Visiting
Malaysia's immigration department lists New Zealand among the countries whose citizens need no visa for any purpose of entry. Its page gives no length of stay, and New Zealand's SafeTravel page for Malaysia has no entry section, so we found no official figure for New Zealanders. Confirm the period with Malaysian immigration or the High Commission before you book. We found no official statement that remote work is allowed on a visit.
- MDEC, the agency that runs the nomad pass, says a tourist pass cannot be converted to it.
Sources: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia), SafeTravel (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand). Checked 16 October 2026.
Staying a year or longer
The DE Rantau Nomad Pass is a Professional Visit Pass for 3 to 12 months, renewable once for 12 more, so 24 months at most. For tech and digital roles, plan for income of more than US$25,000 a year. Other listed roles, including founders, consultants, finance, sales and legal work, need more than US$61,000 a year. Remote employees must work for a company not registered in Malaysia, and contracts must have started at least three months before you apply.
- The pass covers Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan only, not Sabah or Sarawak.
- MM2H, for longer stays, is open to people from countries with diplomatic relations with Malaysia, aged 25 or over. It asks for a fixed deposit in a Malaysian bank: Silver, more than US$160,000; Gold, more than US$510,000; Platinum, more than US$1.1 million. It also asks for at least 90 days a year in Malaysia and the purchase of a home. Silver and Gold do not allow career work.
- An Employment Pass needs an employer in Malaysia and a basic salary of more than RM 5,100 a month from 1 June 2026. After three years on it, the Residence Pass-Talent has a higher salary test, more than RM 16,000.
Sources: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Ministry of Tourism, Immigration Department of Malaysia, Talent Corporation Malaysia (TalentCorp). Checked 15 October 2026.
Documents, fees and timing
Employees need a signed contract showing remote work, job title, salary and the foreign employer's details, plus three months of payslips and bank statements with matching deposits. Freelancers need signed client contracts, three months of invoices, proof of payment and three months of statements. Everything must be in English or a certified translation, as PDFs. MDEC says applications take six to eight weeks.
- An employer letter is strongly recommended. Your passport needs more than 14 months of validity.
- Fees are RM 1,080 per applicant and RM 540 per dependant, non-refundable, plus an immigration fee of RM 360 a year.
- If MDEC acts as your sponsor, you pay a refundable bond. MDEC's bond table does not name New Zealand, and its "Others" line is RM 1,500, so confirm your rate with MDEC.
More detail
The approval letter lasts six months. After you enter Malaysia with a passport stamp, not the e-gate, you must complete endorsement within one month and stay until the pass is issued. The e-pass arrives about a week after endorsement.
To collect the pass you also need health insurance covering Malaysia and a tax registration slip from the tax authority (LHDN). Since 1 August 2026, rejections cannot be appealed.
Sources: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). Checked 15 October 2026.
Tax
A year away does not by itself end New Zealand tax residence. You stop being resident only if you have no permanent place of abode in New Zealand and are away for more than 325 days in any 12-month period. Malaysia taxes employment exercised there even when you are paid from abroad, and you are resident there after 182 days. New Zealand and Malaysia have a tax treaty, but no social security agreement.
- LHDN says 60 days or less in a year can be exempt. MDEC says remote workers become taxable from 61 days.
- Malaysian residents pay graduated rates up to 30%. The latest published table covers 2023 to 2025, with 25% on chargeable income from RM 100,001 to RM 400,000. Non-residents pay a flat 30% on Malaysian income.
- Until you stop being a New Zealand tax resident, you pay tax on your worldwide income, with a possible credit for tax paid overseas.
More detail
The 1976 agreement has been amended by protocols in 1994 and 2012. How the treaty fits MDEC's 61-day note for remote workers needs an adviser.
A foreign income exemption for Malaysian residents applies under conditions to the end of 2026. We found no official source confirming it beyond 2026, so that is unknown.
Malaysia is not on New Zealand's list of eleven social security agreements. After a year living overseas, not in Australia, you can withdraw most KiwiSaver savings, but not government contributions.
A student loan stops being interest-free from the day after you leave if you become overseas-based, meaning 31 days or fewer in New Zealand in a 184-day period.
If you already get NZ Super, apply at least six weeks before leaving. After 26 weeks away, the rate depends on the months you lived in New Zealand between ages 20 and 65.
Sources: Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN / HASiL), Inland Revenue (New Zealand), Work and Income (Ministry of Social Development, New Zealand), New Zealand Treaties Online (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade), Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). Checked 15 October 2026.
Setting up
The nomad pass requires health insurance covering Malaysia for the whole pass. New Zealand's reciprocal health agreements cover only Australia and the United Kingdom, so nothing covers you in Malaysia by default. SafeTravel says New Zealanders travelling to Southeast Asia should have comprehensive travel insurance that covers medical evacuation for serious illness or injury. We found no official source for private insurance prices, so that cost is unknown.
- Foreign individuals register for a tax number online through e-Daftar, with a copy of a valid passport.
- MDEC says most banks do not accept the pass for opening an account. Plan to rely on New Zealand accounts or cards at first.
- If you become a non-resident taxpayer, Inland Revenue says to update your details with your New Zealand bank so the right withholding tax is deducted.
- MDEC strongly advises against significant expenses, such as a tenancy deposit, before your pass is approved and endorsed.
Sources: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), SafeTravel (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand), Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN / HASiL), Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora), New Zealand Government (govt.nz), Inland Revenue (New Zealand). Checked 16 October 2026.
Living in Kuala Lumpur
SafeTravel says to hold comprehensive travel insurance that covers medical evacuation. We found no official rating of care quality. It also says smoke haze from fires in Sumatra periodically causes very high pollution readings in Malaysia, has reached hazardous levels in some parts, and is generally worse between June and October. We found no official source for rents, transport or other living costs, so they are unknown here.
- If air quality matters to you, check air conditioning and filtration.
- Check which hospital your insurer pays directly.
Sources: SafeTravel (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand). Checked 16 October 2026.
Other places we looked at
The research also looked at Petaling Jaya and Johor Bahru, for contrast. Petaling Jaya is in Peninsular Malaysia, which the nomad pass covers. We found no official source for rents in either place, so they are unknown here.
- Johor Bahru: the MM2H SEZ/SFZ category is tied to buying a home in Forest City, Johor.
- Sabah and Sarawak are left out because the nomad pass does not cover them.
Sources: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Ministry of Tourism. Checked 15 October 2026.
New Zealand
Malaysia