Visa Update

DE Rantau Extended: Malaysia’s Digital Nomad Visa Is Now 2 Years + 2 Years (Budget 2027)

By Anchor Nomad · Updated October 2026

TL;DR: In Budget 2027, tabled on 9 October 2026, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that DE Rantau Nomad Pass holders who reach the current two-year limit can get a further two-year extension, subject to conditions. That turns DE Rantau into a 2 years + 2 years pathway, with up to four years of remote living in Malaysia. Income rules and fees are unchanged, and the detailed guidelines and start date are still to be published.

What was announced

Malaysia’s DE Rantau Nomad Pass, run by MDEC (Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation) and issued by the Immigration Department as a Professional Visit Pass, has so far allowed digital nomads to stay for 12 months, renewable once for another 12 months. Once you hit 24 months, that was the end of the road.

Budget 2027 changes that. Eligible pass holders who reach the two-year limit will be able to extend for two more years to keep living and working remotely in Malaysia. The government presented it as part of a wider push to attract and keep skilled talent in the country.

How the visa duration works now

	Before Budget 2027	After Budget 2027
First pass	Up to 12 months	Up to 12 months
Renewal	Once, for 12 more months	Once, for 12 more months
After the two-year limit	Leave or switch to another pass	A further 2-year extension for eligible holders
Maximum stay	2 years (24 months)	2 years + 2 years (up to 4 years)

Who qualifies for the extension

The announcement is aimed at DE Rantau Nomad Pass holders who have reached the two-year limit. It is “subject to conditions”, and those conditions have not been published yet. Based on how DE Rantau works today, we expect MDEC to look for the same things it checks at renewal:

Continued remote income at or above your band (USD 24,000 a year for tech and digital roles, USD 60,000 a year for other roles)
An active foreign employment contract or client agreements
Valid medical insurance that covers you in Malaysia
A clean record during your stay and a passport with enough validity

Treat this list as our expectation, not official criteria. We’ll update this article as soon as MDEC publishes the guidelines.

What hasn’t changed

Income thresholds: USD 24,000 a year (tech and digital) or USD 60,000 a year (other remote roles).
Fees: RM1,000 + 8% SST (about RM1,080) for the main applicant and RM500 + SST (about RM540) per dependent.
Dependents: You can still bring your spouse, children and parents.
Work rules: You still work for employers or clients outside Malaysia. A spouse on a DE Rantau dependent pass still can’t take a local job.

A related change for expat spouses

Budget 2027 also announced that, from 1 January 2027, spouses of Category I Employment Pass holders on a Dependant Pass will be allowed to work in Malaysia, subject to conditions. This is a separate track from DE Rantau, so it doesn’t apply to DE Rantau dependents.

What we’re still waiting for

The effective date of the DE Rantau extension
The eligibility conditions for the extra two years
The application process, including whether it runs through the MDEC portal like a normal renewal
Any fees or extra documents for the extension

Budget measures take effect once the Budget is passed and the relevant agencies publish implementation guidelines, so expect details from MDEC and the Immigration Department in the coming months.

What to do now

If you already hold DE Rantau: note when your current pass and renewal end, keep your income evidence (payslips, invoices and bank statements) organised, keep your contracts and medical insurance active, and check that your passport will stay valid for a possible extension period. If you’re close to your 24-month limit, talk to us before you make other visa plans.

If you’re planning to apply: nothing changes for your first application. Apply as normal for the 12-month pass. The difference is that DE Rantau now offers a longer horizon, so Malaysia is a stronger option if you want to settle for several years rather than one or two.

Questions people are asking

Is DE Rantau now a 4-year visa?
Not upfront. You still start with up to 12 months and renew once for 12 more. The new extension adds a further two years for eligible holders who reach that two-year limit, so the full pathway is 2 years + 2 years.

Does the extension apply to new applicants?
The announcement is framed around existing holders reaching the two-year limit. New applicants should plan around the standard two years for now and check the official guidelines once they’re out.

When does the extension start?
No start date has been announced yet. It depends on the Budget being passed and on MDEC and the Immigration Department publishing the guidelines.

Do the income requirements change?
No. Budget 2027 didn’t change the USD 24,000 and USD 60,000 thresholds.

Quick reference

Item	DE Rantau Nomad Pass (after Budget 2027)
Announced	9 October 2026, Budget 2027 speech
Run by	MDEC (Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation)
Duration	2 Years + 2 Years: up to 24 months (12 + 12 renewal), plus a further 2-year extension for eligible holders
Who gets the extension	Pass holders reaching the two-year limit, subject to conditions
Income (tech/digital roles)	USD 24,000+ per year
Income (other remote roles)	USD 60,000+ per year
Official fee	RM1,000 + 8% SST (about RM1,080); RM500 + SST per dependent
Effective date	To be confirmed in official guidelines

Plan your stay with confidence

Anchor Nomad is an independent consultancy that helps remote workers and freelancers apply for Malaysia’s DE Rantau digital nomad visa. Whether you’re applying for the first time or approaching your two-year limit, our 30-minute consultation costs USD 49 and covers your eligibility, a document checklist review, and a clear timeline and cost breakdown. Book a call.

This article reflects public reporting of the Budget 2027 announcement as of October 2026. Detailed conditions and the effective date have not been published yet, so always confirm on the official MDEC DE Rantau portal before you plan around the extension.