MDEC
DE Rantau Nomad Pass
DE Rantau is Malaysia's digital nomad pass, issued by MDEC as a professional visit pass.
DE Rantau is Malaysia's digital nomad pass, issued by MDEC as a professional visit pass. Tech professionals need USD 24,000 a year in foreign-sourced income; non-tech professions need USD 60,000. It is issued for 3 to 12 months and renewable once, for a maximum stay of 24 months.
The two income thresholds
Almost every write-up of DE Rantau quotes USD 24,000. That figure is correct only for tech talent and tech professions. For everyone else the minimum annual income is USD 60,000 — two and a half times higher.
This is the single most common reason an otherwise sound application fails, and it is worth establishing which band you fall into before paying the non-refundable processing fee.
What it costs
- RM1,080 processing fee for the main applicant, including 8% SST. Non-refundable, including on rejection.
- RM540 per dependant, on the same terms.
- RM360 a year immigration pass fee, or RM90 per three months.
Set against the six-figure commitments of PVIP and MM2H, DE Rantau costs almost nothing. What you are buying is correspondingly less: two years, no work rights in the Malaysian economy, and no route onward.
What it is not
DE Rantau is a professional visit pass. It does not lead anywhere: at 24 months it ends, and there is no conversion path into MM2H, PVIP or permanent residence. Treat it as a well-priced way to test whether you want to live in Malaysia, not as the first rung of a ladder.
If your intention is to work for a Malaysian employer, the Employment Pass is the correct route and DE Rantau explicitly is not.
Honest fit
Who it suits — and who it doesn't
A good fit if
- You work remotely for a company registered outside Malaysia
- You want to try Malaysia before committing capital to a long-stay programme
- You are a tech professional — your threshold is USD 24,000, not USD 60,000
- You want a route costing hundreds of ringgit rather than hundreds of thousands
Look elsewhere if
- You want to stay beyond two years — the pass caps at 24 months total
- You work for a Malaysian company; the income must be foreign-sourced
- You want a path to permanent residence, which this is not
- You are in a non-tech profession earning under USD 60,000
FAQ
Common questions
- What income do I need for DE Rantau?
- USD 24,000 a year for tech talent and tech professions. For non-tech talent and professions the minimum annual income is USD 60,000 — a much less publicised figure, and the one that disqualifies most applicants who assume the USD 24,000 threshold applies to them.
- How long does the pass last?
- It is issued for a period between three and twelve months, with the option to renew for a further twelve months. The maximum total stay is 24 months.
- What does it cost?
- A non-refundable processing fee of RM1,080 for the main applicant and RM540 per dependant, both inclusive of 8% SST. An immigration pass fee is charged on top: RM90 for every three months, or RM360 for a year.
- Who is eligible?
- Digital freelancers, independent contractors and remote workers, in both tech and non-tech professions, of any nationality except Israel. Your work must be for foreign-based clients or a company not registered in Malaysia, performed remotely outside any physical office setting.
- Can I bring my family?
- Yes. Spouse and children may apply as dependants, and the main pass holder — but not a dependant — may also bring parents.
- What proof of income is required?
- Three months of payslips, three months of bank statements showing matching income deposits, and an employment contract or client contracts. Contracts should preferably have at least six months left to run, and the name and income details must be consistent across all documents.
- How long does renewal take?
- Six to eight weeks from receipt of a complete application. You may apply up to three months before your current pass expires, and early renewal is recommended to keep your stay continuous.
Written and reviewed by Jason Yap, Chairman of the PVIP Agent Association.
Last reviewed 23 July 2026.
Thinking beyond two years?
Compare the long-stay routes