Complete list of countries whose citizens need a visa for Malaysia

To travel to Malaysia, you may be required to apply for a visa beforehand.

Malaysian visas allow visitors to travel to Malaysia and prepare for entry, but it is the Immigration Officer at the port of entry who decides whether or not a visa holder will be allowed to enter the country.

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 tourist attractions, but are unsure about whether or not you need a visa for Malaysia because of your visit, this article should clear your doubts.

Citizen 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:

AfghanistanAngolaBangladeshBhutan
Burkina FasoBurundiCameroonCentral African Republic
ChinaColombiaComorosCongo Democratic Republic
Congo RepublicCôte D’IvoireDjiboutiEquatorial Guinea
EritreaEthiopiaGhanaGuinea-Bissau
Hong KongIndiaLiberiaMali
MozambiqueMyanmarNepalNiger
NigerPakistanRwandaSerbia
MontenegroSri LankaUnited 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:

AfghanistanCongo RepublicMozambique
AngolaCo´te D’IvoireMyanmar
BangladeshDjiboutiNepal
BhutanEquatorial GuineaNew Zealand
Burkina FasoEritreaNiger
BurundiEthiopiaPakistan
CanadaGhanaRwanda
CameroonGuinea-BissauSerbia
Central African RepublicHong KongSri Lanka
ChinaIndiaUnited Nations (Laissez Passer)
ColombiaLiberiaWestern Sahara
ComorosMali 
Congo Democratic RepublicMontenegro 

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:

ArmeniaAzerbaijanBarbadosBelarusBenin
BoliviaBulgariaCambodiaCape VerdeChad
ChileCosta RicaEcuadorEl SalvadorEstonia
GabonGeorgiaGreeceGuatemalaGuinea Republic
HaitiHondurasHong Kong SARIraqKazakhstan
LatviaLithuaniaMacao SARMacedoniaMadagascar
MauritaniaMexicoMoldovaMonacoMongolia
NicaraguaNorth KoreaNorth YemenPalestinePanama
ParaguayPortugalRussiaSao Tome & PrincipeSenegal
SloveniaSomaliaSudanSurinamTajikistan
TogoUkraineUpper VoltaUzbekistanVatican City
VenezuelaZaireZimbabwe  

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.
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