Malaysia
How long you can stay in Malaysia without a visa, by passport.
Checked November 7, 2026 against the sources listed below.
Short stays
| Passport | Entry | How long | Before you go | Longer stays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States Unconfirmed | No visa | 90 days per visit Visa not required for social visits; non-official sources report up to 90 days per entry. | Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC), required for foreign visitors since 1 January 2024 and submitted online within 3 days before arrival; free. | Extensions of the Social Visit Pass are at the discretion of an immigration office. Sources conflict on terms; tourism extensions are reportedly rarely granted. |
| Canada | No visa | 90 days per visit Listed by the Immigration Department as not requiring a visa for any purpose of entry. The 90-day stay length comes from non-official sources only. | MDAC within 3 days before arrival; free. | At the discretion of an immigration office; tourism extensions reportedly rarely granted. |
| United Kingdom | No visa | 90 days per visit Listed by the Immigration Department as not requiring a visa for any purpose of entry. A non-official source states 90 days. | MDAC within 3 days before arrival; free. | At the discretion of an immigration office; tourism extensions reportedly rarely granted. |
| EU country Unconfirmed | No visa | 90 days per visit No EU member state appears on the imi.gov.my visa-required list. Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and the Netherlands are explicitly listed as not requiring a visa for any purpose. Stay length (commonly 90 days) not confirmed officially. | MDAC within 3 days before arrival; free. | At the discretion of an immigration office; tourism extensions reportedly rarely granted. |
| Australia | No visa | 90 days per visit Listed by the Immigration Department as not requiring a visa for any purpose of entry. The 90-day stay length is not stated officially. | MDAC within 3 days before arrival; free. | At the discretion of an immigration office; tourism extensions reportedly rarely granted. |
Digital nomad visa
DE Rantau Nomad Pass
Official name: DE Rantau Nomad Pass (Professional Visit Pass / Pas Lawatan Ikhtisas)
| Length | 3 to 12 months initially |
|---|---|
| Renewal | Limited renewal. Renewable for another 12 months, to a maximum of 24 months in total (MDEC FAQ v10, Aug 2026). In the Budget 2027 speech (9 Oct 2026), the government announced that holders who reach the 24-month cap may stay longer, subject to eligibility criteria not yet published. |
| Income | $24,000 a year Minimum for tech talent/professions; USD 60,000/year for non-tech professions |
| Where to apply | online (mdec.my/derantau) |
| Who can apply | All nationalities except Israel |
| Taxes | Per MDEC FAQ: remote workers staying 60 days or less are not taxed in Malaysia; stays of 61+ days may be taxable under the Income Tax Act 1967 and the applicable tax treaty. Foreign freelancers' income may be taxable. MDEC refers tax questions to LHDN. |
Sources: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Freaking Nomads
What we couldn't confirm
- The official imi.gov.my page lists visa-exempt nationalities but no stay lengths. The US and most EU states are not named on it. Every 90-day figure comes from non-official sources.
- The MDAC requirement (3 days before arrival, free) is corroborated by non-official sources only. The official MDAC portal was not fetched.
- Short-stay extension rules conflict across non-official sources. No official extension policy was confirmed.
- The DE Rantau extension beyond 24 months announced in Budget 2027 has no published criteria or start date. The official Budget speech was not fetched; this item relies on s6.
Sources
- Visa requirement by country, Immigration Department of Malaysia
- DE Rantau Pass FAQ v10, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)
- Visa policy of Malaysia, Wikipedia (unofficial, used only to corroborate)
- Malaysia entry requirements for United States passport holders, EntryBrief (unofficial, used only to corroborate)
- Do I need a visa for Malaysia? Here's the 2026 answer, AirAsia (unofficial, used only to corroborate)
- Malaysia extends its digital nomad pass by two years, Freaking Nomads (unofficial, used only to corroborate)
Thinking of staying in Malaysia longer?
FlagSeek's free Big Picture looks at your budget, work, health needs and priorities, and shows where longer stays might fit. It also helps Advisor tailor its answers to you.