Malaysia has the 44th most powerful passport in the world, and the 7th strongest passport in the Asian continent, according to our pioneering Global Passport Index. When taking into account the Malaysia passport ranking, key factors used to determine Malaysia’s passport strength include its visa free access, investment opportunity, and quality of life offered by the country.
Read on to discover how our research team came up with Malaysia’s passport score, with a detailed breakdown of its country profile.
Malaysia Passport Ranking
Trailing behind the likes of Hong Kong and Malta, Malaysia holds the 44th spot in the world for its powerful passport status and 7th in the Asian continent. When coming up with our nuanced and original ranking system, we went beyond looking at a passport’s visa free travel privileges, digging deeper.
Indeed, numerous factors make certain passports attractive over others, including factors like ease of doing business, quality of life, and investment opportunities offered by the respective destination country. The bottom line is, individuals looking to improve their lives and obtain a second passport don’t just look at visa free travel facilitation. So how then, does a Malaysian passport compare in terms of travel, relocation, and investment options?
To get an idea of our scoring system, our index is split into three standalone indexes, with the Malaysia passport performing differently for each index.
1.The Enhanced Mobility Index:
holds the most weight (50%) and is based on the destination’s travel benefits for each passport holder, while taking into account the destination country’s level of ‘attractiveness’ based on its quality of life standards.
Malaysian passport ranking: 40th
2. The Investment Index:
Holds 25% of the overall calculation and is based on the country’s economic strength, looking at how investor-friendly and business-friendly it is as a destination country for passport holders.
Malaysian passport ranking: 29th
3.The Quality of Life Index:
Is worth 25% of the total calculation. Six components related to the quality of life are covered under this index including (but not limited to) healthcare, education, and personal safety.
Malaysia passport ranking: 104th
For more information, consult Malaysia’s country profile here.
Malaysia Passport Ranking- Mobility Highlights
A Malaysian passport offers partial, or complete visa-free access to 198 destinations worldwide. Malaysian passport holders get free visa access to 5 destinations, and free access with a limited set of days in 108 destinations. An electronic visa is required in 8 countries, and visa on arrival is needed in 34 countries. Overall, a visa is required in just 28 countries. Some prime destinations that facilitate visa free travel access include Schengen countries in Europe, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Qatar.
For more information, check out our Enhanced Mobility Index.
Malaysia Passport Ranking- Investment Highlights
As a fast-developing country, the Malaysian government is taking active steps to transform itself into a high-income nation, thanks to its participation in the Economic Transformation Program.. Key market areas that are showing positive investment trends include the oil and gas industry, as well as the manufacturing and services sector.
Overall, Malaysia’s business-friendly policies, robust infrastructure, and healthy supply chains continue to attract a swathe of international investors year-round. With a multicultural and knowledgeable workforce, Malaysia is an ideal destination to start a business or invest in an existing one.
The Gross National Income per capita currently stands at $28,830, with a personal tax rate of 30%. The markets and innovation conditions are considered most favorable in Malaysia, which is unsurprising really, considering Malaysia has such a high-performing, versatile economy.
For more information, check out our Investment Index.
Malaysia Passport Ranking- Quality of Life Highlights
Malaysia is somewhat of a haven for retirees. Indeed, expats from all over the world flock to Malaysia for retirement, showcasing just how desirable Malaysia is in Southeast Asia for retirement opportunities. What’s more, the cost is approximately three times cheaper in Malaysia than in the United States. In other words, your money can take you far here.
Thanks to Malaysia’s rapid economic growth, a substantial amount has been invested in the country’s infrastructure, healthcare system, and larger cities, making it comfortable to live here. What’s more, the weather is pleasant and warm year-round, and you’re absolutely spoiled for choice when it comes to untouched countrysides, dense rainforests, gorgeous beaches, dreamy islands, and developed cities. In short, Malaysia caters to all walks of life, offering everything you could want in a single country.
In our Quality of Life index, Malaysia scores highly in the sustainable development, and environmental performance categories, with a partially-free status concerning political and personal freedoms offered to citizens. While the cost of living is medium, given the context of its rising developing status, the average national income is rising and is higher compared to most of Malaysia’s neighboring Asian countries. Sadly, Malaysia has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal migrants, reflecting its poor score in our migrant acceptance category.
For more information, check out our Quality of Life index.
