If you want to travel to Malaysia, you may be required to apply for a visa beforehand.
The Malaysian visa allows the holder to travel to Malaysia before they have to pass through immigration control at the port of entry. Just because you have a visa for Malaysia, it does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter the country – the authority to decide falls on the Immigration Officer.
However, you may be able to travel to Malaysia without a visa at all. If you’re planning a trip to Kuala Lumpur or one of Malaysia’s many tourists attracting, but found yourself thinking, “Do I need a visa for Malaysia?”, this article should clear your doubts.
Who Needs a Visa for Malaysia?
The following countries have to be in possession of a visa when traveling to Malaysia for any length of time:
| Afghanistan | Angola | Bangladesh | Bhutan |
| Burkina Faso | Burundi | Cameroon | Central African Republic |
| China | Colombia | Comoros | Congo Democratic Republic |
| Congo Republic | Côte D’Ivoire | Djibouti | Equatorial Guinea |
| Eritrea | Ethiopia | Ghana | Guinea-Bissau |
| Hong Kong | India | Liberia | Mali |
| Mozambique | Myanmar | Nepal | Niger |
| Niger | Pakistan | Rwanda | Serbia |
| Montenegro | Sri Lanka | United Nations (Laissez Passer) | Western Sahara |
Malaysia Visa-Exempt Countries
There are countries whose citizens are exempt from holding Malaysian visa if they are only travelling for short stays.
For stays of up to 90 days
If you are from one of the following countries/territories, you can travel to Malaysia visa-free if your stay is shorter than 90 days:
| Albania | Algeria | Argentina | Australia | Austria |
| Bahrain | Belgium | Bosnia-Herzegovina | Brazil | Croatia |
| Cuba | Czech Republic | Denmark | Egypt | Finland |
| France | Germany | Hungary | Iceland | Iran |
| Ireland | Italy | Japan | Jordan | Kuwait |
| Kyrgyz Republic | Kyrgyzstan | Lebanon | Liechtenstein | Luxembourg |
| Morocco | Netherlands | Norway | Oman | Peru |
| Poland | Qatar | Romania | Saudi Arabia | Slovakia |
| South Korea | Spain | St Marino | Sweden | Switzerland |
| Syria | Tunisia | Turkey | Turkmenistan | United Arab Emirates |
| United Kingdom | Uruguay | Yemen |
For stays of up to 30 days
If you are from one of the following countries/territories, you can travel to Malaysia visa-free if you are staying for up to 30 days:
| Armenia | Azerbaijan | Barbados | Belarus | Benin |
| Bolivia | Bulgaria | Cambodia | Cape Verde | Chad |
| Chile | Costa Rica | Ecuador | El Salvador | Estonia |
| Gabon | Georgia | Greece | Guatemala | Guinea Republic |
| Haiti | Honduras | Hong Kong SAR | Iraq | Kazakhstan |
| Latvia | Lithuania | Macao SAR | Macedonia | Madagascar |
| Mauritania | Mexico | Moldova | Monaco | Mongolia |
| Nicaragua | North Korea | North Yemen | Palestine | Panama |
| Paraguay | Portugal | Russia | Sao Tome & Principe | Senegal |
| Slovenia | Somalia | Sudan | Surinam | Tajikistan |
| Togo | Ukraine | Upper Volta | Uzbekistan | Vatican City |
| Venezuela | Zaire | Zimbabwe |
For stays of up to 14 days
If you are from the following countries/territories, you can travel to Malaysia without a visa if your stay is up to 14 days:
Libya- Macao (Holders of Special Administrative Region Travel Permits)
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Yemen
Business trips of up to 60 days
Certain countries are eligible to get an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC), which allows the holder to travel to other countries included on the agreement visa-free.
If you have an ABTC, and it has a “MYS” code on the back, you can travel to Malaysia for a business trip of up to 60 days. The countries included on the agreement are:
- Australia
- Brunei
- Chile
- China
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Japan
- South Korea
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Philippines
- Russia
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Vietnam
If your country is not included on any of the lists above, kindly contact the nearest Malaysian Embassy or Consulate to inquire whether you need a visa.
Who Needs a Malaysia Transit Visa?
Visa-required nationals must be in possession of a valid visa if they are switching between terminals at Kuala Lumpur International Airport to board another plane for onward travel.
If you will transit in Malaysia, you do not need a visa if you do not need to switch between terminals and your wait is shorter than 24 hours.
However, citizens of the following visa-required countries can get a Malaysia Transit Pass of up to 120 hours:
- Bhutan
- China
- Myanmar
- Nepal
They must meet the following conditions:
- They have to transit at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
- They must have a flight ticket which is scheduled within 120 hours.
- Their onward flight must be operated by Air Asia or Malaysia Airlines.
Additionally, citizens of the following countries are also eligible for a Malaysian Transit Pass if they meet certain conditions:
- Bangladesh
- India
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
In addition to the conditions set above, the following conditions also apply:
- They must have a visa or a residence permit issued by Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan or the USA.
- They must be traveling to or from one of those countries.
- They must arrive and depart from the main terminal or KLIA2, unless they have a residence permit from one of those countries.
Who is Eligible for Malaysian Visa on Arrival?
Citizens of India and China can apply for a Malaysia Visa on Arrival (valid for up to 7 days), provided they meet the following conditions:
- They are arriving directly from Indonesia, Singapore or Thailand.
- They have a valid visa from one of those countries.
- They will land at one of the following checkpoints, where they will apply for the Visa on Arrival:
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA/KLIA2);
- Penang International Airport;
- Sultan Ismail Airport, Senai, Johor Bahru;
- Kota Kinabalu Airport, Sabah;
- Kuching International Airport, Sarawak;
- Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar, Tanjung Kupang, Johor
- Tuas Checkpoint (if travelling by car)
- They have a return flight ticket within 7 days.
- They have at least $1,000 per person.