- Waiting
- 6–8 weeks of review, then about a week to the e-Pass
- Deadline
- Endorse within 6 months of your approval letter
- Desks
- You → MDEC → an embassy, for some nationalities → MDEC
[01]You
Apply online.
All applications go through the official portal at mdec.my/derantau. You register, complete the form, upload your documents (English, PDF), and pay the processing fee. New applications are temporarily closed during the transition to the Enhanced Framework.
[02]MDEC
Review.
MDEC processes complete submissions in six to eight weeks. Missing or inconsistent documents extend this, which is why preparation matters.
Wait6–8 weeks
[03]MDEC
Approval letter.
Once approved you receive an approval letter, valid for six months and non-extendable. You must complete endorsement within that window or reapply.
Window6 months to endorse
[04]Embassy
Get your visa to enter.
Depending on your nationality, obtain an eVisa or a Visa with Reference (VDR) through a Malaysian Embassy/Consulate, as stated in your approval letter. Some nationalities don't need one.
[05]You
Enter (or re-enter) Malaysia.
If you're already in Malaysia on a tourist pass when you're approved, you must exit and re-enter with the correct visa. You cannot convert a tourist pass into a DE Rantau pass.
[06]MDEC hub
Endorsement.
Back in Malaysia, complete endorsement via the MDEC hub (mdec.my/ms/derantau/hub) with the required documents.
Wait~1 week
[07]MDEC
e-Pass issued.
Your DE Rantau e-Pass is issued within about a week of successful endorsement. It's multiple-entry and covers Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan.
New applications are temporarily closed while MDEC rolls out the Enhanced DE Rantau Nomad Pass Framework, effective 1 December 2026. The steps below are unchanged — we can prepare your file now so it's ready when submissions reopen. What's changing →
Renewing — up to four years
From 1 December 2026, the pass can be renewed up to three times, 12 months at a time, for a maximum stay of four years. The renewal process itself is unchanged:
- When: within the three months before your pass expires. Earlier is better — you need time for processing and endorsement.
- How long: six to eight weeks from a complete application; longer if MDEC asks for more information.
- Where from: you don't need to leave Malaysia, and you can also renew from abroad. Either way, complete endorsement before your current e-Pass expires, and keep a valid immigration status throughout — approval alone doesn't extend it.
- Passport: a renewal can't outlast your passport. With eight months left, you get eight months — so keep 14+ months of validity.
- Second renewal (year 3): a mandatory Renewal Eligibility Report (RER) covering your first two years.
- Rules: each renewal is assessed against the requirements in force when you apply — including USD 36,000 for Tech Talent from 1 December 2026.
During the transition
- Initial pass expiring on or before 31 January 2027: you can apply for your first renewal now, with a complete submission.
- Initial pass expiring after 31 January 2027: apply on the normal renewal timeline, under the prevailing requirements.
- Currently on your first renewal: apply for a second renewal from 1 December 2026.
- Already used the old 24-month maximum: you can apply for up to two more renewals from 1 December 2026.
Good to know
Register the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) three days before arrival to use the autogate at KLIA. If you're rejected, you can appeal within one month. Application and renewal fees are non-refundable once processing starts, whatever the outcome.
