✦ VisaAgent
🇲🇾

Malaysia DE Rantau Nomad Pass — complete application guide

Everything to apply for Malaysia's digital-nomad visa (DE Rantau Nomad Pass): eligibility, income, documents, fees, and the exact portal steps. Verified against official MDEC / MyGovernment sources.

Guide · Updated 8 June 2026

What it is

The DE Rantau Nomad Pass lets qualified foreign digital nomads live and work remotely from Malaysia for non-Malaysian clients/employers. The pass issued is a Professional Visit Pass (Pas Lawatan Ikhtisas / PLIK) from the Immigration Department of Malaysia, valid 3–12 months and renewable for a further 12 months (24 months max).

Who can apply

  • Tech talent: software/backend engineers, cloud, cybersecurity, blockchain, AI/ML and data roles, plus digital marketing and creative content.
  • Non-tech talent: executives, managers and professionals in finance, HR, legal, consulting and operations.
  • Work arrangement: digital freelancer / independent contractor, OR remote employee (full or part-time).
  • Open to all nationalities except Israel — including Pakistani passport holders.

Income requirement

  • Tech professionals: more than USD 24,000 per year.
  • Non-tech professionals: more than USD 60,000 per year.
  • No partial credit — you must meet the full threshold for your category.

Contract requirement

  • Active contract(s) longer than 3 months.
  • Freelancers may combine multiple contracts to show ongoing remote income.

Dependents

  • You may bring spouse and child/children.
  • Parents may be included for the main pass holder only.
  • Fee: MYR 500 per dependent.

Choose the right option on the portal

  • On the dashboard you pick from: Malaysia Digital Status, DE Rantau Digital Nomad (Foreign), DE Rantau Sarawak (Foreign), or Grants.
  • Pick 'DE Rantau Digital Nomad (Foreign)' for Peninsular Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor, etc.).
  • Pick 'DE Rantau Sarawak (Foreign)' only if you also intend to stay in Sarawak (covers Peninsular + Sarawak).
  • Then choose your category: Digital Freelancer / Independent Contractor, or Remote Worker.

Mandatory documents — Digital Freelancer (official MDEC list)

  • Passport — ALL pages, with a minimum of 6 empty pages and at least 14 months remaining validity.
  • Latest CV.
  • Latest 3 months' bank statement.
  • Latest 3 months' income statement OR latest tax returns.
  • A valid project contract with a period of 3 months or more (a combination of contracts from multiple companies is accepted).
  • Personal bond (complete the prescribed form in the portal).
  • Letter of Good Conduct (police clearance issued by the authority in your country of residence).
  • Highest education certificate.
  • Medical insurance enrolment certificate valid in Malaysia (must also cover dependents, if any).
  • Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN) tax registration slip.
  • Recent passport-size photograph (white background).

Mandatory documents — Remote Worker (instead of the freelancer ones above)

  • Passport (6 empty pages, 14+ months validity), Latest CV, 3 months' bank statement, 3 months' income statement or tax returns.
  • Latest 3 months' payslip and a valid employment contract of 3 months or more.
  • Personal bond, Letter of Good Conduct, highest education certificate, Malaysia-valid medical insurance, LHDN tax registration slip.

Fees & processing

  • Main applicant: MYR 1,000. Dependents: MYR 500 each.
  • Payment: online, within the portal.
  • Processing: about 4–8 weeks after a complete submission.

Official 5-step process

  1. Submit the online application on the Malaysia Digital portal.
  2. Approval recommendation by MDEC.
  3. Apply for the Visa / e-VISA before entering Malaysia (if required for your nationality).
  4. Passport endorsement by the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
  5. Pass issuance.

Exact portal walkthrough

  1. Open the MyGovernment service page: rai.malaysia.gov.my → search 'DE Rantau Nomad Pass'.
  2. Review the service details (cost MYR 1,000, steps, contacts). Open the REQUIREMENTS tab → 'Check Requirements' links to mdec.my/derantau/foreign.
  3. Click GET THIS SERVICE → it opens the application portal at malaysiadigital.mdec.my/Apply.
  4. Create an account with your email and verify it (email OTP).
  5. Select the DE Rantau programme, then choose your type: Freelancer or Remote Employee.
  6. Complete the personal, professional and income sections; upload the documents above.
  7. Review, pay MYR 1,000 online, and submit. Track status in your portal account.

Inside the application form — what you fill

  1. Register / log in: Full Name, Email (becomes your login), Password (needs 1 uppercase + 1 special character + 1 number, 8+ chars), accept the PDPA terms.
  2. Dashboard → 'I would like to apply for' → select DE Rantau Digital Nomad (Foreign) → Proceed.
  3. Eligibility → choose Digital Freelancer / Independent Contractor (or Remote Worker) → tick 'I have read and understand' → Proceed.
  4. Section A — Personal Details: upload passport photo; Name (exactly as per passport machine-readable zone); Email; Gender; Marital Status; State/Country of Birth; Malaysian Income Tax (LHDN) number if you have one; residential address (Line 1, Line 2, Postcode, State); contact number.
  5. Section A also asks for an Emergency Contact: full name, relationship to you, address, postcode, state, contact number, email — and optional social profiles (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn).
  6. Following sections: professional/work details and income, document uploads (the mandatory list above), declaration, and online payment of MYR 1,000.
  7. Your application saves as a draft — you can log back in and continue any time.

Documents that take time — start early

  • Letter of Good Conduct / Police Clearance Certificate from your home country — this can take weeks; begin it before anything else.
  • Medical insurance valid in Malaysia — buy online once you know your dates.
  • Malaysian LHDN tax registration slip — register/obtain as required.
  • A signed project contract of 3+ months (combine multiple clients if needed).

Tips

  • DE Rantau is strictly for foreign-sourced income — you cannot apply to work for a Malaysian company.
  • Use the official portals only (mdec.my / malaysiadigital.mdec.my / rai.malaysia.gov.my). Avoid agent look-alikes.
  • Have every document ready as a clean PDF/JPG before you start — it makes the form fast.
  • Strong income proof + an active long-term contract is the core of an approval.

Official links

Want us to handle this application for you?

We pre-fill every field from your details, assemble the document pack, and guide the submission end-to-end.

Ask VisaAgent to do it