Best Time to Visit Malaysia from The Philippines: What to do, weather, visas, and more
Wondering when the best time to visit Malaysia from the Philippines is? Learn more about weather, seasons and what to do throughout the year in Malaysia.
Malaysia Visa for Filipino Citizens: Requirements, Entry Rules and Travel Guide
Malaysia is a close neighbour and offers great opportunities for tourism, study and work. So, is Malaysia visa-free for Filipinos? In many cases, the answer is yes - but for long tourist stays, you may still need some paperwork, and for employment, you’ll need to get a working visa in Malaysia for Filipinos.
Planning a trip to Malaysia? Learn about your options for a Malaysia visa for Filipinos - when one’s needed and how to get it.
We'll also introduce the Wise card, a handy travel companion to make seamless card payments when you're overseas.
Do Filipinos need a visa for Malaysia?
As an ASEAN country, Filipinos do not need a visa to visit Malaysia for up to one month¹. However, if you plan to stay for longer, or if you’ll be working in Malaysia you may need a visa, including the Malaysia digital nomad visa for remote workers.
Even if you don’t need a visa to visit Malaysia, it’s helpful to know you need to complete the digital arrival card (MDAC)² before you enter the country.
When do Filipinos need a Malaysia visa?
For a short visit of up to a month, you can usually travel to Malaysia from the Philippines with no visa required. However, you’ll need a longer-term tourist visa in Malaysia if you’re there for over a month, and if you plan to work or study, you might also have to get a visa arranged before you travel³.
Let’s look at some commonly required Malaysia visas for Filipinos.
Work visa in Malaysia for Filipinos
If you’ll be undertaking paid employment, you’ll need a work visa in Malaysia for Filipinos. There’s a standard visa for people working in local companies, and also a digital nomad visa, which we’ll cover next.
To get this visa, you’ll need to have a job already arranged. You need your passport and passport photos to apply, plus your Immigration of Malaysia/MDeC Approval Letter and a notarized employment contract.
Malaysia digital nomad visa
Malaysia also has a dedicated digital nomad visa for remote workers⁴. This offers the chance to live in Malaysia for up to 12 months, along with your spouse or dependent children.
You must be able to prove you have an income of 24,000 USD - 60,000 USD annually, depending on your type of work, and the visa itself has a fee of 1,000 MYR.
Long-term or social visit visas
While you can visit Malaysia from the Philippines for up to a month with no visa, you’ll need a visa for a longer trip. In this case, you may decide to apply for a social visit pass.
Through this route, the general requirements for a tourist visa in Malaysia from the Philippines include details of your sponsor in the country, including their financial situation, and an invitation letter. As with other visa types, you also need a valid passport and acceptable Malaysia visa photographs.
Malaysia entry requirements for Filipino tourists
If you’re travelling to Malaysia as a tourist for under one month, the most important thing to have is your passport. In some cases, you also need a Yellow Fever certificate, although this is only if you’ve traveled to an affected region recently.
At the border, immigration officers will check your passport and may ask for more information or documents relating to your trip. Generally, the border officers can ask to see⁵:
- Valid passport with a minimum validity of 6 months
- Valid visa if one is required
- Confirmed return flight ticket
- Proof of accommodation while in Malaysia
- Other supporting documents, as decided by the border control officer
How much money to show for a tourist visa in Malaysia
While some visa types issued for Malaysia do ask applicants to prove they have easy access to a specific amount of money⁶ to demonstrate they can pay for their stay, the most commonly required visas for Filipinos to enter Malaysia do not.
There are no specific guidelines publicly available on how much money to show when applying for a tourist visa. However, as border officers can ask for evidence, you can pay for your trip; it’s a good idea to have access to your phone banking app, or other easy ways to prove you have funds, just in case it’s needed on arrival.
Malaysia visa photo size
The Malaysia visa photo size is the same as for many other national visas. You must have a photo taken with a white background, which is of the standard size 35mm (3.5cm) x 50mm (5.0cm).
How to apply Malaysia visa for Filipino citizens
If you need a full visa from the Malaysian Embassy, you’ll have to make an appointment to visit the location in person with your paperwork to submit your application. Double-check all the documents needed before you travel.
For eVisas, the process can be managed from home, making this the simplest option where available. Here’s how to apply Malaysia visa for Filipino citizens using the online tools:
- Go to the Malaysian eVisa website and click Apply for eVisa.
- Enter your email to set a secure password and register an account.
- Once registered, log in to your account and follow the prompts to enter your personal information.
- Upload supporting documents - an image of your passport, digital passport photos, and proof of your flights and accommodation, for example.
- Your application will be checked, and you’ll be informed of the outcome.
Processing for an eVisa can take a week or so, but there are tools to track your application status when you log into your account.
Malaysia visa fees for Filipino citizens
Visa costs depend on your nationality. Malaysia tourist visa fees for Filipino citizens are usually 30 MYR (about 450 PHP)⁷.
On top of this, for the eVisa service there are processing fees of 105 MYR and a convenience fee of 0.8% for card payments, or 1.7% if you pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Processing time for Malaysia visa
If you’re eligible to apply for an eVisa you can expect a processing time of about 2 - 7 working days. For in-person applications, the wait times vary, but you’ll be informed of the estimated processing time when you apply.
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Sources:
- Malaysian government - visa countries
- MDAC
- Malaysian Embassy - visa information
- MDEC
- Malaysian government - visa FAQ
- Malaysian government - visa types
- Malaysian government - visa information
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