Verified 10 September 2026
Korea digital nomad visa vs Malaysia digital nomad visa: fees and rules
Two routes, side by side. Each name below links to its full requirements page.
- F-1-D Workation Visa (Korea digital nomad visa)
- South Korea's F-1-D "Workation" visa stopped being a pilot on 30 June 2026 and now allows up to 3 years of residence instead of 2, up to 3 years. The Ministry release does not say how the years are granted. The income test is no longer a flat double-GNI bar: the Ministry of Justice applies 1x to 2x of per-capita GNI (about KRW 52.41 million for 2025) depending on your age and where in Korea you live, so the Ministry gives 18-34 year olds who settle outside the capital region as its example for the 1x level, which is about KRW 52.41 million. The 2x level is double that figure, which we calculated ourselves because the Ministry does not state the product. Everyone must hold private medical insurance covering at least KRW 100 million for hospital treatment and repatriation to their home country, and working for a Korean employer while on F-1-D is prohibited.
- DE Rantau Nomad Pass (Malaysia digital nomad visa)
- Malaysia's DE Rantau Nomad Pass grants 12 months, renewable to 24, to remote workers earning at least USD 24,000 a year in tech and digital roles, or USD 60,000 in other remote professions. The insurance policy must name Malaysia explicitly.
| Korea digital nomad visa | Malaysia digital nomad visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | south-korea | malaysia |
| Stay per entry | 1 year on the consular pages, which may predate the 30 June 2026 change | 12 months |
| Total validity | Up to 3 years of residence in total since 30 June 2026 (previously 1 year plus a single 1-year extension, capped at 2 years) | 12 months, renewable once |
| Government fee | $45 — single-entry consular fee for U.S. citizens at Korean missions in the U.S.; fees differ by nationality under reciprocity, and a change of status filed inside Korea on HiKorea is billed separately in won | None |
| Income required | ₩104,820,000 — per year, for the top tier. We calculated it as 2x the 2025 per-capita GNI of about KRW 52.41 million, which the Ministry of Justice states; the Ministry does not state the product, and the Seattle consulate page still shows the old 2x figure. Since 30 June 2026 the requirement slides between 1x and 2x GNI by age and region: applicants aged 18-34 in a non-capital-region or population-decline area need only 1x, about KRW 52.41 million. The base GNI figure is re-announced by the Bank of Korea each spring, so the won threshold moves every year. | $24,000 — per year for tech and digital professionals; USD 60,000 for other remote professions |
| Savings required | None | None |
| Deposit required | None | None |
| Minimum age | 18 | None |
| Health insurance | Required — ₩100,000,000 | Required |
| Processing time | Not officially published; secondary sources cite 2 to 4 weeks at a consulate, and 3 to 10 business days for a change of status filed on HiKorea | 4–8 weeks |
| Apply from | A Korean embassy or consulate abroad, or as a change of status inside Korea from B-1, B-2 or C-3 short-term status via HiKorea | Online, via the MDEC DE Rantau portal, from inside or outside Malaysia |
Choose the Korea digital nomad visa if
- Three years is now possible in one status, which is longer than most Asian remote-work visas allow
- Spouse and unmarried children under 18 can accompany you as dependents
- Issued multiple-entry, so regional trips out of Korea do not burn the status
- Applicants aged 18-34 who base themselves outside the Seoul capital region face an income bar roughly half the headline figure
- You can switch from a tourist or short-term business status without leaving the country
Choose the Malaysia digital nomad visa if
- The lowest income threshold in the region for tech workers, at USD 24,000.
- No savings or deposit requirement at all.
- Kuala Lumpur offers first-world infrastructure at Southeast Asian cost.
Quick answers
- How much money does the Korea digital nomad visa need compared with the Malaysia digital nomad visa?
- Korea digital nomad visa: income ₩104,820,000. Malaysia digital nomad visa: income $24,000.
- Which of the Korea digital nomad visa and the Malaysia digital nomad visa requires health insurance?
- Korea digital nomad visa: required, at least ₩100,000,000. Malaysia digital nomad visa: required.
- How long can I stay on the Korea digital nomad visa and on the Malaysia digital nomad visa?
- Korea digital nomad visa: stay per entry 1 year on the consular pages, which may predate the 30 June 2026 change, total validity Up to 3 years of residence in total since 30 June 2026. Malaysia digital nomad visa: stay per entry 12 months, total validity 12 months, renewable once.
Keep reading
Korea digital nomad visa last checked 3 October 2026; Malaysia digital nomad visa last checked 10 September 2026. Sources are listed on each visa page.