How to Get Malaysia Citizenship
Key facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 10 years
- Language
- Required, no test
- Dual citizenship
- New citizens only
- Civic test
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- No income condition in the law
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Partly accepted: for new citizens onlyNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Authorities can withdraw citizenship from citizens who naturalise abroad.
- Available routes
- Region
- Asia
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
This route covers foreign residents who seek citizenship after living in Malaysia, subject to the conditions below. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
- Residence
- 10 years
Person has been resident in Malaysia for 12 months immediately prior to the application, and was resident (holding Malaysian permanent resident status) in the country for 10 out of 12 years prior to the application.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- Required, no test or certificate specified
Adequate knowledge of Malay language
- Civic knowledge
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Good character required.
- Income or economic resources
- No income condition in the law
Marriage or civil partnership
This route covers people married to a citizen of Malaysia, subject to the conditions below. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person is the female spouse of a male citizen and has been resident in Malaysia (holding Malaysian permanent resident status) for 2 years immediately preceding the application and intends to do so permanently. Other conditions: good character and oath of allegiance.
Descent (citizen parent)
Descent from a citizen parent is the basis of this route in Malaysia.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in Malaysia to a citizenship mother or in wedlock to a citizen father.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a father who is a citizen and was born in Malaysia, to a father who is a citizen and resident abroad in the service of the government, or to a father who is a citizen and the child is registered with the Malaysian authorities within 1 year after birth.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is under the age of 21 years and was born abroad to a mother who is a citizen and a father who is not a citizen.
Birth in the country
For people born in Malaysia, the rules below show when birth there leads to citizenship. Citizenship arises directly under the law of Malaysia, without any authority making a decision.
Person is born in Malaysia to a permanently resident foreigner. Unless born to a father who is a foreign diplomat, or the father is an enemy alien and the child is born in a place then under occupation by the enemy.
Child of a new citizen
For children whose parent becomes a citizen of Malaysia, the rules below set out what applies. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person is under the age of 21 and the child of a citizen (or a person who was a citizen at his/her death). Application needs to be made by the parent or guardian. Other conditions: oath of allegiance.
Stateless persons
This route covers stateless people and children who would otherwise be stateless, subject to the conditions below.
Foundlings
Person is under the age of 21 deemed fit by the Federal Government under special circumstances. (Note: During parliamentary debates in 1962 when the government introduced Article 15A, it was clarified that 'special circumstances' referred to a 'child who probably has no parents here' or who "obviously has attachment to the country" as a citizen.)
Otherwise stateless (born in country)
Person is born in Malaysia and does not acquire citizenship of another country. Unless born to a father who is a foreign diplomat, or the father is an enemy alien and the child is born in a place then under occupation by the enemy.
Not available in Malaysia: Adoption, Other family members of citizens, Former citizens (reacquisition), Citizens of specific countries, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Refugees, Special achievements, Public or military service, Investment. This follows the GLOBALCIT coding, with in-force changes applied.
Dual citizenship
The two directions differ in Malaysia: new citizens are treated differently from citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Authorities can withdraw citizenship from citizens who naturalise abroad
Person acquired citizenship of another country by a voluntary and formal act other than by marriage; Person is a woman who is a citizen by registration and who subsequently acquired citizenship of another country through marriage with a foreigner.
Compare with neighbours
Among the 10 countries in South-eastern Asia with a residence route, 10 years is the most common requirement, and Malaysia follows it.
Check where Malaysia sits in the full residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Cambodia | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Indonesia | 5 years | Required, no test | Not accepted |
 Laos | 10 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Philippines | 10 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Singapore | 10 years | Required, no test | Not accepted |
 Timor-Leste | 10 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Constitution: Art. 19.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Malaysia Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/malaysia/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/malaysia/">How to Get Malaysia Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Malaysian citizen?
A foreign resident needs 10 years of residence to meet the condition for naturalisation in Malaysia. Other conditions also apply.
Does Malaysia allow dual citizenship?
Partly. Malaysia accepts it for new citizens, but not generally for citizens who naturalise abroad.
Do I need a language test for Malaysian citizenship?
Malaysia requires language skills without naming a particular test or certificate.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Malaysian citizenship?
Civic knowledge is not assessed as part of the naturalisation process for Malaysian citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Malaysian citizenship?
No, you do not have to give up your current citizenship to get Malaysian citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Malaysia citizenship by marriage?
Yes. Marriage to a citizen is a route to citizenship in Malaysia. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get Malaysia citizenship by descent?
Yes, Malaysia has a descent route. Procedure: automatic, discretionary.
Can I get Malaysia citizenship by investment?
No. The data codes no citizenship-by-investment route for Malaysia.
Related pages
Also see: Malaysia passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.