Entering Sabah and Sarawak: Separate Immigration Control Even for Malaysians

Fly from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching, and the moment you land there is an immigration counter waiting — within your own country. For many Peninsular Malaysians, this is the first time they show their identity card to an immigration officer without ever crossing an international border. This is not an administrative error. Sabah and Sarawak control their own immigration, and those rules apply to everyone, including Malaysian citizens.

Why do Sabah and Sarawak have their own immigration control?

When Sabah and Sarawak joined the federation in 1963, both states retained the power to control the entry of people into their respective territories. This power is contained in Part VII, Special Provisions for East Malaysia, of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

The effect is visible at airports and ports: everyone entering Sabah or Sarawak from the Peninsula goes through immigration checks, and everyone leaving must meet certain document requirements. This is why flights between the Peninsula and Borneo, although domestic, have a layer of control that does not exist on routes such as Kuala Lumpur–Penang.

Peninsular Malaysians: what do you need to bring?

For Malaysian citizens, personal identification is the foundation. You do not need a visa — you are a citizen of this country — but you still have to clear the counter.

• Have a Malaysian international passport? It is accepted directly.
• No passport? Don’t worry. For Peninsular Malaysians without a passport or Restricted Travel Document, the Immigration Department issues a Document In Lieu of Internal Travel Document at the arrival counters of Sabah and Sarawak airports.

This substitute document is issued as an alternative to a Malaysian Passport and a Restricted Travel Document, under Part VII of the Immigration Act 1959/63. Its key features:

• Valid for a single trip only.
• The holder is allowed to enter and stay on a Social or Business Visit Pass not exceeding three (3) months.
• No fee is charged.
• Obtained at all Immigration counters in the arrival halls of Sabah and Sarawak airports.

The identification requirements are simple: for those aged 12 and above, show an identity card or a police/military identity card; for those under 12, a birth certificate or adoption certificate. Parental or guardian consent is not required.

Want to stay more than three months? You need an RTD

That three-month pass is fine for a visit, a meeting or a holiday. But if you are moving to Sabah or Sarawak to work or study for a long period, you exceed that limit.

This is where the Restricted Travel Document (RTD) comes in. It is issued to Malaysians from the Peninsula for the purpose of entering/exiting and staying temporarily in Sabah and Sarawak for a period exceeding three months.

Item	Details
Who it is for	Peninsular Malaysians staying temporarily in Sabah/Sarawak for more than 3 months
Validity	5 years
Fee	RM5
Extension	Another 5 years, RM5
Requirements	MyKad (or birth certificate if under 12), parental consent if under 18, two (2) recent photos measuring 3.5cm x 5cm with a white background

The RTD is issued at Immigration offices throughout Malaysia, so you can arrange it earlier before you move, rather than rushing at the arrival counter.

Summary: which document for which situation?

Your situation	Document	Duration allowed
Short visit, have a passport	Malaysian international passport	Visit pass up to 3 months
Short visit, no passport	Document In Lieu of Internal Travel Document (at the counter)	Single trip, pass up to 3 months
Staying temporarily more than 3 months	Restricted Travel Document (RTD)	5 years (extendable)

Returning to the Peninsula — which documents are accepted?

This control works both ways. To leave Sabah and Sarawak for a domestic destination, the Immigration Department requires you to have one of the accepted identification documents together with a still-valid pass.

Among the accepted identification documents:

• Malaysian International Passport
• Restricted Travel Document
• Restricted Passport to Brunei
• Malaysian Certificate of Emergency
• National Registration Department identification documents (MyKad, temporary identity card, birth certificate, or MyKID)
• IMM93 Document
• BAT.C 10 card (Armed Forces)
• Police authority card

You must also show a boarding pass as proof that you are a legitimate passenger. This exit rule refers to Section 66 of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

Foreign nationals: your Peninsular pass does not carry over here

For foreign nationals, the most striking difference is that the check happens twice. Because Sabah and Sarawak control the entry of foreign nationals separately under their special provisions, the stamp or pass you received when you landed in Kuala Lumpur does not automatically apply when you continue your journey to Kota Kinabalu or Kuching.

In practice: foreign travellers flying from the Peninsula to Sabah or Sarawak are re-checked by the respective state immigration on arrival and receive a separate state approval or pass. Prior eligibility to enter in the Peninsula is no guarantee of entry into the Borneo states — that approval is a decision of the state immigration authority.

For foreign nationals who work, this means a pass or permit valid for the Peninsula may not cover work in Sabah or Sarawak. Always confirm the scope of your document with state immigration before departing.

What next

• If you are a Peninsular Malaysian planning a visit, bring your MyKad — if you have no passport, a substitute document will be issued at the arrival counter free of charge.
• If you are moving for more than three months, arrange a Restricted Travel Document at a nearby Immigration office before you leave, not at the airport.
• If you are a foreign national, do not assume your Peninsular pass is sufficient — confirm your entry and work status with Sabah or Sarawak immigration.
• For the latest requirements and official forms, refer to the Immigration Department of Malaysia website and the MyGovernment portal listed below, as fees and document lists may be updated from time to time.