The visa policy of Malaysia consists of the requirements for foreign nationals to travel to, enter, and remain in Malaysia. Most visitors to Malaysia are granted visa-free entry for a period of 90, 30, or 14 days respectively. However, nationals from some countries must first obtain a visa from one of the Malaysian diplomatic missions around the world before being allowed into the country.
Entry requirements
All visitors to Malaysia must:[1]
hold a passport, passport replacing document or a travel document valid for at least 6 months[3] upon arrival;[1]
holders of an Indonesian cross-border travel document (PLB);
are required to submit a Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online to Malaysia immigration.[5]
The electronic Malaysia Digital Arrival Card must be submitted within three days before the date of arrival in Malaysia.[5]
Visa policy map
Visa policy of Malaysia
Malaysia
Visa not required (90 days)
Visa not required (30 days)
Visa not required (14 days)
eVisa (30 days)
Visa required in advance
Visa required in advance + enter by airport only
Admission refused
Visa exemption
According to Timatic, holders of passports issued by the following jurisdictions can enter Malaysia without a visa for up to the duration listed below.[6]
90 days
Holders of passports issued by the following jurisdictions are granted visa-free entry to Malaysia for 90 days:[6]
30 days
Holders of passports issued by the following jurisdictions are granted visa-free entry to Malaysia for 30 days:[6]
T - Temporary measure until 31 December 2024.[7]
14 days
Holders of passports issued by the following jurisdictions are granted visa-free entry to Malaysia for 14 days:[6]
Holders of passports issued by the following countries who possess an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) containing the "MYS" code on the reverse, which indicates that it is valid for travel to Malaysia, can enter Malaysia visa-free for business trips for up to 60 days.[6]
In addition, holders of diplomatic or official / service passports of Brunei and Singapore do not require a visa for up to 90 days while all other ASEAN member states do not require a visa for up to 30 days but do not require entry permission as part of ASEAN Regional Visa-exemption agreements.
Electronic Visa (e-Visa)
Sample of ENTRI
On 1 March 2017, Malaysian government set up a new online application system to accept applications for Electronic Visa (eVISA) and Electronic Travel Registration and Information (ENTRI) to facilitate tourism.
eNTRI program is good for Chinese and Indian passport holders and lasts until 31 December 2020 while e-Visa is good for citizens of more countries and is still available so far.[9]
E-Visa application also applies to those seeking student or expatriate visas for entering Malaysia, although they must report to immigration authorities upon arrival in Malaysia in order to obtain their immigration passes.
Citizens of the following countries can apply for an e-Visa:
Place of application: all countries and territories in the world except Israel, Malaysia and North Korea
As of 22 February 2023, Single Entry Visa (SEV) and Multiple Entry Visa (MEV) applications are now available in Singapore for all nationalities that require an eVISA.
The application website contains IP address detection, applicants out of designated countries (see above) will be blocked from the application.
Fee: varies by nationality and applicant's location
Place of departure: no restrictions
Port of entry and exit: any port of entry
Valid for: 3 months (multiple entries for Indian nationals, single entry for others)
Duration of stay: 30 days for single-entry eVisa holders, 15 or 30 days for multiple-entry e-Visa holders
Visa review: 2 business day after application submitted, visa interview or extra proof materials may be requested
Direct airside transit
Nationals of non-visa-exempt countries can transit through Kuala Lumpur International Airport for a maximum of 24 hours in the transit area; however, they are not permitted to switch between the terminals of the airport unless they hold a valid visa.[6]
Mandatory yellow fever vaccination
Nationals of the following countries require an International Certificate of Vaccination in order to enter Malaysia:[4] The vaccination requirement is imposed by this country for protection against Yellow Fever since the principal mosquito vector Aedes aegypti is present in its territory.[10]
Citizens of Western Sahara are visa required and may enter by air only.[15]
Statistics
Tourist arrivals
In 2016, Malaysia recorded 26,757,392 tourist arrivals, a growth of 4.0% compared to 25,721,251 in 2015. The table lists the top 15 arrivals to Malaysia by their origin countries.
