Malaysia tourist visa: Visa types, requirements and application procedure

Malaysia tourist visa requirements are fairly easy to understand. Most nationalities are exempt from a tourist visa. Rest can obtain an eVisa or Visa on Arrival.

Currently, there are 5 different visa options available to enter Malaysia as a tourist.

• Visa Exemption: 167 nationalities are visa exempt for stays up to 90 days
• Visa on Arrival: 2 nationalities are eligible to obtain Visa on Arrival for stays up to 15 days
• eVISA: 34 nationalities can obtain eVisa for stays up to 30 days
• Transit Without Visa (TWOA): 9 nationalities are eligible to obtain TWOA for 120 hours (5 days)
• Visa from the embassy: 35 nationalities require a pre-approved visa from the Malaysian embassy prior to arrival

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MALAYSIA TOURIST VISA REQUIREMENTS BY NATIONALITY

Minimum passport validity required to enter Malaysia as a tourist

The minimum passport validity required to enter Malaysia is 6 months.

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VISA EXEMPT nationalities

90-day entry

1. Albania
2. Algeria
3. Argentina
4. Aruba
5. Australia
6. Austria
7. Bahrain
8. Belgium
9. Bosnia and Herzegovina
10. Brazil
11. Bulgaria
12. Canada
13. Croatia
14. Cuba
15. Curacao
16. Cyprus
17. Czechia
18. Denmark
19. Egypt
20. Estonia
21. Finland
22. France
23. Germany
24. Greece
25. Hungary
26. Iceland
27. Ireland
28. Italy
29. Japan
30. Jordan
31. Kuwait
32. Kyrgyzstan
33. Latvia
34. Lebanon
35. Liechtenstein
36. Lithuania
37. Luxembourg
38. Maldives
39. Malta
40. Morocco
41. Netherlands
42. New Zealand
43. Niue
44. Norway
45. Oman
46. Peru
47. Poland
48. Portugal
49. Qatar
50. Romania
51. San Marino
52. Saudi Arabia
53. Sint Maarten
54. Slovakia
55. Slovenia
56. South Africa
57. South Korea
58. Spain
59. Sudan
60. Sweden
61. Switzerland
62. Syria
63. Tunisia
64. Turkey
65. Turkmenistan
66. United Arab Emirates
67. United Kingdom
68. United States
69. Uruguay
70. Yemen

30-day entry

1. Andorra
2. Antigua and Barbuda
3. Armenia
4. Azerbaijan
5. Bahamas
6. Barbados
7. Belarus
8. Belize
9. Benin
10. Bolivia
11. Botswana
12. Brunei
13. Cambodia
14. Cape Verde
15. Chad
16. Chile
17. Comoros
18. Costa Rica
19. Dominica
20. Dominican Republic
21. Ecuador
22. El Salvador
23. Eswatini
24. Fiji
25. Gabon
26. Gambia
27. Georgia
28. Grenada
29. Guatemala
30. Guinea
31. Guyana
32. Haiti
33. Honduras
34. Hong Kong
35. Indonesia
36. Iraq
37. Jamaica
38. Kazakhstan
39. Kenya
40. Kiribati
41. Laos
42. Lesotho
43. Macao
44. Madagascar
45. Malawi
46. Marshall Islands
47. Mauritania
48. Mauritius
49. Mexico
50. Micronesia
51. Moldova
52. Monaco
53. Mongolia
54. Namibia
55. Nauru
56. Nicaragua
57. North Macedonia
58. Palestine
59. Palau
60. Panama
61. Papua New Guinea
62. Paraguay
63. Philippines
64. Russia
65. Samoa
66. Sao Tome and Principe
67. Senegal
68. Seychelles
69. Sierra Leone
70. Singapore
71. Solomon Islands
72. Somalia
73. South Sudan
74. St. Kitts and Nevis
75. St. Lucia
76. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
77. Suriname
78. Taiwan
79. Tajikistan
80. Tanzania
81. Thailand
82. Timor-Leste
83. Togo
84. Tonga
85. Trinidad and Tobago
86. Tuvalu
87. Uganda
88. Ukraine
89. Uzbekistan
90. Vanuatu
91. Vatican City
92. Venezuela
93. Vietnam
94. Zambia
95. Zimbabwe

14-day entry

1. Iran
2. Libya

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VISA ON ARRIVAL eligible nationalities

15-day, single-entry

1. China
2. India

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eVISA eligible nationalities

30-day, single-entry

1. Afghanistan
2. Angola
3. Bangladesh
4. Bhutan
5. Burkina Faso
6. Burundi
7. Cameroon
8. Central African Republic
9. China
10. Colombia
11. Congo, Dem. Rep. of
12. Congo Rep. of
13. Djibouti
14. Equatorial Guinea
15. Eritrea
16. Ethiopia
17. Ghana
18. Guinea – Bissau
19. Hong Kong
20. India
21. Ivory Coast
22. Kosovo
23. Liberia
24. Mali
25. Montenegro
26. Mozambique
27. Myanmar
28. Nepal
29. Niger
30. Nigeria
31. Pakistan
32. Rwanda
33. Serbia
34. Sri Lanka

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VISA REQUIRED nationalities

30-day, single-entry

1. Afghanistan
2. Angola
3. Bangladesh
4. Bhutan
5. Burkina Faso
6. Burundi
7. Cameroon
8. Central African Republic
9. China
10. Colombia
11. Congo Rep. of
12. Congo Dem. Rep.
13. Cote d’Ivoire
14. Djibouti
15. Equatorial Guinea
16. Eritrea
17. Ethiopia
18. Ghana
19. Guinea-Bissau
20. India
21. North Korea
22. Israel
23. Kosovo
24. Liberia
25. Mali
26. Montenegro
27. Mozambique
28. Myanmar
29. Nepal
30. Niger
31. Nigeria
32. Pakistan
33. Rwanda
34. Serbia
35. Sri Lanka

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TRANSIT VISA EXEMPT nationalities

A Malaysia transit visa is NOT REQUIRED if

• You are NOT leaving the airport and
• Continuing to the next destination with the same flight/airline

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TRANSIT WITHOUT VISA (TWOV) nationalities

120-hour (5-day), single-entry

1. Bangladesh
2. Bhutan
3. China
4. India
5. Myanmar
6. Nepal
7. Pakistan
8. Sri Lanka
9. Vietnam

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Visa Requirement for CRUISE PASSENGERS

A Malaysia visa is REQUIRED to disembark the cruise at Malaysian ports.

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MALAYSIA VISA EXEMPTION

Malaysia has a liberal visa policy offering visa exemption to over 160+ nationalities. Most nationalities can stay up to 30 days without requiring a tourist visa. About one-third of these nationalities can stay up to 90 days without a visa. 

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Entry permission

As a visa-exempt nationality, you can stay either 30 days or 90 days depending on your nationality.

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Documents to carry

Apart from your passport, you must also carry the below documents in print or on your smartphone.

• Proof of return or onward travel (your return or onward flight/bus/train ticket)
• Proof of accommodation (a hotel reservation for the first few days)
• Proof of funds to sustain your trip (some cash or ATM/Credit cards)

If you are traveling on a one-way ticket, make sure to get proof of return ticket from an onward ticket agency such as onwardticket.com.

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MALAYSIA VISA ON ARRIVAL

Malaysia Visa on Arrival (VOA) is available to China and India passport holders arriving from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia or Brunei with a valid visa from those countries. 

Visa on Arrival is granted only for stays up to 15 days. There are some specific rules to follow for Malaysia Visa on Arrival.

Visa on Arrival can be obtained at the following international airports, land borders and seaports.

Airports

• Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA and KLIA2)
• Penang International Airport, Penang
• Langkawi International Airport, Kedah
• Senai International Airport, Johor Bahru
• Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah International Airport, Selangor
• Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Sabah
• Kuching International Airport, Sarawak
• Miri International Airport, Sarawak

Land borders

• Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB), Second Link, Johor Bahru
• Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine & Security (ICQS) Complex, Kedah
• Sungai Tujoh Immigration Cont rol Post, Sarawak

Seaports

• Labuan International Ferry Terminal Immigration Control

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Validity of Malaysia Visa on Arrival

Visa on Arrival is valid for 15 days, single entry only. 

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How long can you stay in Malaysia with Visa on Arrival

Malaysia Visa on Arrival allows you to stay up to 15 days. 

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Passport validity required for Visa on Arrival

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months at the time of obtaining Visa on Arrival.

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Documents required

You must present the following documents.

• Original passport
• Valid visa from the arriving country (Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia or Brunei)
• Confirmed return or onward ticket
• Proof of financial ability of at least 500 MYR (must be in the form of cash or credit/debit card)

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Visa fee

The Visa on Arrival fee is 200 MYR, payable only with a credit/debit card. 

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MALAYSIA E-VISA

Malaysia eVISA application is online and you can apply from anywhere in the world. 

If you are applying from a country other than your country of passport, you must provide proof of residency in that country. The Malaysia eVISA portal tracks the IP address. Therefore the eVISA application knows where you are applying from and expects proof of residency from that country. 

If you reside in Singapore, Israel or North Korea, you cannot apply for Malaysia eVISA. You must apply for a Malaysian visa from your nearest Malaysian high commission. 

Also, you cannot apply for a Malaysia eVISA when you are already physically present in Malaysia. If you are already in Malaysia on an eVISA or any other type of visa, you must first exit Malaysia. Then you can apply for a fresh eVISA from your country of passport or legal residence. 

Malaysia eVISAs are single-entry only, valid for 3 months. Visa extensions are not allowed.

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Word of caution on Malaysia eVISA Scams

There are fake websites posing as “official websites” and charging three or four times the visa fee. Do not fall prey to such scams. 

There is ONLY ONE OFFICIAL Malaysia eVISA website. The URL is below.

OFFICIAL Malaysia eVISA website: https://malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my/evisa/evisa.jsp 

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Validity of Malaysia eVISA

The validity of Malaysia eVISA is 3 months from the day of issue. You can stay in Malaysia for either 15 days or 30 days depending on your nationality.

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When to apply for E-Visa

You can apply for your Malaysia eVISA up to 1 month in advance. The E-Visa processing takes 2 working days. But due to high demand, the processing is currently taking much longer than 2 working days. I highly recommend applying for your eVISA at least a month prior to your travel date.

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Passport validity required for eVISA

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your expected date of arrival in Malaysia.

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How long can you stay in Malaysia on eVISA

Stay granted on a Malaysia eVISA depends on the nationality. Refer to the below table for how long you can stay with an eVISA. 

	Nationality	Stay granted
1	Afghanistan	30 days
2	Angola	14 days
3	Bangladesh	30 days
4	Bhutan	30 days
5	Burkina Faso	14 days
6	Burundi	14 days
7	Cameroon	14 days
8	Central African Republic	14 days
9	China	30 days
10	Colombia	14 days
11	Congo, Dem. Rep. of	14 days
12	Congo Rep. of	14 days
13	Djibouti	14 days
14	Equatorial Guinea	14 days
15	Eritrea	14 days
16	Ethiopia	14 days
17	Ghana	14 days
18	Guinea – Bissau	14 days
19	Hong Kong	14 days
20	India	30 days
21	Ivory Coast	14 days
22	Kosovo	30 days
23	Liberia	14 days
24	Mali	14 days
25	Montenegro	30 days
26	Mozambique	14 days
27	Myanmar	30 days
28	Nepal	30 days
29	Niger	14 days
30	Nigeria	14 days
31	Pakistan	30 days
32	Rwanda	14 days
33	Serbia	30 days
34	Sri Lanka	30 days

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eVISA application process

Malaysia eVISA is a simple application. Takes about 30 minutes to fill out and submit. The approval process takes about 2 working days. 

IMPORTANT
After the approval, you must print your eVISA. A soft copy of eVISA on your phone is not accepted. The immigration officer will stamp the port and date of entry on your eVISA print. You may be asked to show this eVISA print with the stamp at the time of leaving the country. Therefore, carrying a print of your eVISA is very much necessary. 

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Documents required

You will need the following documents.

• Digital passport-size photo
• Passport ID/data page
• Confirmed round-trip flight tickets
• Hotel bookings
• Other supporting documents (ex: proof of residence, etc.)

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Photo requirements

The digital photograph must meet the following specifications.

• Must be 35mm x 50mm in dimensions
• Must be on a pure white background
• Must have been taken within the last 6 months 
• Full face must be in the center without any headgear or glasses
• Must be a professional passport photo taken in a studio
• Cellphone photos, selfies and cropped photos are not accepted

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Visa fee

The eVISA fee is 50 MYR for India, 30 MYR for China and 20 MYR for all other nationalities. A detailed table with eVISA fee is below.

Apart from the eVISA fee, there is also a processing charge and service charge. 

• Processing charge: 105 MYR
• Service Charge: 0.8% of total transaction value

	Nationality	eVISA fee
1	Afghanistan	20 MYR
2	Angola	20 MYR
3	Bangladesh	20 MYR
4	Bhutan	20 MYR
5	Burkina Faso	20 MYR
6	Burundi	20 MYR
7	Cameroon	20 MYR
8	Central African Republic	20 MYR
9	China	30 MYR
10	Colombia	20 MYR
11	Congo, Dem. Rep. of	20 MYR
12	Congo Rep. of	20 MYR
13	Djibouti	20 MYR
14	Equatorial Guinea	20 MYR
15	Eritrea	20 MYR
16	Ethiopia	20 MYR
17	Ghana	20 MYR
18	Guinea – Bissau	20 MYR
19	Hong Kong	20 MYR
20	India	50 MYR
21	Ivory Coast	20 MYR
22	Kosovo	20 MYR
23	Liberia	20 MYR
24	Mali	20 MYR
25	Montenegro	20 MYR
26	Mozambique	20 MYR
27	Myanmar	20 MYR
28	Nepal	20 MYR
29	Niger	20 MYR
30	Nigeria	20 MYR
31	Pakistan	20 MYR
32	Rwanda	20 MYR
33	Serbia	20 MYR
34	Sri Lanka	20 MYR

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Processing time

Malaysia eVISA processing time is 2 working days. But due to the high amount of applications, processing times are often longer than 2 working days. I highly recommend applying at least a month in advance.

IMPORTANT
In certain cases, the Malaysian embassy/consulate responsible for processing your application may demand additional documentation or an in-person or video interview, which might further delay your processing. 

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Application tracking

You can track your Malaysia eVISA application within your dashboard on the Malaysia eVISA portal. You will also be notified of any changes in status via email. Your application can have any of the 6 statuses.

• NEW APPLICATION: Your eVISA application hasn’t been submitted yet
• IN PROGRESS: Your eVISA application is in process
• APPROVED: Your eVISA application has been approved
• REJECTED: Your eVISA application has been refused
• REQUEST DOCUMENT/DATA AMENDMENT: You must correct the information or upload additional documents
• REQUEST INTERVIEW: You must attend an in-person interview

Request Document/Data Amendment

If your Malaysia eVISA application requires any additional information or documentation, the Malaysian embassy/consulate will notify you of the list of additional documents needed. You will be given 5 days to upload the requested documents. 

Once you have uploaded all the requested documents, the processing time will be reset. It will take 2 more working days from that point onward for the processing of your visa.

In certain instances, the Malaysian embassy/consulate may request additional documents multiple times until the embassy/consulate is satisfied with your documents.  

Request Interview

If your eVisa application requires an additional proof, the Malaysian embassy/consulate will simply set up a “request for interview” appointment on your behalf.

This can be annoying as you have no choice in selecting your date/time for the in-person interview. I have seen only a handful of cases where was requested to appear in person for an interview at the embassy or consulate.

NOTE
There is no option to change the date/time of the appointment. If you cannot make it to the appointment, I suggest applying for the visa again on the eVISA portal.

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Priority visa service (optional, not applicable to all visa guides)

Unfortunately, there is no priority visa processing. The visa process usually takes 2 working days. It can take much longer in some instances. So apply at least one month prior to your trip.

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Customer service (optional, not applicable to all visa guides)

You can use the live chat support on Malaysia eVISA portal to ask any questions or inquire about the status of your visa application. The chat agents are available 24×7. 

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MALAYSIA TOURIST VISA FROM THE EMBASSY

Validity of Malaysia tourist visa

The validity of a Malaysia tourist visa is 3 months for a single entry and 6 months for a multiple entry visa.

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How long can you stay in Malaysia on a tourist visa

You can stay up to 30 days in Malaysia on a tourist visa. Passport holders from the African continent can only stay up to 14 days. 

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Passport validity required for tourist visa

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your expected date of arrival in Malaysia.

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Blank pages needed in the passport for tourist visa

You must have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for the tourist visa. One page for the visa sticker and one page for entry and exit stamps.

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Documents required

You will need the following documents.

• Completed Malaysia visa application form (download here)
• Original passport
• 2 photocopies of the passport bio page
• 2 passport-size photos (3.5cm X 5cm)
• Round trip flight tickets (return ticket must be within 30 days of arrival)
• Bank statement
• Invitation letter (if any)
• Payment of visa fee
• Yellow fever vaccination if applicable (these countries require a yellow fever vaccination)

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Photo requirements

The photo must meet the following requirements.

• Must be of size 3.5cm X 5cm
• Must be in color with white background
• Must be the latest, taken in the last 6 months

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Visa fee

The visa fee is anywhere from 6 MYR (about $1.5 USD) to 50 MYR (about $12 USD) depending on the country of your passport.

Please refer to the Malaysia Immigration Portal for the current visa fee for your nationality. 

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Processing time

The tourist visa processing time is about 3-5 working days.

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TWOV (TRANSIT WITHOUT VISA) TRANSIT PASS

Transit Without Visa (TWOV) is for those passengers that are transiting via Malaysia but would like to leave the airport and enter Malaysia for a limited amount of time.

TWOV is available at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA1 and KLIA 2) only. TWOV is NOT available at any other airport, land border or seaport in Malaysia.

Issuing of TWOV transit pass is at the discretion of the immigration officer at the airport.

TWOV is available to the following nationalities only.

• GROUP 1: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
• GROUP 2: Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal and Vietnam

TWOV requirements for GROUP 1: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

• Must hold a single/multiple-entry visa or residence permit from Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan or the USA
• Must enter and exit KLIA1 or KLIA2 with Malaysian Airlines, Air Asia and Malindo Air only
• Must hold a confirmed (with e-ticket number) flight ticket to your country of passport or to a third country within 120 hours

TWOV requirements for GROUP 2: Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal and Vietnam

• Can enter KLIA1/KLIA2 with any airline but must exit KLIA1/KLIA2 with Malaysian Airlines or Air Asia only
• Must hold a confirmed (with e-ticket number) flight ticket to your country of passport or to a third country within 120 hours

NOTE
If you are transiting via Malaysia and not leaving the airport, then you do not need a TWOV transit pass. TWOV transit pass is necessary only if you plan to leave the airport.  

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Validity of TWOV transit pass

The validity of Malaysia TWOV transit pass is 120 hours (5 days) from the date and time of issue at the port of entry in Malaysia. 

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How long can you stay in Malaysia on a TWOV transit pass

You can stay up to 120 hours (5 days) in Malaysia on a TWOV transit pass. Extensions are not allowed.

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Passport validity required for TWOV transit pass

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival in Malaysia

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Documents required

You will need the following documents.

• A valid single/multiple-entry visa or a residence permit from Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan or the USA (*this requirement is applicable to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka nationals only)
• A confirmed (with e-ticket number) flight ticket to your country of passport or to a third country within 120 hours
• Proof of financial ability of 500 MYR in the form of cash or credit/debit cards 

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Visa fee

TWOV transit pass is issued FREE of cost to all eligible passport holders. 

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ENTRY AND EXIT PROCEDURE AT THE AIRPORT

Entering Malaysia by air

If you are obtaining Visa on Arrival or Transit Without Visa (TWOV), head to Visa on Arrival (VOA) section. You must produce all the required documentation and fee in order to obtain your VOA or TWOV. 

If you are visa-exempt or hold an eVisa or a visa from the embassy, head straight to the immigration and customs. Present your eVisa print along with your original passport. 

You may be asked what you plan to do in Malaysia, how many days you plan to stay, etc. You may be asked to show your return/onward flight ticket and hotel booking. If you are traveling on a one-way ticket, make sure to get proof of return ticket from an onward ticket agency such as onwardticket.com.

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Leaving Malaysia by air

You will go through passport control on exit. Exit formalities are fairly quick but make sure to account for a bit of extra time for this. No questions will be asked unless you have overstayed your visa.

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CONCLUSION

Malaysia tourist visa requirements are easy to understand. Though there are many types of visas, the requirements for each of them are very clear. Most nationalities are exempt from visas. Rest can obtain eVisa or Visa on Arrival.