
Malaysia tourist visa requirements are fairly easy to understand. Most nationalities are exempt from a tourist visa. Rest can obtain an eVisa or Visa on Arrival.
Currently, there are 5 different visa options available to enter Malaysia as a tourist.
- Visa Exemption: 167 nationalities are visa exempt for stays up to 90 days
- Visa on Arrival: 2 nationalities are eligible to obtain Visa on Arrival for stays up to 15 days
- eVISA: 34 nationalities can obtain eVisa for stays up to 30 days
- Transit Without Visa (TWOA): 9 nationalities are eligible to obtain TWOA for 120 hours (5 days)
- Visa from the embassy: 35 nationalities require a pre-approved visa from the Malaysian embassy prior to arrival
Table of Contents
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MALAYSIA TOURIST VISA REQUIREMENTS BY NATIONALITY

Minimum passport validity required to enter Malaysia as a tourist
The minimum passport validity required to enter Malaysia is 6 months.
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VISA EXEMPT nationalities
90-day entry
- Albania
- Algeria
- Argentina
- Aruba
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Curacao
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Egypt
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Maldives
- Malta
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Niue
- Norway
- Oman
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Sint Maarten
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sudan
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Yemen
30-day entry
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Chad
- Chile
- Comoros
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Eswatini
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Jamaica
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Laos
- Lesotho
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nicaragua
- North Macedonia
- Palestine
- Palau
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Philippines
- Russia
- Samoa
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
14-day entry
- Iran
- Libya
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VISA ON ARRIVAL eligible nationalities
15-day, single-entry
- China
- India
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eVISA eligible nationalities
30-day, single-entry
- Afghanistan
- Angola
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- China
- Colombia
- Congo, Dem. Rep. of
- Congo Rep. of
- Djibouti
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Guinea – Bissau
- Hong Kong
- India
- Ivory Coast
- Kosovo
- Liberia
- Mali
- Montenegro
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Rwanda
- Serbia
- Sri Lanka
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VISA REQUIRED nationalities
30-day, single-entry
- Afghanistan
- Angola
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- China
- Colombia
- Congo Rep. of
- Congo Dem. Rep.
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Guinea-Bissau
- India
- North Korea
- Israel
- Kosovo
- Liberia
- Mali
- Montenegro
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Rwanda
- Serbia
- Sri Lanka
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TRANSIT VISA EXEMPT nationalities
A Malaysia transit visa is NOT REQUIRED if
- You are NOT leaving the airport and
- Continuing to the next destination with the same flight/airline
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TRANSIT WITHOUT VISA (TWOV) nationalities
120-hour (5-day), single-entry
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- China
- India
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
- Vietnam
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Visa Requirement for CRUISE PASSENGERS
A Malaysia visa is REQUIRED to disembark the cruise at Malaysian ports.
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MALAYSIA VISA EXEMPTION

Malaysia has a liberal visa policy offering visa exemption to over 160+ nationalities. Most nationalities can stay up to 30 days without requiring a tourist visa. About one-third of these nationalities can stay up to 90 days without a visa.
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Entry permission
As a visa-exempt nationality, you can stay either 30 days or 90 days depending on your nationality.
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Documents to carry
Apart from your passport, you must also carry the below documents in print or on your smartphone.
- Proof of return or onward travel (your return or onward flight/bus/train ticket)
- Proof of accommodation (a hotel reservation for the first few days)
- Proof of funds to sustain your trip (some cash or ATM/Credit cards)
If you are traveling on a one-way ticket, make sure to get proof of return ticket from an onward ticket agency such as onwardticket.com.
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MALAYSIA VISA ON ARRIVAL
Malaysia Visa on Arrival (VOA) is available to China and India passport holders arriving from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia or Brunei with a valid visa from those countries.
Visa on Arrival is granted only for stays up to 15 days. There are some specific rules to follow for Malaysia Visa on Arrival.
Visa on Arrival can be obtained at the following international airports, land borders and seaports.
Airports
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA and KLIA2)
- Penang International Airport, Penang
- Langkawi International Airport, Kedah
- Senai International Airport, Johor Bahru
- Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah International Airport, Selangor
- Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Sabah
- Kuching International Airport, Sarawak
- Miri International Airport, Sarawak
Land borders
- Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB), Second Link, Johor Bahru
- Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine & Security (ICQS) Complex, Kedah
- Sungai Tujoh Immigration Cont rol Post, Sarawak
Seaports
- Labuan International Ferry Terminal Immigration Control
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Validity of Malaysia Visa on Arrival
Visa on Arrival is valid for 15 days, single entry only.
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How long can you stay in Malaysia with Visa on Arrival
Malaysia Visa on Arrival allows you to stay up to 15 days.
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Passport validity required for Visa on Arrival
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months at the time of obtaining Visa on Arrival.
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Documents required
You must present the following documents.
- Original passport
- Valid visa from the arriving country (Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia or Brunei)
- Confirmed return or onward ticket
- Proof of financial ability of at least 500 MYR (must be in the form of cash or credit/debit card)
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Visa fee
The Visa on Arrival fee is 200 MYR, payable only with a credit/debit card.
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MALAYSIA E-VISA

Malaysia eVISA application is online and you can apply from anywhere in the world.
If you are applying from a country other than your country of passport, you must provide proof of residency in that country. The Malaysia eVISA portal tracks the IP address. Therefore the eVISA application knows where you are applying from and expects proof of residency from that country.
If you reside in Singapore, Israel or North Korea, you cannot apply for Malaysia eVISA. You must apply for a Malaysian visa from your nearest Malaysian high commission.
Also, you cannot apply for a Malaysia eVISA when you are already physically present in Malaysia. If you are already in Malaysia on an eVISA or any other type of visa, you must first exit Malaysia. Then you can apply for a fresh eVISA from your country of passport or legal residence.
Malaysia eVISAs are single-entry only, valid for 3 months. Visa extensions are not allowed.
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Word of caution on Malaysia eVISA Scams
There are fake websites posing as “official websites” and charging three or four times the visa fee. Do not fall prey to such scams.
There is ONLY ONE OFFICIAL Malaysia eVISA website. The URL is below.
OFFICIAL Malaysia eVISA website: https://malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my/evisa/evisa.jsp
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Validity of Malaysia eVISA
The validity of Malaysia eVISA is 3 months from the day of issue. You can stay in Malaysia for either 15 days or 30 days depending on your nationality.
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When to apply for E-Visa
You can apply for your Malaysia eVISA up to 1 month in advance. The E-Visa processing takes 2 working days. But due to high demand, the processing is currently taking much longer than 2 working days. I highly recommend applying for your eVISA at least a month prior to your travel date.
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Passport validity required for eVISA
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your expected date of arrival in Malaysia.
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How long can you stay in Malaysia on eVISA
Stay granted on a Malaysia eVISA depends on the nationality. Refer to the below table for how long you can stay with an eVISA.
Nationality | Stay granted | |
1 | Afghanistan | 30 days |
2 | Angola | 14 days |
3 | Bangladesh | 30 days |
4 | Bhutan | 30 days |
5 | Burkina Faso | 14 days |
6 | Burundi | 14 days |
7 | Cameroon | 14 days |
8 | Central African Republic | 14 days |
9 | China | 30 days |
10 | Colombia | 14 days |
11 | Congo, Dem. Rep. of | 14 days |
12 | Congo Rep. of | 14 days |
13 | Djibouti | 14 days |
14 | Equatorial Guinea | 14 days |
15 | Eritrea | 14 days |
16 | Ethiopia | 14 days |
17 | Ghana | 14 days |
18 | Guinea – Bissau | 14 days |
19 | Hong Kong | 14 days |
20 | India | 30 days |
21 | Ivory Coast | 14 days |
22 | Kosovo | 30 days |
23 | Liberia | 14 days |
24 | Mali | 14 days |
25 | Montenegro | 30 days |
26 | Mozambique | 14 days |
27 | Myanmar | 30 days |
28 | Nepal | 30 days |
29 | Niger | 14 days |
30 | Nigeria | 14 days |
31 | Pakistan | 30 days |
32 | Rwanda | 14 days |
33 | Serbia | 30 days |
34 | Sri Lanka | 30 days |
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eVISA application process
Malaysia eVISA is a simple application. Takes about 30 minutes to fill out and submit. The approval process takes about 2 working days.
IMPORTANT
After the approval, you must print your eVISA. A soft copy of eVISA on your phone is not accepted. The immigration officer will stamp the port and date of entry on your eVISA print. You may be asked to show this eVISA print with the stamp at the time of leaving the country. Therefore, carrying a print of your eVISA is very much necessary.
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Documents required
You will need the following documents.
- Digital passport-size photo
- Passport ID/data page
- Confirmed round-trip flight tickets
- Hotel bookings
- Other supporting documents (ex: proof of residence, etc.)
IMPORTANT
Even though the eVISA portal accepts onward tickets to your next destination after Malaysia, the Malaysian embassy/consulate responsible for processing your eVISA will later ask for complete round-trip flight tickets. That means, flight tickets originating and ending in your home country or country of residence are required.
For example, if your home country or country of residence is India and your trip is India-Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand-India, you must upload all flight tickets starting from India and ending in India. If you submit just the inbound and outbound tickets (ex: Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand), you will be later asked to upload your full itinerary.
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Photo requirements
The digital photograph must meet the following specifications.
- Must be 35mm x 50mm in dimensions
- Must be on a pure white background
- Must have been taken within the last 6 months
- Full face must be in the center without any headgear or glasses
- Must be a professional passport photo taken in a studio
- Cellphone photos, selfies and cropped photos are not accepted
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Visa fee
The eVISA fee is 50 MYR for India, 30 MYR for China and 20 MYR for all other nationalities. A detailed table with eVISA fee is below.
Apart from the eVISA fee, there is also a processing charge and service charge.
- Processing charge: 105 MYR
- Service Charge: 0.8% of total transaction value
Nationality | eVISA fee | |
1 | Afghanistan | 20 MYR |
2 | Angola | 20 MYR |
3 | Bangladesh | 20 MYR |
4 | Bhutan | 20 MYR |
5 | Burkina Faso | 20 MYR |
6 | Burundi | 20 MYR |
7 | Cameroon | 20 MYR |
8 | Central African Republic | 20 MYR |
9 | China | 30 MYR |
10 | Colombia | 20 MYR |
11 | Congo, Dem. Rep. of | 20 MYR |
12 | Congo Rep. of | 20 MYR |
13 | Djibouti | 20 MYR |
14 | Equatorial Guinea | 20 MYR |
15 | Eritrea | 20 MYR |
16 | Ethiopia | 20 MYR |
17 | Ghana | 20 MYR |
18 | Guinea – Bissau | 20 MYR |
19 | Hong Kong | 20 MYR |
20 | India | 50 MYR |
21 | Ivory Coast | 20 MYR |
22 | Kosovo | 20 MYR |
23 | Liberia | 20 MYR |
24 | Mali | 20 MYR |
25 | Montenegro | 20 MYR |
26 | Mozambique | 20 MYR |
27 | Myanmar | 20 MYR |
28 | Nepal | 20 MYR |
29 | Niger | 20 MYR |
30 | Nigeria | 20 MYR |
31 | Pakistan | 20 MYR |
32 | Rwanda | 20 MYR |
33 | Serbia | 20 MYR |
34 | Sri Lanka | 20 MYR |
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Processing time
Malaysia eVISA processing time is 2 working days. But due to the high amount of applications, processing times are often longer than 2 working days. I highly recommend applying at least a month in advance.
IMPORTANT
In certain cases, the Malaysian embassy/consulate responsible for processing your application may demand additional documentation or an in-person or video interview, which might further delay your processing.
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Application tracking
You can track your Malaysia eVISA application within your dashboard on the Malaysia eVISA portal. You will also be notified of any changes in status via email. Your application can have any of the 6 statuses.
- NEW APPLICATION: Your eVISA application hasn’t been submitted yet
- IN PROGRESS: Your eVISA application is in process
- APPROVED: Your eVISA application has been approved
- REJECTED: Your eVISA application has been refused
- REQUEST DOCUMENT/DATA AMENDMENT: You must correct the information or upload additional documents
- REQUEST INTERVIEW: You must attend an in-person interview
Request Document/Data Amendment
If your Malaysia eVISA application requires any additional information or documentation, the Malaysian embassy/consulate will notify you of the list of additional documents needed. You will be given 5 days to upload the requested documents.
Once you have uploaded all the requested documents, the processing time will be reset. It will take 2 more working days from that point onward for the processing of your visa.
In certain instances, the Malaysian embassy/consulate may request additional documents multiple times until the embassy/consulate is satisfied with your documents.
Request Interview
If your eVisa application requires an additional proof, the Malaysian embassy/consulate will simply set up a “request for interview” appointment on your behalf.
This can be annoying as you have no choice in selecting your date/time for the in-person interview. I have seen only a handful of cases where was requested to appear in person for an interview at the embassy or consulate.
NOTE
There is no option to change the date/time of the appointment. If you cannot make it to the appointment, I suggest applying for the visa again on the eVISA portal.
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Priority visa service (optional, not applicable to all visa guides)
Unfortunately, there is no priority visa processing. The visa process usually takes 2 working days. It can take much longer in some instances. So apply at least one month prior to your trip.
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Customer service (optional, not applicable to all visa guides)
You can use the live chat support on Malaysia eVISA portal to ask any questions or inquire about the status of your visa application. The chat agents are available 24×7.
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MALAYSIA TOURIST VISA FROM THE EMBASSY

Validity of Malaysia tourist visa
The validity of a Malaysia tourist visa is 3 months for a single entry and 6 months for a multiple entry visa.
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How long can you stay in Malaysia on a tourist visa
You can stay up to 30 days in Malaysia on a tourist visa. Passport holders from the African continent can only stay up to 14 days.
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Passport validity required for tourist visa
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your expected date of arrival in Malaysia.
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Blank pages needed in the passport for tourist visa
You must have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for the tourist visa. One page for the visa sticker and one page for entry and exit stamps.
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Documents required
You will need the following documents.
- Completed Malaysia visa application form (download here)
- Original passport
- 2 photocopies of the passport bio page
- 2 passport-size photos (3.5cm X 5cm)
- Round trip flight tickets (return ticket must be within 30 days of arrival)
- Bank statement
- Invitation letter (if any)
- Payment of visa fee
- Yellow fever vaccination if applicable (these countries require a yellow fever vaccination)
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Photo requirements
The photo must meet the following requirements.
- Must be of size 3.5cm X 5cm
- Must be in color with white background
- Must be the latest, taken in the last 6 months
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Visa fee
The visa fee is anywhere from 6 MYR (about $1.5 USD) to 50 MYR (about $12 USD) depending on the country of your passport.
Please refer to the Malaysia Immigration Portal for the current visa fee for your nationality.
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Processing time
The tourist visa processing time is about 3-5 working days.
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TWOV (TRANSIT WITHOUT VISA) TRANSIT PASS
Transit Without Visa (TWOV) is for those passengers that are transiting via Malaysia but would like to leave the airport and enter Malaysia for a limited amount of time.
TWOV is available at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA1 and KLIA 2) only. TWOV is NOT available at any other airport, land border or seaport in Malaysia.
Issuing of TWOV transit pass is at the discretion of the immigration officer at the airport.
TWOV is available to the following nationalities only.
- GROUP 1: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
- GROUP 2: Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal and Vietnam
TWOV requirements for GROUP 1: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
- Must hold a single/multiple-entry visa or residence permit from Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan or the USA
- Must enter and exit KLIA1 or KLIA2 with Malaysian Airlines, Air Asia and Malindo Air only
- Must hold a confirmed (with e-ticket number) flight ticket to your country of passport or to a third country within 120 hours
TWOV requirements for GROUP 2: Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal and Vietnam
- Can enter KLIA1/KLIA2 with any airline but must exit KLIA1/KLIA2 with Malaysian Airlines or Air Asia only
- Must hold a confirmed (with e-ticket number) flight ticket to your country of passport or to a third country within 120 hours
NOTE
If you are transiting via Malaysia and not leaving the airport, then you do not need a TWOV transit pass. TWOV transit pass is necessary only if you plan to leave the airport.
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Validity of TWOV transit pass
The validity of Malaysia TWOV transit pass is 120 hours (5 days) from the date and time of issue at the port of entry in Malaysia.
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How long can you stay in Malaysia on a TWOV transit pass
You can stay up to 120 hours (5 days) in Malaysia on a TWOV transit pass. Extensions are not allowed.
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Passport validity required for TWOV transit pass
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival in Malaysia
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Documents required
You will need the following documents.
- A valid single/multiple-entry visa or a residence permit from Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan or the USA (*this requirement is applicable to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka nationals only)
- A confirmed (with e-ticket number) flight ticket to your country of passport or to a third country within 120 hours
- Proof of financial ability of 500 MYR in the form of cash or credit/debit cards
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Visa fee
TWOV transit pass is issued FREE of cost to all eligible passport holders.
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ENTRY AND EXIT PROCEDURE AT THE AIRPORT

Entering Malaysia by air
If you are obtaining Visa on Arrival or Transit Without Visa (TWOV), head to Visa on Arrival (VOA) section. You must produce all the required documentation and fee in order to obtain your VOA or TWOV.
If you are visa-exempt or hold an eVisa or a visa from the embassy, head straight to the immigration and customs. Present your eVisa print along with your original passport.
You may be asked what you plan to do in Malaysia, how many days you plan to stay, etc. You may be asked to show your return/onward flight ticket and hotel booking. If you are traveling on a one-way ticket, make sure to get proof of return ticket from an onward ticket agency such as onwardticket.com.
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Leaving Malaysia by air
You will go through passport control on exit. Exit formalities are fairly quick but make sure to account for a bit of extra time for this. No questions will be asked unless you have overstayed your visa.
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CONCLUSION

Malaysia tourist visa requirements are easy to understand. Though there are many types of visas, the requirements for each of them are very clear. Most nationalities are exempt from visas. Rest can obtain eVisa or Visa on Arrival.