DE Rantau Sarawak Nomad Pass
The one Malaysian nomad pass that covers Sarawak. Every figure that decides whether you qualify, what you will pay, and what catches people out.
The short answer
The DE Rantau Sarawak Nomad Pass is a Professional Visit Pass for foreign digital freelancers and remote workers. It is valid for 3 to 12 months, renewable once for another 12, and it lets you live and work in Sarawak and in every state of Peninsular Malaysia. You need more than USD 24,000 of annual income from digital work, a passport with more than 14 months left, and to be over 18. It costs RM2,160 per applicant, paid on submission and non-refundable.
Who qualifies for the DE Rantau Sarawak Nomad Pass?
Two kinds of people, and the proof you need differs between them. A digital freelancer or independent contractor shows active project contracts. A remote worker shows an active employment contract with a company that is not Malaysian. Either way the work has to be digital, the contract has to run longer than three months, and the income has to clear USD 24,000 a year.
| Criterion | Digital freelancer | Remote worker |
|---|---|---|
| Proof of work | Active project contract, longer than 3 months. Multiple contracts are allowed. | Active employment contract, longer than 3 months. |
| Who pays you | Foreign or Malaysian-based clients | A foreign, non-Malaysian employer |
| Annual income | More than USD 24,000 | More than USD 24,000 |
| Age | Over 18 | Over 18 |
| Passport validity | More than 14 months at submission | More than 14 months at submission |
The profession has to sit in a digital domain: IT of every kind, so software development, UX, UI, cloud, cybersecurity, blockchain, AI, machine learning and data work, plus digital marketing, digital creative content and digital content development.
The pass is open to citizens of all nationalities. Israeli citizens need approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs to enter Malaysia at all.
How is this different from the federal DE Rantau pass?
The federal pass is run by MDEC and does not cover Sarawak. That is the whole reason this one exists. The Sarawak pass runs the other way: it covers Sarawak and every state in Peninsular Malaysia, which makes it the broader of the two geographically.
| DE Rantau Sarawak | Federal DE Rantau | |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | SDEC, Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation | MDEC |
| Where you may live and work | Sarawak and all of Peninsular Malaysia | Peninsular Malaysia |
| Sabah | Not covered. You enter Sabah on a tourist pass. | Not covered |
| Professions accepted | Digital and tech only | Tech and non-tech, at different income levels |
| Minimum annual income | More than USD 24,000 | Set by MDEC, and higher for non-tech roles |
| Pass type | Professional Visit Pass | Professional Visit Pass |
| Duration | 3 to 12 months, renewable once | Renewable once |
What does the DE Rantau Sarawak pass cost?
| Item | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Processing fee, per applicant | RM2,160, including 8% SST | On submission |
| Processing fee, per dependant | RM1,080, including 8% SST | On submission |
| Immigration pass fee | RM90 per 3 months, or RM360 for a year | On issue |
| Multiple entry visa | Varies by nationality | If it applies to you |
| Security bond | Refunded in full when the pass expires | Before the pass is issued |
That is the opposite of how Sarawak charges employers for an expatriate. On the Sarawak Employment Pass the RM1,854 charge falls only on approved applications. On this one the money goes first.
Can I bring my family on the pass?
Immediate family only, at RM1,080 each, and they do not have to travel with you. A dependant can enter Malaysia later, once you are already here.
- Husband, wife or common-law partner.
- Child, adopted child or stepchild under 18.
- Disabled child, with no age limit, verified by experts.
- Your own parent or parents. Your partner’s parents are not covered.
A child who will attend school in Malaysia needs a Student Pass, applied for through the school. Home schooling needs no Student Pass.
How do you apply, step by step?
- Create an account and apply onlineApplications are made at mdec.my/derantau/foreign. SDEC runs the Sarawak track, but the application portal is the federal one.
- Upload your documents, in EnglishApplications and every supporting document must be in English. A contract in another language needs a translation before you submit, and not after.
- Pay the processing feeRM2,160 per applicant and RM1,080 per dependant, payable to SDEC online, at submission.
- Wait six to eight weeksThat is the published processing time from a complete submission. It extends if SDEC comes back for more during due diligence.
- Sign the contract and pay the bondYou are notified by email, then sign a contract agreement and pay the personal bond and visa charges.
- Get your visa, if you need oneFrom abroad, apply for an eVisa or go to the Malaysian embassy named in your approval letter.
- Collect the pass sticker in KuchingIssued within a week at the Sarawak Immigration Office, Simpang Tiga, Kuching. This part is in person.
- Processing time
- 6 to 8 weeks from a complete submission
- Sticker issue
- Within 1 week, Sarawak Immigration Office, Kuching
- Approval validity
- 6 months, non-extendable
- Renewal window
- From 2 months before expiry
- Entries
- Multiple entry
- Application status
- malaysiadigital.mdec.my
What documents do you need?
What you file depends on which of the two categories you are in. Both sets have to state duration and money on their face, because that is what the assessor is checking.
| If you are | File |
|---|---|
| A digital freelancer | Contracts, purchase orders or invoices with your clients, each clearly stating the contract duration and its value. |
| A remote worker | Your active employment contract with a non-Malaysian company, stating monthly or annual salary, and stating that you are not required to work from the office. |
| Earning from a platform | Documents proving the income comes from the digital content platform, still clearing USD 24,000 a year. |
You also need a sponsor. A sponsor is a Malaysia-registered organisation that awards you work and takes responsibility for your stay, maintenance and repatriation, and it signs the personal bond. SDEC can act as your sponsoring organisation, in which case you pay a security bond and get the full amount back when the pass expires. The bond document needs a RM10 revenue stamp and endorsement by the Inland Revenue Board.
What catches people out?
- You pay Malaysian income tax. SDEC answers this in one word: yes. Budget for it, and get advice on your own residency position before you arrive.
- Most banks will not open an account on a Professional Visit Pass. Plan how you will hold and move money in Malaysia before you land, and ask your bank of choice directly.
- Already in Malaysia as a tourist? You have to leave and come back. Once the application is approved you must exit and re-enter Malaysia. Book that flight into your plans.
- On an Employment Pass or Student Pass? You can apply without leaving. From an Employment Pass you need a release letter from your employer and to shorten the pass. From a Student Pass you cannot convert, but you can apply in country with a release letter from your university, a full transcript, and by shortening the student pass.
- Sabah is not included. You can travel there, but you enter on a tourist pass like any other visitor.
- Autogate works on the way back in. KLIA Terminals 1 and 2 accept the pass at the automated gates, provided you register the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card three days before arrival.
Sources
- DE Rantau Sarawak, SDEC Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Berhad
- DE Rantau Nomad Pass Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation
- Immigration Department of Sarawak Jabatan Imigresen Sarawak
Not sure you qualify?
Send us your contract and your income position and we will tell you whether the application clears the criteria before you pay a non-refundable RM2,160 to find out.
Mon–Fri, 9am–6pm · WhatsApp 1 business day · Email 1–2 business days