Malaysia’s Home Ministry (KDN) announced in January 2025 that there would be revisions to the application process for foreign spouses, which would take effect in September 2025:
The changes are now officially published in a comprehensive Guide Book (Buku Garis Panduan – Permohonan Permit Masuk). It details each step of the application process to provide greater clarity for applicants.
When I applied for PR, a lack of information about the process was challenging, and that is why I shared my experiences on this blog. This Guide Book by KDN and Immigration should be a great resource for foreign spouses applying for PR.
Key updates to the application process 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 (click to zoom in):
- It appears that the 'Points System' may have been abolished. However, Page 20 of the Guide Book states that the applicant and Malaysian spouse must still be interviewed by Immigration for assessment and verification before a Permit Masuk application is accepted. Also, details of the verification process shown in Appendix A2 of the Guide Book indicate that the criteria may be similar to that assessed under the 'Points System':
- Application decisions should be issued within 6 months from the date of submission, as shown on Page 22 of the Guide Book. A results letter will be sent by post or online. This Infographic sets out the new process and timeline for foreign spouses:
Other screenshot excerpts from the Guide Book, showing additional details of the eligibility criteria for male and female applicants, plus the checklist referred to in Appendix C1:
As these are very recent updates, official websites do not yet reflect the changes. The Guide Book is currently accessible via the following Google Documents link, but only appears to work on mobile devices, and cannot be downloaded:
Where to Find Further Information:
- For specific guidance visit your nearest Immigration office.
- Facebook Groups shown in the ‘Useful Links’ section.
- See information on the PR process on the FAQs page:
