visit Pass (spouse of Malaysian), and student passes. Only Employment Pass tiers, ICT, PVP, PLKS, Sarawak EP, and Labuan work permits require an employer.
Does Malaysia offer a pathway to permanent residency?
Yes. 20 of Malaysia's 40 permit types lead to PR via the Entry Permit (MyPR card). There are 5 Entry Permit categories: Investor (USD 2M deposit), Expert (world-class talent), Highly Skilled Workers (points-based, ≥65/120), Spouse of Malaysian Citizen (after 5 years on LTSVP), and General Points-Based. Most categories require 5 years' continuous residence and processing typically takes 4–6 years. Spouse track is fastest at 3–5 years after 5 years on LTSVP.
What is Malaysia's MM2H programme and how was it changed in 2024?
Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) is the country's flagship long-stay residency programme. The 2024 reforms restructured it into three tiers: Platinum (20-year residence, USD 1M fixed deposit, RM 2M property, work permitted), Gold (15-year, USD 500K deposit, RM 1M property), and Silver (5-year, USD 150K deposit, RM 600K property). Sabah and Sarawak operate their own separate MM2H schemes with lower thresholds. MM2H is open to all qualifying nationalities, all ages.
How do I check my eligibility for Malaysia?
Use VisaMatch's free eligibility checker. Enter your nationality, age, occupation, income, and education, then select Malaysia. You'll see every Malaysia permit you qualify for — Employment Pass tiers, MM2H tiers, DE Rantau, PViP, family routes, and PR pathways — with links to official government sources for each.
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