4 Main Business Visa Options In Malaysia

If you’re reading this, you likely want to visit or move to Malaysia for some sort of business activity, and you’re trying to find out which visa you need.

To our knowledge, Malaysia has never had an official ‘business visa’!

Instead, you need a specific pass linked to the business activity you plan on conducting, and below, we share visas for four popular business use cases among foreign entrepreneurs:

• staying in Malaysia to do business long-term
• freelancing remotely for multiple clients
• short-term business visits before flying off, and
• surveying Malaysia’s investment potential 

This guide is structured like a directory, so each use case is accompanied by a short description of the relevant pass and a link to a dedicated guide for more details.

Also, fees listed don’t include third party charges, but we promise we’re reasonably priced 😀 

Let’s begin.

To live in Malaysia and do business long-term

Visa needed: Category 1 Employment Pass

If you’re searching for a long-term Malaysian business visa, this is probably what you’re after.

If you plan to incorporate a foreign-owned company in Malaysia and be a director while living here, you need a Category 1 Employment Pass as you’re technically an expat employee.

Visa	Category 1 Employment Pass
Duration	1–5 years
Cost	RM2,000 / year
Requirements	– PUC of RM250,000 – RM500,000 depending on % of foreign ownership  – Minimum monthly salary of RM10,000
Dependents	Yes

As you can see, this visa has fairly steep paid up capital requirements, but if those can be met it’s mostly smooth sailing from there on out.

For full details, see our full guide to Employment Passes in Malaysia.

To visit for business before leaving

Visa needed: Multiple Entry Visa (MEV)

This includes any short term business visit to Malaysia without intentions to stay here indefinitely, such as:

• set up a company (and find a partner / nominee to act as local director)
• attend meetings, or
• sign contracts

For these use cases, a simple Multiple Entry Visa (MEV) will suffice.

Visa	Multiple Entry Visa (MEV)
Duration	3–12 months
Cost	RM100–RM300 depending on nationality
Requirements	– Proof of business purpose  – Sufficient funds for stay
Dependents	No

Each entry allows a 30 day stay, and obtaining it is straightforward if you can show genuine business reasons for your trip

For full details, the Malaysian Immigration has a short guide to MEVs.

To live in Malaysia while working remotely

Visa needed: DE Rantau Nomad Pass

Digital nomads who want to live in Malaysia while running remote businesses or serving overseas clients can do so with the specially designed DE Rantau Nomad Pass.

Visa	DE Rantau Nomad Pass
Duration	3–12 months, renewable up to 24 months
Cost	RM1,000
Requirements	– Proof of remote / freelance work – Minimum annual income of USD24,000 – Valid health insurance – Passport with minimum 14 months validity
Dependents	Yes

To be clear, this is only for entrepreneurs whose source of income is from outside Malaysia, and you can see full details on our guide to DE Rantau Nomad passes.

If you’re thinking of setting up a tech startup in Malaysia and selling locally, you want the Malaysian Tech Entrepreneur Programme (MTEP) instead.

To assess Malaysia’s investment potential

Visa needed: Investor Visa 

If you’re entertaining the idea of a business in Malaysia, but want to physically visit the country before making a final decision, you want to apply for an Investor Visa.

Visa	Potential Investor Visa (PIV)
Duration	6–12 months
Cost	RM500–RM1,000 depending on application route
Requirements	– Evidence of investment interest (business plan, proposals, financial capability)
Dependents	No

Technically Immigration recognises three categories of investors, and you’ll be under what’s known as a ’new investor’, which doesn’t require any track record as an investor.

For full details, see the Expatriate Services Division’s Investor Visa guide.

And that’s it from us! 

We hope you now have clarity on which business visa fits your reasons for coming to Malaysia! 

Let MISHU handle your business visa application

Whether you plan to run a company in Malaysia as a foreigner, survey the country for potential investments, or visit briefly for key business negotiations, our team can help you secure the right visas.