Digital Nomad Visa Comparison: Malaysia vs. Taiwan

A comparison of remote work visas for Malaysia and Taiwan.

Digital Nomad Visa Comparison: Malaysia vs. Taiwan

Digital Nomad Visa Requirements in Malaysia and Taiwan

If you're considering working remotely while discovering new cultural experiences, Malaysia and Taiwan are great options to look into. Both countries have launched visa programs for digital nomads that provide the opportunity to live and work legally while exploring. Here's what you need to know about the digital nomad visa requirements in Malaysia and Taiwan:

About Malaysia

Situated in Southeast Asia, Malaysia offers a unique blend of scenery, culture, and modernity for digital nomads. The sumptuous cuisine, lively cosmopolitan cities, and breathtaking landscapes make it a popular destination for adventurous nomads.

DE Rantau Nomad Pass Program

The Malaysian government recently launched a digital nomad visa program called DE Rantau Nomad Pass under the DE Rantau Program. The program offers a renewable visa that allows digital nomads to work and live in Malaysia for up to 24 months.

Requirements

  • Application fee:
  • Individual: MYR1,060 (including SST of 6%)
  • Dependents: MYR530 per additional dependent (including SST of 6%)
  • Immigration Pass Fee for each applicant:
  • For 3 months: RM90
  • For 1 year: RM360
  • Multiple Entry Visa Fee: Varies country by country
  • For foreign Digital Nomads: above US$24,000 annually
  • For Local Digital Nomads: above RM36,000 annually
  • A copy of Certificate of Good Conduct (COGC) is required for submission of foreign digital nomad application
  • The holder of this Pass will also enjoy multiple entry rights for the validity duration of Pass
  • The applicant is required to have a career in domain related to Information Technology, Digital Content Creation and Development, or Digital Marketing
  • If a foreign digital nomad is applying for the DE Rantau Nomad Pass as a remote worker, then his employment should be with a Foreign/Non-Malaysian Company
  • Local digital nomad as remote worker, the employment may either be local or foreign company
  • Digital Freelancer and Independent Contractor can work either with foreign or local company
  • A passport valid for more than 14 months is required
  • For Digital Freelancer, contracts or invoices and orders and clients mentioning the duration and value of the contract will be required. In case there is no specific contract, the applicant would be required to prove that income generated is more than US$24,000 annually for foreigner or MYR36,000 annually for Malaysian.
  • For remote worker, proof of an active employment with a company outside Malaysia is required stating the monthly or annual salary, which should be more than US$24,000 annually for foreigner or MYR36,000 annually for Malaysian.
  • The age of the main applicant is required to be above 18 years
  • Immediate family members of the applicant are also eligible to apply

About Taiwan

Taiwan is a Southeast Asian country known for its stunning natural landscapes and technological advancements. It's one of the most welcoming countries for foreigners and has recently introduced a visa program for digital nomads called the Gold Card.

Gold Card Program

Foreigner nationals interested in working in Taiwan for more than 180 days can apply for the Gold Card visa. The Gold Card provides residency and work authorization for special professionals or senior professionals that have made special contributions to their field of work or have received national recognition in one of the following professional industries:

  1. Science and Technology
  2. Economy
  3. Finance
  4. Education
  5. Culture and Arts
  6. Sports
  7. Law
  8. Architectural Design
  9. National Defense
  10. Special Cases Recognized by the NDC

Requirements

  • Cost of Visa: Ranges between US$122 and US$275 depending upon the applicant’s nationality
  • For most of the fields of the EGC application, having a monthly salary of at least TWD160,000 is one of the conditions which the applicant must meet. However, it is not eligible for the following fields:
  • Education
  • Culture and Arts
  • Sports
  • If the foreign individual qualified for immigration incentive regulation released on February 18, 2018 (Qualified for 1st time ARC with special work permit), and if the foreign individual stayed in Taiwan over 183 days within a calendar year during his qualify special work permit period, then the foreign individual may enjoy 50% tax exempt on the excess of annual wage in the amount of NTD 3 million for maximum three years during his permit valid period
  • Visa holders employed in Taiwan can join the NHI system along with their dependents
  • Length of Stay: Up to 3 Years
  • Standard Requirements vary based on the field of profession. Please follow the links below for more information:
  • For the field of Architecture, click here.
  • For the field of Culture and Arts, click here.
  • For the field of Economy, click here.
  • For the field of Education, click here.
  • For the field of Finance, click here.
  • For the field of Law, click here.
  • For the field of National Defense, click here.
  • For the field of Science and Technology, click here.
  • For the field of Sport, click