Malaysian Spouse Visa and Permanent Residence (PR): October 2025

In January 2025, Malaysia’s Home Ministry (KDN) announced that changes to the application process for foreign spouses would take effect in September 2025:

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2025/01/1167952/foreign-spouses-get-entry-permit-relief-exempted-point-system

Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia has now released the Permit Masuk Guidelines (Garis Panduan Permit Masuk), providing a step-by-step guide to the updated application process. The guidelines are at this link, but it seems the document can only be viewed on a mobile device and cannot be downloaded:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16BmFHPv7YJOMSByrbvjDk054g4gfIy0c/

Reading the entire guide will help applicants and their Malaysian spouses understand the process.

Key updates for foreign spouses include:

Eligibility criteria have been relaxed for foreign wives, who now qualify with a minimum of 3 years of marriage and 1 year on LTSVP. Foreign husbands must still meet a minimum of 5 years for both marriage and LTSVP:

The 'Points System' may have been discontinued, as it is not mentioned in the Permit Masuk Guidelines. Instead, Page 20 of the Guidelines states that the applicant and the Malaysian spouse must attend an Immigration interview to determine eligibility for submitting a Permit Masuk application. Rather than meeting a minimum score of 40 points, applicants may now be assessed against a standard determined by the Immigration officer. Appendix A2 shows some of the verification criteria, which are similar to those under the 'Points System'.

According to Page 22 of the Permit Masuk Guidelines, application decisions for foreign spouses should be issued within 6 months from the date of submission. Applicants will receive their results either by post or online. This infographic shows the updated process and timeline:

Here are more screenshots from the Permit Masuk Guidelines. They show additional eligibility criteria for both female and male applicants, plus the checklist referred to in Appendix C1 which shows the documents required:

Where to find further information:

Immigration KL posted about the new Guidelines on their Facebook Page here
For specific guidance go to the 'Permit Masuk' counter at your nearest Immigration office.
See information on the PR process on the FAQs page:

https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2025/01/malaysian-pr-permit-masuk-faqs.html

Frequently Asked Questions about Permanent Residence for foreign spouses

Note: Details from the Permit Masuk Guidelines released in September 2025 are

included in the answers below. For more information on those Guidelines see:

https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2025/10/malaysian-permanent-residence.html

What are Permit Masuk and Permanent Residency (PR)? To obtain Permanent Residency (PR) in Malaysia, a person must apply for Permit Masuk, which is the official Entry Permit certificate issued to successful applicants. Once approved, PR status is confirmed with a passport stamp. The applicant can then apply to JPN for a Red IC (MyPR card).

'What are the advantages of PR?' Some of the benefits include:

Residency: Stay in Malaysia indefinitely.
Visa: No need to renew a visa.
Employment: Work without a work visa or endorsement.
EPF: Eligible to make Self-Contribution payments to EPF.
Banking: Easier to open an account, and removal of BNM transfer restrictions.
Insurance and Investments: Access a wider range of financial products.
Driving: Up to 10 years validity when renewing Malaysian driving licence.
Tourism: Exempt from Malaysian hotel Tourism Tax, plus reduced prices at some attractions.
Identification: Red IC can be used as ID e.g. for domestic flights within Peninsular Malaysia.
Security Bond: Request a refund of LTSVP bond 2 years after getting Permit Masuk.

Note: PR holders are foreign nationals and so are still subject to restrictions such as compliance with minimum property purchase price for foreigners, not eligible for employment in restricted sectors or roles, not entitled to subsidies for Malaysian citizens (e.g. petrol, public transport), not allowed to vote in elections.

'Is Residence Pass (RP) the same as Permanent Residence (PR)?' No, Residence Pass (RP) is a temporary pass which is valid for an initial period of 5 years, with the possibility of a five-year renewal. RP holders can work without requiring an endorsement, but they still face certain restrictions similar to those of LTSVP holders. See info on RP here: https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/pass/residence-pass/.

'When can a foreign spouse apply for Permit Masuk (PR)?' A female foreign spouse can apply for Permit Masuk after a minimum of 3 years of marriage and 1 year on LTSVP. Foreign husbands must meet a minimum of 5 years for both marriage and LTSVP.

'How do I apply for Permit Masuk (PR) and where can I get the application forms?' The applicant and Malaysian spouse should visit the Permit Masuk counter at the state immigration office nearest their residence. The officer will carry out an interview and verify eligibility.

'Do we need to have kids to get PR?' We don't have children, and there are Facebook posts from other applicants without kids who have also successfully obtained PR. However, number of children is one of the factors that may be considered in the application process, so if you do have kids it could help your application.

'Do I need to speak Bahasa Melayu (BM)?' Appendix A2 of the Permit Masuk Guidelines shows that your BM skills will be assessed by the Immigration officer when verifying your eligibility. In my case, the Immigration and Police interviews were both conducted in BM, and I was asked to sing Negaraku and recite Rukun Negara. See how I improved my BM, and examples of interview questions that might be asked: https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2023/04/malaysia-permanent-residence-pr-permit_20.html

'How long does the process take?' Page 22 of the Permit Masuk Guidelines states that complete applications will be processed within 6 months. Previously it could take many years for a decision to be issued. My own application took under 3 years. There are reports of applications made in 2024 that took less than 18 months.

'How many applications are successful?' Between 2020 and 2024, 52% of Permit Masuk applications were successful, while 48% were rejected. Over 12,000 applications were approved in that period. See: https://www.bernama.com/en/news.php/?id=2386610. The Home Minister subsequently advised that for 19,205 backlogged applications lodged between 2013 and 2023, 15,081 were approved and 4,124 were rejected. See: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2025/08/1262273/home-ministry-clears-19000-entry-permit-backlog

'If I go overseas during the LTSVP period, will it affect my eligibility for PR?' Overseas trips are permitted, but it should be evident to Immigration that Malaysia is your full-time home and that you have been living there continuously. Page 17 of the Permit Masuk Guidelines states that for foreign husbands the social visit pass cannot be interrupted for more than six (6) months.

'What fees are payable?' Successful applicants have to pay RM120 to Immigration when collecting the Permit Masuk certificate, and RM40 to JPN when applying for a Red IC.

'Should I pay an agent to help me get PR?' No. The application must be completed in person by the applicant and their Malaysian spouse. Agents cannot submit applications or attend interviews on your behalf. Social media posts claiming they can help a foreign spouse obtain PR are likely to be costly services that you do not need.

'After applying how do I check the status of my application?' You can check at https://imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/eservices/myPermit?semakStatusPermit. Fill in 'No Rujukan' by including the 'space' after the first letter but not including any of the '/'.

'Do I need to follow up my application in person?' If there seems to be no progress on your application you can follow up at the immigration office where you applied, or if your file is at Putrajaya, go to the Permit Masuk counter there on Level 1 (Ground Floor).

'Do I need to tell Immigration if my details change during the application process?' Yes, you should update the Permit Masuk counter if your information changes e.g. new address, new passport, additional children. Up to date address details are needed for sending the decision letter.

'After applying, but before my PR is granted what happens if I divorce or my Malaysian spouse passes away?' In these cases a Permit Masuk application becomes invalid and PR won't be granted. In October 2025, the Home Minister stated that foreign spouses who are separated from their Malaysian spouse may apply for a Residence Pass, enabling them to continue living and working in Malaysia, provided they have a child who is a Malaysian citizen. See: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/10/08/separated-non-citizen-spouses-can-apply-for-resident-pass-to-stay-in-m039sia-says-saifuddin

'After I am granted PR will it be revoked if I divorce or my Malaysian spouse passes away?' No, the Immigration Act does not provide for Permit Masuk to be cancelled in those circumstances.

'Can PR status be lost if the holder lives overseas?' Page 27 of the Permit Masuk Guidelines states that if a PR holder has stayed abroad for more than six (6) months, an application for a new PR stamp when the passport is renewed will be postponed to allow investigation into the status and justification of the pass holder's presence abroad. Page 33 states that if the holder returns to their country of origin permanently they must submit the Permit Masuk to the nearest Immigration office for cancellation.

'Can PR be revoked for any other reason?' Permit Masuk could be cancelled if the holder does not adhere to the conditions in the approval letter, in accordance with the Immigration Act. These include prohibitions against criticising or opposing the Malaysian government, negatively impacting public order, joining political organisations. The Immigration Act also states that Permit Masuk can be cancelled if a false or misleading statement was made in the original application.

'Do PR holders need a work visa or work endorsement?' No, PR holders do not require any Immigration approvals to work. However, there are specific jobs that foreigners, including PR holders, are prohibited from taking up.

'Do PR holders need to apply for a Red IC?' Permanent Residents are required to register for an IC within 30 days of Permit Masuk being granted. See: https://www.jpn.gov.my/en/core-business/identity-card/mypr-12thn-eng.

'How do I get back the LTSVP security bond?' After holding Permit Masuk for 2 years an application for a refund can be made at the Immigration office that issued your LTSVP. The original bond receipt and Red IC are needed, plus other documents shown here: https://www.facebook.com/share/12EwqB7rRCB/

'Do PR holders need to get a new stamp when their passport is replaced?' Yes, the PR passport stamp states that the holder is 'required to obtain similar notification on renewal of passport'. This should be done at the state Immigration office nearest to your residence.

'If my application for Permit Masuk is rejected how can I appeal?' The rejection letter from Immigration will explain how to appeal, which must be submitted within 30 days. Details are also set out on Page 23 of the Permit Masuk Guidelines.

'If my application for Permit Masuk is rejected can I apply again?' Page 20 of the Permit Masuk Guidelines states that rejected applicants can submit a new application after 1 year from the date of the rejection decision.

'Is there another pathway for a foreign spouse to get PR?' If a foreigner and their Malaysian spouse live overseas they might be able to apply for PR through the Returning Expert Programme (REP). This is different to the usual Permit Masuk application process and can be a faster and easier route to obtain PR. See more info here: https://www.talentcorp.com.my/our-initiatives/for-professionals/rep/. There is also a Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/231856371765317

'If I lose my Permit Masuk certificate can I obtain a replacement?' Page 28 of the Permit Masuk Guidelines states that applications for a new certificate must include the documents shown in Appendix C5. A police report and the form shown in Appendix A7 will also be required.

'Can a PR holder apply for Blue IC (Malaysian Citizenship)?' An application for Malaysian citizenship may be able to be made if the requirements stated in the Federal Constitution are met, including residency (2 years for wives of citizens) and naturalisation (10 years out of previous 12 years for males). See: https://www.jpn.gov.my/en/core-business/citizenship/warga-151-isteri-eng and https://www.jpn.gov.my/en/core-business/citizenship/warga-19-21lebih-eng. Applicants must pass a BM language exam: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/11/23/is-your-bm-fluent-enough-to-be-a-malaysian-six-things-to-know/103596. If successful the original citizenship must be renounced, as Malaysia does not allow dual citizenship.

'Will listening to Rock Kapak 🎸increase my chances of getting PR?' No, but I still recommend it (and it might help improve your BM!). Here's a Spotify playlist to listen to: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5H5hua1oNOFBb1G6jZCxyy?si=7PjjSXUAQq62UZxfBTvK8g&pi=bZDsn08PRam_7