Malaysia Immigration and Visa
Every person entering Malaysia must possess a valid Passport or travel documents recognized by Malaysia. If one does not possess such a document, one may obtain a titre de voyage a Malaysian Representative Office abroad. Passports shall be valid, for more than six (6) months from the date of entry into Malaysia, and their owner must ensure that their return to their country of residence or the country which issued the document is guaranteed.
Transit Visa
Transit visas are issued to foreign nationals who enter Malaysia on transit to other countries.
Should the foreign national on transit not leave the airport precincts and continues his journey to the next destination with the same flight, he does not require a transit visa.
Single Entry Visa - short term
Single entry visa are issued to foreign nationals who enter Malaysia mainly for a short term social or business visit.
Holders of passports from developed countries have it relatively easy when entering Malaysia for a visit. Passport holders from countries like China, India, Taiwan and a few others need to obtain visas before their arrival. Serbian and Israeli passport holders require special permission to enter Malaysia.
Multiple Entry Visa - medium to long term
Multiple entry visas are issued to foreign nationals who enter Malaysia on a regular basis for business or government matters. They are valid for a period within three (3) months to a few years from the date of issue.
The first and most common type of multiple entry visa is the working visa. Foreigners who want to work in Malaysia will need one, and their employers will have to sponsor and apply on their behalf, handling the paperwork and expense. The accompanying spouse, kids and family relatives of a working visa receive dependent passes. A dependent pass holder is permitted to work without having to change their Dependant Passes to Employment Pass, on condition that the Immigration Department of Malaysia has been given prior approval.
The second type of multiple entry visa is the Spouse Visa (also referred to as the Long Term Social Visit Pass). It allows foreigners married to Malaysians to stay in the country for a period of up to 5 years. This visa also allows them to be engaged in any form of paid employment or in any business or professional occupation. They don't need to convert their social Visit Pass status to a working visa visit Pass should their employment status change.
The third type of multiple entry visa is the Malaysia My Second Home one. It grants foreigners who wish to retire in Malaysia with a 10-year multiple-entry visa, as long as they can meet certain financial and medical qualifications.
The fourth type of multiple entry visa is the Permanent Resident (PR). It grants entry rights for life to its holder, but it is very (very) difficult to obtain.