Residency
Malaysia — Residency: Permanent Residency
The Immigration Department of Malaysia's residence pass is a long-term pass category with its own criteria: a valid passport, a valid long-term pass and a Malaysian sponsor aged 21 or over, with one category requiring at least three years on a valid long-term pass and another at least five years. This is not the same as permanent residence, and the official pages do not set out the permanent residence application route. Permanent residence is decided by the Malaysian authorities, and long-term residence does not automatically lead to it, so check the Immigration Department and your sponsor's advice.
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceImmigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) — residence passLast reviewed: 2026-10-23
Key facts
- The residence pass is a long-term pass with its own criteria, including a valid long-term pass and a Malaysian sponsor aged 21 or over.
- One residence pass category requires at least three years on a valid long-term pass and another at least five years.
- The residence pass is not the same as permanent residence; the PR route is not covered by these official pages.
- Long-term residence does not automatically lead to permanent residence.
Common mistakes
- Treating the residence pass as permanent residence — they are different statuses.