Travelling to the UK from Malaysia? Here’s what Malaysians need to know
Travelling to the UK from Malaysia? We covered the travel requirements and Covid updates Malaysians should know beforehand.
How to apply for UK visa for Malaysians - 2023 travel guide
If you’re a Malaysian citizen, planning to travel to the UK for leisure, work or study, you might be wondering how to organise a UK visa from Malaysia. The good news is that if you’re taking a trip to the UK as a tourist, you may not need a visa at all - but as always with international immigration, rules and regulations apply, even if you’re safe to travel visa free.
This guide walks through some of the key rules applying to UK visas for Malaysian citizens, as well as the usual process and fees for submitting a UK visa application in Malaysia. We’ll also briefly touch on the Wise card as a smart way to spend in the UK and beyond, with low fees¹ and the mid-market exchange rate.
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Do Malaysians need a visa to the UK?
Let’s start at the beginning - the UK visa requirements for Malaysian citizens.
In basic terms, if you’re visiting the UK for up to 6 months as a tourist, or for very limited business purposes, you can usually enter without a visa². However, if you plan to work or study in the UK, or if you’re going to be there for longer, you’ll need a visa. Immigration can be complicated, and so even if you believe you can enter visa free, you’ll need to make sure you’re very clear on the rules and visa options that apply to your own personal situation.
The UK government has a lot of information online and a very helpful UK visa checker tool³ which lets you enter details of your nationality and passport, the purpose and length of your planned trip, and any other key details, to check if a visa is necessary. If you need a UK visa you’ll also be able to follow quick links to options and information about how to apply for a UK visa. Let’s walk through the most common UK visa types based on the purpose of your planned visit.
UK tourist visa for Malaysians
We’ve already mentioned that Malaysian citizens can enter the UK for up to 6 months without needing a specific visa. Rules apply to what you can do while in the UK. These rules mean that you cannot:
- Work for a UK company or as a self-employed person - even unpaid work is not allowed
- Claim any government benefits
- Marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership
It’s also important to note that you can not live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent or successive visits, stringing together periods of visa free entry. Every time you enter the UK you’ll have your passport stamped and your entry and exit details are recorded - if it looks like you’re visiting very frequently to avoid completing immigration protocols, you’ll be stopped and may be turned away.
A few other rules also apply here - if you’ve ever been refused entry to the UK, or deported, or if you have a criminal record it’s worth double checking the requirements, as you may find you need to complete a visa application to ensure you’re granted entry.
What documents do I need as a Malaysian to visit the UK as a tourist?
The most basic thing you’ll need to enter the UK is a valid passport or travel document, which covers the whole of your stay in the UK. Check the expiry date of your passport, to make sure it’s got enough validity left on it before you book your flights.
Ultimately the decision to allow anyone to enter the UK lies with the border control staff, who can ask for more information or documents. This is usually a formality, but it’s a good idea to know that you may be asked to prove that:
- You’re visiting as a tourist, or to undertake only approved activities
- You have enough money to support yourself and your dependents during your trip
- You’ve booked or arranged accommodation for your stay
- You have a ticket or are able to pay for your return or onward journey
- You plan to leave the UK at the end of your visit
UK working visa for Malaysian citizens
If you’re moving to the UK to work on a temporary or long term basis, you’ll need a visa. Very limited business related activities are allowed under the visa waiver - such as attending a conference or meeting, or signing a contract. However, if you’re undertaking paid work for a business or as a self employed person, you’ll pretty much always have to get a visa in advance of travel.
There are lots of different UK working visa types for Malaysian citizens. You can use the UK government visa checker tool to narrow down your search from 10 or more⁴ different possible options based on your personal situation.
One common visa type is the UK Skilled Worker visa⁵. This was launched in 2020 and replaced the previous Tier 2 (General ) visa. It’s intended for people who do professional and skilled jobs which require higher levels of training and qualifications, management roles and skilled tradespeople working in areas like plumbing and carpentry. You must already have a UK job offer from an employer which has been approved by the UK government, for this visa type. Other requirements include⁵:
- Your job must be in an approved category for this visa (your employer can advise on this)
- You must be paid above a set threshold (which can vary based on the job type)
- You must have a certificate of sponsorship from your prospective employer
- You must hit a set level or English language proficiency
If you meet these requirements, you’ll usually be able to start your UK visa application in Malaysia, online, before attending a meeting to hand over any required documents and give your biometric details. We’ll look at where to apply for a UK visa in Malaysia a little later.
UK student visa application Malaysia
Study is another common reason for Malaysians to go to the UK - whether that's for a boarding school, university or a short course. Again in this case, there are several different visa types depending on your requirements. You might choose from a⁶:
- Short term study visa - for people attending short term English language courses
- Student visa - for people coming to the UK for higher education
- Child student visa - for children and teens attending an independent or boarding school in the UK
The UK visa checker tool will guide you through the process of deciding which visa is the right one for you and also give plenty of details about how and when to apply.
Working holiday visas for the UK for Malaysian citizens
The UK does not currently promote a working holiday visa for Malaysian citizens. That said, it’s worth keeping an eye out on options as the UK is developing a Youth Mobility Visa⁷ programme, which at the time of writing is only open to select countries, but which may expand in future. At the time of writing this visa type gives the option to stay in the UK for up to 2 years if you’re from eligible countries and aged (usually) 18 to 30. Eligible countries at the moment include Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong and South Korea, but new countries are being brought online in 2024, so this may be an option in future for Malaysians too.
Where to apply for a UK visa in Malaysia
Usually the process to apply for a UK visa in Malaysia will mean starting your application out online, and then heading to the UK visa application centre Malaysia⁸, which is run by VFS. Here you’ll need to give your biometric information such as your fingerprint, and you may need to hand over the documents needed to support your application. As the exact process varies depending on the visa you’re applying for, it's worth checking out all the exact details for your specific visa type before you get started.
The VFS centre in Malaysia is in Kuala Lumpur⁹:
VFS (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
Suite 19.06 19 Floor,
Wisma MCA,
163 Jalan Ampang,
50450
UK visa from Malaysia: price
When you apply for your UK visa you’ll also need to pay a processing fee. The fee you pay can vary widely depending on the visa type, but there’s a UK government visa fee tool¹⁰ to help you calculate the costs as they apply to you.
To give an idea, here are some of the fee options and alternatives for work visas for the UK for Malaysians applying in Malaysia¹¹:
- Skilled worker visa - letter of sponsorship for 3 years or under: 805 USD per application
- Skilled worker visa - letter of sponsorship for over 3 years: 1591 USD per application
- Skilled worker visa (shortage occupation) - letter of sponsorship for 3 years or under: 617 USD per application
- Skilled worker visa (shortage occupation) - letter of sponsorship for over 3 years: 1215 USD per application
- Skilled worker visa (healthcare) - letter of sponsorship for 3 years or under: 316 USD per application
- Skilled worker visa (healthcare) - letter of sponsorship for over 3 years: 617 USD per application
*All fees correct at time of research - 25th September 2023
As you can see, the pricing structure is pretty complex, so using the visa fee tool is a smart move. And for smart ways to get a better exchange rate when you pay for your UK visa, check out Wise - more on that next.
Travelling to the UK? Save money on MYR to GBP rates with the Wise card
When you’re travelling in the UK you need ways to spend confidently in pounds, knowing you’re getting a good exchange rate with no hidden fees - meet the Wise card.
Order a Wise card online before you travel, add money in MYR directly to your Wise account and make payments in the UK just as easily as you would at home - the card automatically exchanges your money to GBP with the mid-market exchange rate, and low fees from 0.43%¹. There’s no foreign transaction fees, and for transparency you’ll always get a notification of how much the conversion cost.
You can also use your Wise account to hold 40+ currencies, and to send payments overseas. That can make it cheap and convenient to pay for your UK visa application. Plus you can also get local bank details for 9 currencies - including GBP - to get paid conveniently by others, from 30+ countries, using a local transfer.
There’s a lot to think about if you’re headed to the UK. While many trips from Malaysia don’t need a visa, if you’re planning to work or study you’ll need to get organised in advance to make sure you have all your paperwork set up. And whether or not you need a visa, check out the Wise card as a smart and simple way to pay while you’re in the UK and in 150+ other countries globally.
Sources:
- Pricing/fees: Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information
- UK government - Visa checker, Malaysian tourism visitor
- UK visa checker
- UK government visa checker - working visa options
- Skilled worker visa
- UK government visa checker - study visa for Malaysian
- UK Government - youth mobility visas
- Skilled worker visa - apply from outside the UK
- VFS - Where to apply for a UK visa in Malaysia
- UK government - visa fee tool
- Work visas for UK - fee structure
Sources checked on 25/09/2023
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
