How to understand Malaysia visa and entry requirements

Which nationalities need a visa to enter Malaysia?

The Immigration Department of Malaysia publishes the nationalities whose holders must apply for a visa to enter the country, and the list below records those nationalities together with the entry note printed against each one. [2] Nationalities marked with an asterisk are allowed to enter Malaysia by air only. [2]

The entry note matters at the border, because a national of an air-only country cannot fall back on a land or sea crossing into Malaysia. [2]

Do ASEAN nationals need a visa for Malaysia?

Visas are not required for a stay of less than one month for nationals of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), except Myanmar nationals. [2] A visa is required where the duration of stay exceeds one month, except for Brunei and Singapore nationals. [2] In other words, the two Brunei and Singapore exceptions carry through to longer visits, while the other ASEAN exemptions are tied to a stay of less than one month. [2]

How do you apply for a Malaysian visa?

Malaysia's eVISA applications are handled through the portal at malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my, and problems with an application can be raised through the live chat support button on that portal, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. [2] The department's visa section also publishes separate pages for visa fees and types of visas, and lists eNTRI facilities for Indian nationals and for Chinese PRC nationals. [1]

A Visa With Reference (VDR or eVDR) or Visa Approval Letter (eVAL) is the route for foreign nationals who need a visa in order to study, work or enter for other purposes. [2] That facility is open to all foreign nationals who require a visa, except nationals of countries that need no visa for any purpose of entry, a group that includes the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Singapore. [2]

Which travel documents need a visa to enter Malaysia?

Some travel documents require a visa whatever the holder's nationality. [2] The documents listed by the Immigration Department of Malaysia are:

• Laissez Passer, including the European Union Laissez-Passer (EULP). [2]
• Administrative and technical staff assigned to the Office of the Delegation of the European Union in Malaysia. [2]
• Short-term officials or staff at the Office of the Delegation of the European Union to Malaysia who stay for more than 30 days but less than one year. [2]
• Certificate of Identity and Titres de Voyages. [2]
• US Re-entry Permit for Naturalization. [2]
• Surat Perjalanan Laksana Pasport (SPLP) and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China (CI/DI) documents. [2]

Exceptions and limits

• Air-only nationalities. Travellers from the countries marked with an asterisk on the visa list may enter Malaysia by air only, so the port of arrival is part of the rule. [2]
• India's exemption has an end date. Indian citizens are visa-exempt until 31 December 2026, so the exemption is time-limited rather than permanent. [2]
• Afghan social visits need an approval letter first. Afghan nationals who wish to enter for a social visit must obtain a visa approval letter before applying for the visa. [2]
• Brunei and Singapore sit outside the one-month limit. Their nationals are excepted from the visa requirement that otherwise applies to ASEAN nationals when a stay exceeds one month. [2]
• Yellow fever. A yellow fever vaccination certificate must be presented on arrival by travellers from countries at risk of yellow fever infection, and the country list sits on the Ministry of Health Malaysia website. [2]

Frequently asked questions

Do Indian citizens need a visa to enter Malaysia?

No, Indian citizens are visa-exempt until 31 December 2026. [2]

Can ASEAN nationals stay in Malaysia for more than a month without a visa?

A visa is required where the duration of stay exceeds one month, except for Brunei and Singapore nationals. [2]

Is a yellow fever certificate needed to enter Malaysia?

Yes, if you arrive from a country at risk of yellow fever infection; the list of such countries is published by the Ministry of Health Malaysia. [2]

Where is a Malaysian eVISA application handled?

Through the portal at malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my, which offers live chat support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. [2]

Can I enter Malaysia overland on a passport from an air-only country?

No, nationalities marked with an asterisk on the visa list are allowed to enter Malaysia by air only. [2]

Related pages

Airport transit visa guide, digital arrival cards and entry forms, passport validity and entry checks, onward ticket requirement, and the full frequent flyer glossary.

Sources

Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Malaysian work, student and long-term passes are outside this guide, and so are the entry rules of other countries.

1. Immigration Department of Malaysia, Visa services index, checked 18 October 2026
2. Immigration Department of Malaysia, Visa Requirement by Country, checked 18 October 2026