The lowdown on Malaysia’s digital nomad visa

Dan Lain-Lain (Malay for “and others”) is a weekly column by TIA journalist Emmanuel Samarathisa that dissects the goings-on in the Malaysia tech scene but with a heavy mix of current affairs, policy and politics. Click here to read past articles.

So you want to be a digital nomad in Malaysia but need some details. Well, I’ve got you covered today.

The country launched DE Rantau, a visa dedicated to these nomads, in October 2022. There’s an FAQ by the program’s coordinating agency, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), that you can check out.

Key information to remember from the get-go: It costs US$212 (1,000 ringgit) per applicant and half of this amount for each dependent. The visa is valid for 12 months and renewable for an extra year.

There are some perks, including multiple entries to the country and the option to bring along your immediate family as you ply your trade here.

But there are some teething problems: The visa only covers Peninsular Malaysia, so if you want to travel to Sabah and Sarawak, you need a tourist visa.

More importantly, MDEC hasn’t been able to fix a major issue: the ability for a digital nomad to open a bank account with a local branch. Only yesterday was MDEC able to solve the ever-important income tax residency status. Spoiler alert: you need to pay tax.

Also, some noted that the waiting time for the DE Rantau is longer than usual. Yep, typical Malaysian problems.

Oliver Woods (in the blue batik shirt) receiving his DE Rantau visa on January 20 this year / Photo credit: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation

That said, some have tried to apply and have received their visas. Oliver Woods, who coincidentally is the country’s first digital nomad, is an example. Woods hails from New Zealand and has been in Malaysia for nearly a decade.

His first job here was as a social media lead for advertising agency Leo Burnett. In 2016, he moved on to work on various online ad projects – he has a digital marketing firm in Vietnam and made that country his home base, until recently.

Currently, just like other Malaysian digital nomads, Woods is still liaising with MDEC to sort out visa-related problems.

You may be thinking, why bother applying if the visa’s this problematic? Well, Malaysia is known for its multilingual workforce, good infrastructure with well-connected airports and steady internet connection, and relatively lower cost of living even in the capital, Kuala Lumpur. And let’s not forget, the country is a gastronomic delight, even better than Singapore.

Anyway, below is my conversation with Woods, which has been edited for brevity and clarity: