🇲🇾Malaysia Visa for Syrian Citizens2026 Requirements, Fees & Documents

Employment Pass (EP) - Category I

Issued to highly-skilled foreign professionals employed by Malaysian companies in senior/specialist positions with high salary thresholds.

Managed by Expatriate Services Division (ESD). Issued via Xpats Gateway (MDEC-registered companies) or ESD portal. Requires prior approval from Expatriate Committee (EC) or relevant regulatory agency. Fee: MYR 800 + 6% SST = MYR 848. Three EP categories based on salary level; salary thresholds revised effective June 2026. EP holders may bring Dependant Pass holders. Valid up to 5 years.

Employment Pass (EP) - Category II

Issued to skilled foreign professionals employed by Malaysian companies at mid-level salary thresholds.

Same application process as Category I via ESD. Salary thresholds revised June 2026. Valid up to 2 years. Succession plan mandate to facilitate knowledge transfer to local staff introduced from June 2026.

Employment Pass (EP) - Category III

Issued to foreign workers employed by Malaysian companies at entry-level professional salary thresholds.

Valid up to 1 year (renewable). Same ESD application process. Salary thresholds revised June 2026. Holder may bring dependants on Dependant Pass.

Visitor's Pass (Temporary Employment)

Temporary work authorization for foreign nationals engaged in short-term employment or contract work in Malaysia.

Also covers foreign domestic helpers (maids). Short-term in nature; specific validity and fees depend on the category and employer type. Managed by Immigration Department.

Professional Visit Pass (PVP)

Issued to foreign professionals conducting temporary professional or technical activities in Malaysia, including training, installation, or consultancy work.

This is also the pass type used for the DE Rantau Digital Nomad programme. Maximum 12 months per grant; renewable. Applicants are sponsored by a Malaysian company or organisation. Applied through ESD or IMI.

DE Rantau Nomad Pass

Allows qualified foreign digital nomads (tech and non-tech professionals) to live and work remotely in Malaysia for non-Malaysian employers.

Issued as a Professional Visit Pass (Pas Lawatan Ikhtisas). Duration: 3–12 months initial stay, renewable once for up to additional 12 months (max 24 months total). Fee: MYR 1,000 for main applicant, MYR 500 per dependent. Tech roles minimum USD 24,000/year income; non-tech roles minimum USD 60,000/year income. Open to all nationalities except Israel. Applicants can bring spouse, children (under 18), and parents. Programme operated by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). Apply at malaysiadigital.mdec.my.

Student Pass

Issued to non-citizen students (aged 3 and above) enrolled in approved Malaysian educational institutions from pre-school to higher education.

Fee: MYR 60. Higher education applicants must apply via EMGS (Education Malaysia Global Services) STARS system or EMGS portal, and must be outside Malaysia when applying. Valid for duration of studies. Post-arrival medical exam required within 7 days for higher education students. University students may work up to 20 hours/week at approved venues (restaurants, petrol stations, hotels, universities) only. Dependants at Master's/PhD level may accompany on Social Visit Pass (MYR 90) but cannot work. Valid passport must have at least 18 months validity and health insurance of at least 12 months coverage is required.

Dependant Pass

Issued to immediate family members (spouse and children) of Employment Pass or Professional Visit Pass holders to allow them to reside in Malaysia during the primary pass holder's tenure.

Validity tied to primary Employment Pass holder's pass. Dependant Pass holders generally cannot work without converting to an appropriate work pass. Children and spouses of EP holders are the primary eligible group. Applied through ESD together with or after the main EP application.

Long Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP)

Issued to family members of Malaysian citizens or permanent residents for extended residence in Malaysia, including spouses, step-children, elderly parents, and dependants of foreign students.

Minimum 6-month stay authorisation. Spouses of Malaysian citizens may receive up to 5 years validity and are permitted to work, conduct business, or engage in professional employment without converting to an Employment Pass. Categories include: spouses of citizens, children/stepchildren of citizens under 7 years, elderly without home-country family but with local family support, immediate family of foreign students, medical patients, spouses of permanent residents, and widows/widowers of deceased citizens. Application submitted at state Visa, Pass and Permit Division with original documents. Applications submitted at a Malaysian embassy abroad are not typically accepted for this pass type.

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - Silver Category

Long-term social visit pass allowing eligible foreign nationals to reside in Malaysia for an extended period under the entry-tier MM2H programme.

One of four MM2H tiers managed by Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). Programme does not lead to permanent residence or citizenship. Financial requirements (fixed deposit amounts, liquid asset thresholds) apply per the January 2026 Terms and Regulations but specific amounts not publicly accessible from official web pages (mm2h.gov.my returns HTTP 403 on category pages). Non-official sources indicate approximately MYR 675,000 fixed deposit for Silver but this is unverified from official source. Pass is typically valid 5 years (renewable). Spouses and children may be included as dependants.

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - Gold Category

Long-term social visit pass for the mid-tier MM2H programme, allowing foreign nationals to reside in Malaysia with higher financial requirements than Silver.

Second of four MM2H tiers under MOTAC. Programme does not lead to permanent residence or citizenship. Financial requirements not text-extractable from official pages (403 errors). Pass typically valid 5 years renewable. Dependants (spouse and children) may be included.

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - Platinum Category

Long-term social visit pass for the highest-tier MM2H programme, targeting high-net-worth individuals seeking extended residence in Malaysia.

Highest MM2H tier under MOTAC. Programme does not lead to permanent residence or citizenship. Financial requirements (highest among tiers) not text-extractable from official pages (403 errors). Pass typically valid 5 years renewable. Holders may be eligible for additional benefits vs lower tiers.

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - SEZ/SFZ Category

Long-term social visit pass for investors in Malaysia's Special Economic Zones or Special Financial Zones under the MM2H framework.

SEZ/SFZ-specific MM2H category for investors in designated economic zones. Specific financial requirements not accessible from official web pages. Programme under MOTAC and does not lead to PR or citizenship.

Malaysia Premium Visa Programme (PVIP)

A premium 20-year renewable long-term visa for high-net-worth individuals who wish to live, work, and study in Malaysia, requiring a significant fixed deposit and offshore income.

Requires: MYR 1,000,000 fixed deposit in a Malaysian licensed bank (up to 50% may be withdrawn after 1 year for approved purposes); minimum offshore income of MYR 40,000/month; government participation fee MYR 200,000 for main applicant, MYR 100,000 per dependant. Pass valid 20 years, renewed every 5 years. Holders may work and study in Malaysia. Processing time: 30 working days. Managed by Immigration Department (IMI). Does not lead to permanent residence or citizenship. Excludes Israeli nationals.

Residence Pass - Talent (RP-T)

A long-term residence pass for highly-skilled foreign professionals and talent who have been working in Malaysia, providing greater flexibility and longer-term stay rights.

Valid 10 years. Issued to highly-skilled foreign professionals meeting talent criteria set by Immigration Department. Holder may work for any employer in Malaysia without changing pass. Full eligibility criteria and financial requirements not detailed on accessible official pages during research. Applied through IMI.

Long Term Social Visit Pass (Medical Treatment)

Issued to foreign nationals who need to remain in Malaysia for extended medical treatment at approved healthcare facilities.

Sub-category of the Long Term Social Visit Pass specifically for medical patients. Duration tied to treatment period. Application typically requires medical documentation from a Malaysian licensed hospital or clinic. Applied at state Visa, Pass and Permit Division.

Border Pass (Malaysia-Indonesia / Malaysia-Thailand)

Allows residents of border areas between Malaysia and Indonesia or Malaysia and Thailand to cross the border for short-term visits without a standard visa.

Bilateral arrangement for border communities. Specific eligibility (residence within a defined km of border), validity, and fees are governed by bilateral agreements. Only valid for use at designated border crossing points and for travel within a specified border zone. Not available to general public.

APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)

Allows pre-cleared business travellers from APEC economies to enter Malaysia (and other participating ABTC economies) for short business visits without requiring individual visas.

ABTC holders can enter Malaysia via dedicated ABTC lanes at international entry points. Card valid 5 years. Must be a citizen of an ABTC-participating economy and meet business traveller criteria. Applications submitted through the home economy's ABTC administrator. Malaysia is a full ABTC participant.

Work and Holiday Visa (Malaysia-Australia Programme)

Allows young Australian citizens to holiday in Malaysia for up to 12 months while undertaking incidental short-term work to help fund their travel.

Bilateral 'Work and Holiday' arrangement; Malaysia's inbound programme currently applies to Australian citizens only (reciprocal for Malaysians travelling to Australia). Applicants must be aged 18-30 at time of application, hold tertiary qualifications or have completed at least 2 years of undergraduate study, be proficient in English, have no dependent children, and not have previously joined the programme. Fee RM90 for Australian applicants. Work is incidental to the holiday: holders cannot work for any single employer longer than 6 months and cannot undertake study/training exceeding 4 months; Australian participants also barred from work in professional firms, entertainment, spa, or front-office roles. Australian applicants apply through the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra or the Malaysian Consulate General in Perth. Forms IM.12 and KDN required.