Malaysia is a pretty welcoming country, and most visitors are automatically granted a 30-90 day stay on arrival. If you know ahead of time that you might need to stay longer, then you should head to an immigration office as soon as possible.
First Steps if You Might Overstay Your Malaysia Visa
These offices are located across the country, and are usually quite helpful. Under most circumstances, Malaysian officials are understanding, and visa extensions aren’t too hard to obtain.
If it’s too late, and you’ve already overstayed, then don’t sweat. First of all, you might be eligible for a special pass, which can be obtained from an immigration office.
A special pass is basically a lot like a standard visa extension, only it’s granted after the visa has already expired.
This option is useful if you’re in a situation where you’ve missed a flight, or otherwise been unable to leave the country for some unusual reason like a medical emergency.
Depending on your exact circumstances, you’ll probably have to pay a fine, and you’ll be give a special pass allowing you to remain in the country until a set date.
This date is usually set for the day of the next earliest flight you can get hold of. So, the easiest way to guarantee a special pass is to head to an immigration office ASAP, with some cash, a ticket for a new flight out, and a decent excuse up your sleeve.
Fines for Overstaying a Malaysia Visa
Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur
Whether you go to an immigration office or just try leaving late, you’ll have to pay a per day fine. If your overstay is seven days or less, the penalties are pretty reasonable.
You’ll be hit with a fine of around RM30 (approximately US$7) per day you’ve overstayed. You’ll also be barred from returning to Malaysia for two days per day of overstay.
For example, if you overstay one day, you’ll be fined RM30, and be banned from returning for two days. Likewise, a seven day overstay will cost you RM210, and you won’t be allowed back into the country for two weeks.
Overstays start to get serious after 30 days. If you’ve been in Malaysia for more than a month without authorization, you can face a fine of up to RM10,000 (US$2300) and a maximum prison sentence of five years.
Summary
In other words, if you overstay, try getting a special pass immediately, or just pay the small fine on the way out at the airport.
If you sort out your problem within a week, everything will be fine. If you don’t, then things can snowball very, very quickly.
Further reading: the best things to see and do in Malaysia
