# DE Rantau: Malaysia's Digital Nomad Pass

> The DE Rantau Nomad Pass is Malaysia's remote-work visa, letting foreigners who earn from overseas employers or clients live and work legally in the country for up to 24 months.

- Category: settling-in
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-08-07
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/settling-in/de-rantau-nomad-pass

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If you work remotely for an employer or clients based outside Malaysia, you can live and work in the country legally under a pass built for exactly that: the **DE Rantau Nomad Pass**.

## What is the DE Rantau Nomad Pass?

It is a type of **Professional Visit Pass** (*Pas Lawatan Ikhtisas*) designed by the **Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)** to let qualified foreign digital nomads travel and work in Malaysia. The defining feature is where your income comes from. **Remote-worker applicants** must be employed by a foreign-based employer — not a company registered in Malaysia. **Freelancers and independent contractors** work independently with foreign-based clients; per MDEC's FAQ, they may also serve Malaysian clients, provided they still meet the pass's eligibility and income requirements.

## Who qualifies, and how much must you earn?

MDEC splits applicants into two tracks with different income floors:

| Track | Who it covers | Minimum annual income |
|---|---|---|
| Tech Talent | IT and digital professionals — software engineers, cloud, cybersecurity, AI/ML, data, UX/UI, digital marketing and content | **USD24,000 / year** |
| Non-Tech Talent | Founders/CEOs, COOs, finance and marketing managers, consultants, legal counsel, technical writers, tax specialists and equivalents | **USD60,000 / year** |

The eligibility was expanded on **7 June 2024** to formally include non-IT professionals, opening the pass beyond its original developer-focused audience. It is open to all nationalities except citizens of Israel, and the main holder must be over 18.

You prove your income with signed contracts (started at least three months before you apply), the last three months of payslips or invoices, and matching bank statements — all in English.

## How long can you stay?

The pass is issued for a period of **3 to 12 months**, with the option to renew once for an additional **12 months** — a maximum of **24 months** in total. It allows multiple entries, so you can leave and return. Note that it facilitates stays in Peninsular Malaysia and the Federal Territory of Labuan; entry into Sabah or Sarawak is treated as a tourist visit.

## How is it different from an Employment Pass?

This is the crucial distinction for anyone weighing their options:

- **Employment Pass** — for taking a job with a Malaysia-registered company that sponsors and employs you locally.
- **Professional Visit Pass (DE Rantau)** — for remote workers and freelancers whose income originates with foreign-based employers or clients. You are visiting to work, not joining a local payroll.

If you plan to be hired onto a Malaysian company's payroll, the DE Rantau pass is the wrong tool; if you keep your overseas income, it is purpose-built for you.

## What does it cost and how do you apply?

All applications are made online at **mdec.my/derantau** — you do not need to be in Malaysia to apply. The non-refundable processing fee is **RM1,080 per applicant** and **RM540 per dependent** (both inclusive of 8% SST). MDEC processes applications within **6 to 8 weeks** of a complete submission, and the e-Pass is issued about a week after endorsement.

Immediate family can come along: a spouse or common-law partner, children under 18, a disabled child, and the main holder's parents may apply as dependents — though a spouse cannot work under the pass.

## What's next

Check that your passport has more than 14 months of validity, gather your income documents in English, and start the online application at mdec.my/derantau. Confirm current fees and rules against the official MDEC FAQ before you pay, since figures and requirements are updated periodically.

## Sources

- DE Rantau Pass Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) V8 — https://www.mdec.my/static/pdf/derantau/251105_DE%20Rantau_Pass_FAQ_V8.pdf (Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC))
- DE Rantau Nomad Pass eligibility expanded — https://www.digital.gov.my/en-GB/siaran/DE-Rantau-Nomad-Pass-eligibility-expanded (Ministry of Digital, Malaysia (digital.gov.my))
- DE Rantau — For Foreign Digital Nomads — https://mdec.my/derantau/foreign (Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC))

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Source of truth: https://github.com/negaraku-md/NegaraKu.md
License: CC BY-SA 4.0