Most coverage of Malaysia’s digital nomad visa stops at the national DE Rantau Nomad Pass. However, Malaysia now runs a second, separate nomad pass specific to Sarawak, on Borneo. Applications for it opened just in November 2025. If you have been eyeing Kuching or the rest of Sarawak as a base, here is how the DE Rantau Sarawak Pass actually works. This covers how it differs from the national program and what it costs. Figures are based on the official program pages as of this writing (most recently checked: July 2026).
What DE Rantau Sarawak Actually Is
MDEC and SDEC announced the DE Rantau Sarawak Pass on October 16, 2024, at the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS). The pass is a joint initiative between the federal MDEC and the state-run Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC). In turn, it forms the first phase of the Sarawak Digital Residency Programme (SDRP). Sarawak’s government has described the programme as inspired by Estonia’s e-Residency model. According to SDEC’s official announcement, applications opened on November 3, 2025. That is more than a year after SDEC first unveiled the program.
This is a distinct pass from the national DE Rantau Nomad Pass that MDEC has run since 2022. Both are Professional Visit Passes administered through the same MDEC application portal. However, they carry different fees and eligibility rules, and different agencies implement them.
DE Rantau Sarawak vs. the National DE Rantau Pass
The two programs look similar on the surface. Both grant a Professional Visit Pass valid from 3 up to 12 months, renewable for an additional 12 months. Both also allow pass holders to bring a spouse, children, and parents. The differences show up in eligibility and cost instead. Compare the two below, per the official MDEC DE Rantau page and the official SDEC DE Rantau Sarawak page:
| National DE Rantau Pass | DE Rantau Sarawak Pass | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee (main applicant) | RM 1,000 | RM 2,000 |
| Fee (per dependent) | RM 500 | RM 1,000 |
| Eligible professions | Tech talent AND non-tech talent (CEOs, marketing, finance, legal, and similar roles) | Tech talent (IT, software, digital marketing, digital content) — no non-tech category |
| Minimum annual income | USD 24,000 (tech) / USD 60,000 (non-tech) | USD 24,000 |
| Where you can work from | Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan | Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia |
Some third-party guides instead list the fee as RM 2,160 for the main applicant and RM 1,080 per dependent. That figure appears to include Malaysia’s 8% service tax (SST) on top of the RM 2,000 / RM 1,000 base fee SDEC’s own page shows. For that reason, budget for the higher, tax-inclusive figure. Confirm the exact amount when you apply, since service tax rates can change.
In practical terms, the Sarawak version costs roughly double the national pass and limits eligibility to tech professionals. It dropped the non-tech category (CEOs, marketing managers, consultants, and similar roles) that MDEC added to the national pass back in June 2024. If you do non-tech remote work, the national pass therefore remains your practical option, since DE Rantau Sarawak excludes that talent category.
Why Choose the Pricier, More Restrictive Option?
Given the higher fee and narrower eligibility, why would a tech nomad pick DE Rantau Sarawak over the national pass? SDEC frames the pass as part of a broader push to position Sarawak as what it calls “ASEAN’s premier digital-nomad hub.” In practice, a state-level ecosystem of co-working spaces, tourism operators, and digital service providers backs this push, and SDEC is actively recruiting more partners. Many nomads already plan to base themselves in Kuching or elsewhere in Sarawak. They are drawn by the state’s lower costs and slower pace, covered in our Kuching guide. For them, the Sarawak-specific pass may plug into community programming and hub support that the national pass does not offer directly.
That said, the pass still lets holders work from Peninsular Malaysia as well as Sarawak. It is therefore less a geographic restriction than an additional, state-branded track running alongside the national program. If Sarawak-specific community access is not a priority for you, the national DE Rantau Pass is generally the lower-cost, broader option. It also remains the sole DE Rantau route open to non-tech professionals.
Eligibility and Proof of Work
Both digital freelancers and remote employees can apply. Freelancers need an active project contract of more than three months. Multiple contracts are acceptable, and clients can be local or foreign. Remote employees, meanwhile, need an active employment contract of more than three months with a non-Malaysian employer. Applicants must also show proof of the required income, hold health insurance covering Malaysia, and have a clean criminal record. Processing for the national DE Rantau Pass is typically quoted at 6 to 8 weeks. SDEC has not published a separate processing-time figure for the Sarawak pass as of this writing. Applicants should plan around the same general timeframe and confirm directly with MDEC or SDEC.
This pass, like the national DE Rantau Pass, does not authorize employment with a Malaysian company. Instead, it exists specifically for people whose income comes from outside Malaysia. If you are also weighing Malaysia’s foreign-sourced income tax exemption for individuals, note that this is a separate matter from the visa itself. See our coverage of Malaysia’s foreign-sourced income tax exemption for how the two interact.
How This Differs From MM2H
It is worth being clear that DE Rantau Sarawak is not a substitute for Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H). MM2H is a long-term residency program aimed at people planning years of residence. It requires substantial fixed deposits and, in most tiers, property purchase. DE Rantau Sarawak, by contrast, is a short-to-medium-term pass for active remote workers. It has no deposit or property requirement, and it caps out at 24 months across the initial term and one renewal. See our MM2H guide instead if you are considering long-term relocation rather than a working stay of a year or two.
Visa fees, eligibility rules, and processing times can change without much notice. This is also a genuinely new program, still in its first year of open applications. For that reason, confirm current requirements on the official MDEC and SDEC pages, or with the Malaysian Immigration Department, before making relocation plans.
Related Reads
- Malaysia MM2H Visa 2026: Tiers, Costs & Property Rules — the long-term residency alternative if a Professional Visit Pass is too short for your plans.
- Malaysia Digital Nomad Tax Exemption: Why It Won’t End in 2026 — how Malaysia treats foreign-sourced income for anyone holding a pass like this one.
- Indonesia Digital Nomad Visa (E33G): 3 Changes for 2026 — useful context if you are comparing Malaysia’s nomad pass options against Indonesia’s.
- Kota Kinabalu Digital Nomad Cost: Is It Worth It in 2026? — Sabah’s own DE Rantau visa gap and cost-of-living numbers, if East Malaysia’s other coast is also on your shortlist.
Sources
- Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), “DE Rantau Sarawak: The New Frontier for Digital Nomads in Borneo,” press release, October 16, 2024
- Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), “SDEC Opens Applications for DE Rantau Sarawak Pass,” press release, November 3, 2025
- SDEC, official DE Rantau Sarawak program page, sdec.com.my/web/de-rantau-sarawak
- MDEC, official DE Rantau program page, mdec.my/derantau
- Ministry of Digital Malaysia (digital.gov.my), “DE Rantau Nomad Pass Eligibility Expanded,” June 7, 2024
FAQ
Is DE Rantau Sarawak the same as Malaysia’s national digital nomad visa?
No. DE Rantau Sarawak is a separate, state-level pass that SDEC and MDEC run jointly. By contrast, it is distinct from the national DE Rantau Nomad Pass that MDEC has operated since 2022. It costs roughly double the national pass and limits eligibility to tech-sector applicants, while the national pass also accepts non-tech professionals.
How much does the DE Rantau Sarawak Pass cost?
SDEC’s official page lists RM 2,000 for the main applicant and RM 1,000 per dependent. Some third-party sources show RM 2,160 and RM 1,080 instead, which appears to include Malaysia’s service tax. Confirm the current fee directly with SDEC or MDEC when you apply.
Can non-tech remote workers apply for DE Rantau Sarawak?
Generally, no. Based on SDEC’s published eligibility criteria, DE Rantau Sarawak limits eligibility to tech talent and professions. The national DE Rantau Pass, by contrast, added non-tech roles such as CEOs, marketing managers, and consultants back in June 2024.