By Danial Dzulkifly
KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 — The Immigration Department will begin issuing the Strategic Investor Pass (SIP) on April 1, allowing foreign investors to enter Malaysia on a multiple-entry basis to oversee their business activities, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said the initiative is part of the government’s efforts to streamline immigration processes, attract foreign investment, and reduce reliance on third-party agents.
“The investor pass will make Malaysia a more attractive destination for foreign investors by granting them longer stays to manage their businesses here,” he said during Minister’s Question Time in Parliament, today.
Saifuddin was responding to a question from Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung on the Immigration Department’s role in supporting Malaysia’s investment agenda.
The pass will be issued digitally through the i-Pass or electronic pass system, eliminating the need for physical documentation and intermediaries.
On July 14, 2023, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government would actively issue the SIP, which enables investors to stay in the country for a minimum of five years with a view towards a further five-year extension.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said that the Immigration Department will revise the terms of the spouse pass, or the Long-Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP), for foreign nationals married to Malaysian citizens.
He said the new regulations for the pass, or spouse visa, will take effect in September. Currently, the LTSVP grants foreign spouses of Malaysian citizens a multiple-entry visa for up to five years.
Under the new rules, this period will be reduced to three years, with added flexibility for those whose marriages were registered abroad.
“We recognise the challenges faced by foreign spouses. These reforms will help them integrate into our society more quickly,” he said.
On March 3, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the implementation of the improved entry permit process for Malaysian spouses will begin on September 1.
He said the implementation of the improved process will involve applications received from 2024 onward.
On a separate note, Saifuddin said the department is also working to clear a backlog of 11,700 pending entry permit applications, with plans to resolve all cases by June.
He stated that the government’s digitalisation push has significantly improved immigration services, with online applications reducing wait times by up to 70 per cent, easing congestion at immigration offices, and cutting costs.
The Federal administration previously spent RM13 million annually on printing pass stickers, a cost that has been eliminated with digital verification.
