# Malaysian Immigration Department: the department that decides who enters, who stays, who leaves

> Agency entity page for the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) — its four core functions, the legislation it enforces, the difference between visas, passes and permits, the main types of passes it issues, and the online channels for employers and visitors.

- Category: government
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-07-24
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/government/imigresen

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Everyone who crosses Malaysia's border — a citizen renewing a passport, a
tourist arriving, an expatriate coming to work — passes through one and the
same department. But the documents it issues are often confused with one
another, and that confusion is the cause of most immigration problems.

## At a glance

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Full name | Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia (Immigration Department of Malaysia) |
| Abbreviation | JIM |
| Type | Federal department |
| Under | Ministry of Home Affairs |
| Website | `imi.gov.my` |

## Four core functions

The department states its mandate in four parts:

1. **Issuing passports and travel documents** to Malaysian citizens and
   permanent residents.
2. **Issuing visas, passes and permits** to foreign nationals entering
   Malaysia.
3. **Managing the movement of people** at authorised entry and exit points.
4. **Enforcing immigration legislation** — the Immigration Act 1959/63, the
   Immigration Regulations 1963, the Passports Act 1966 and the
   Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007
   (Amendment 2010).

## Visa, pass, permit — three different documents

This is the most common misunderstanding, and it is not just a matter of
terminology.

| Document | Its function |
| --- | --- |
| **Visa** | Permission to *arrive* in Malaysia — obtained before travel by nationals who require one. |
| **Pass** | Determines *how long* a person may stay and *for what purpose* — visiting, studying or working. |
| **Entry Permit** | A facility for a foreign national to enter and reside lawfully in Malaysia *with no time limit* — the route to permanent resident status. |

Three basic types of visa are issued: a **Single Entry Visa** (usually for
social visits, typically valid for three months from the date of issue), a
**Multiple Entry Visa** (usually for business or government-to-government
matters, typically valid for between three and twelve months) and a
**Transit Visa**.

**Visa With Reference (VDR)** is a separate route: Malaysian missions
abroad issue it only *after* the application has been approved by
Immigration Department Headquarters. Categories such as a citizen's spouse
and nationals of certain countries go through this route.

The Entry Permit, meanwhile, is described by the department as the highest
privilege granted by the Government of Malaysia to a foreign national — and
it can be revoked if the conditions imposed are breached.

## Main types of pass

| Pass | Who it's for |
| --- | --- |
| Employment Pass | Expatriates employed by a company in Malaysia |
| Visit Pass (Temporary Employment) | Foreign workers in certain sectors |
| Short-Term Social Visit Pass | Tourism and short visits |
| Long Term Social Visit Pass | Temporary stay of a minimum six months |
| Professional Visit Pass | Short-term professional work |
| Professional Visit Pass — Expert | Specialist category |
| Student Pass | International students |
| Resident Pass | Specially approved resident category |

The Long Term Social Visit Pass covers, among others, the foreign spouse of
a citizen (may be granted up to five years, and permitted to work), a
senior citizen aged 60 and above with a sponsoring family in Malaysia, the
family of an international student, a patient receiving treatment at a
Malaysian hospital together with one companion, and the dependants of an
expatriate.

## Main online channels

- **ESD (Expatriate Services Division)** at `esd.imi.gov.my` — the first
  point of contact for companies wanting to employ expatriates. Every
  company must register with ESD before a pass application can be made.
- **MDAC (Malaysia Digital Arrival Card)** at
  `imigresen-online.imi.gov.my` — a digital arrival card that foreign
  visitors register online before arrival. Eligibility and exemptions are
  stated on the portal itself.

## A note on fees

This page deliberately **does not list fees**. Visa, pass and passport
rates are amended from time to time, and figures copied from third-party
sites are usually already outdated. Refer to the official fee schedule at
`imi.gov.my` or an Immigration counter on the date of your transaction.

## Where the practical processes are explained

| Topic | Article |
| --- | --- |
| Map of all work passes | [Work passes Malaysia](/en/employment/work-passes-malaysia) |
| Employment Pass for expatriates | [Employment Pass Malaysia](/en/employment/employment-pass-malaysia) |
| Process for hiring foreign workers | [Hiring foreign workers](/en/employment/hiring-foreign-workers-malaysia) |
| Foreign worker levy | [Foreign worker levy](/en/employment/foreign-worker-levy-malaysia) |
| Citizen identity documents (MyKad) | [JPN](/en/government/jpn) |
| Control of goods at the border | [Royal Malaysian Customs Department](/en/government/rmcd-kastam) |

## What's next

If you are an employer, start with the
[map of work passes](/en/employment/work-passes-malaysia) to identify the
right pass, then register your company on the ESD portal. If you are an
individual, first identify whether your matter concerns *arriving* (a
visa), *staying* (a pass) or *settling* (an Entry Permit) — then check the
document list for that category at `imi.gov.my`, since most applications
stall because of incomplete supporting documents.

## Sources

- Introduction — Malaysian Immigration Department — https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/departments-profile/introduction/ (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia)
- Types of Visa — https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/visa/types-of-visa/ (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia)
- Visa With Reference — https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/visa/visa-with-reference/ (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia)
- Pass — Main Services — https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/pass/ (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia)
- Long Term Social Visit Pass — https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/pass/visitor-pass/social-visit-pass/long-term-social-visit-pass/ (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia)
- Entry Permit — https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/permit/ (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia)
- Mengenai Visa, Pas, Permit — Soalan Lazim — https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/faq_bvpp/visa-pass-and-permit/ (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia)
- Expatriate Services Division (ESD) Portal — https://esd.imi.gov.my/portal/ (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia)
- Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) — https://imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia)

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