Visa & long-stay qualifier
Can you legally live at Network School?
NS is in Forest City, Johor, Malaysia. Tell it how long you’re coming and how you earn — get your entry path, the overstay math, and whether you qualify for a long-term pass.
Short stay
You can most likely just show up.
165 nationalities enter Malaysia visa-free. Check yours on the official list →
Don’t overstay — the day you enter counts as day one.
Pick your arrival date to see your exit-by deadline.
- MDAC — file the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card at
ns.com/mdacwithin 3 days of entry. - → also file the SDAC at
ns.com/sdacwithin 3 days of entering Singapore. - Carry a hotel booking (
ns.com/documents) and a return/onward ticket dated before your visa-free stay ends.
Your path: DE Rantau (digital nomad)
You likely qualify for DE Rantau.
Minimum income: . MDEC must trace the same figures across Contract → Invoice/Payslip → Bank — put a red box around the income numbers to speed review. Approval takes ~3–6 months, so apply early.
Document checklist
- All passport pages scanned (no fingers in the scan).
- Passport photo: studio quality, #0386cb blue background, 35 × 50 mm.
- Financial docs with income red-boxed; a short PDF explaining any mismatch.
- Simple, clear job title (e.g. “Engineer”, “Designer”) to fit the digital-nomad narrative.
- Crypto-only income? It may pass if a local notary signs your statement as a bank record.
Your path: MTEP (entrepreneur)
Your path is MTEP.
Hold a static USD 12,000 in a bank account over 3 months, plus a YC-style pitch deck for a startup that will create jobs in Malaysia (their #1 KPI). You can apply with just a well-thought-out idea. Approval takes ~3–6 months.
Document checklist
- All passport pages scanned; #0386cb blue-background photo, 35 × 50 mm.
- Bank statements showing the static $12K over 3 months (crypto may need a notary stamp).
- Pitch deck leaning hard into jobs-created-in-Malaysia.
Not there yet
That’s the on-ramp, not a wall.
DE Rantau wants USD 2K/mo (technical) or 5K/mo (non-technical) in verifiable income. If you’re not there yet, the move is to earn your way to the threshold first — remote income is the deterministic path — then the visa (and NS) opens up. Come for a short visa-free stay in the meantime.
Guidance based on Network School’s member wiki as of May 2026 — rules change; verify with official Malaysian (MDEC / imigresen) and Singapore (ICA) immigration before you rely on this. Not legal advice. Independent publication, not affiliated with Network School.
DE Rantau vs MTEP at a glance
| DE Rantau | MTEP | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Digital nomads with regular income | Tech founders |
| Money | USD 2K/mo tech · 5K/mo non-tech, verifiable | USD 12K static over 3 months |
| Also needs | Contract→Invoice→Bank traceability | Pitch deck; jobs created in Malaysia |
| Timeline | ~3–6 months — apply as early as you can | |
Questions people ask
- Do I need a visa for Network School?
- Network School is in Forest City, Johor, Malaysia. 165 nationalities enter Malaysia visa-free for short stays — check your nationality on the official Malaysia government / PassportIndex list. For stays beyond your visa-free window you need a long-term pass: DE Rantau (digital nomads) or MTEP (founders).
- DE Rantau vs MTEP — which visa for Network School?
- DE Rantau is for digital nomads with regular, verifiable income — USD 2,000/mo if your work is technical, USD 5,000/mo if non-technical — traceable Contract → Invoice/Payslip → Bank. MTEP is for tech founders and requires a static USD 12,000 held in a bank account over 3 months plus a pitch deck for a startup that will create jobs in Malaysia. Both take roughly 3–6 months to approve, so apply early.
- What is the income requirement for the Malaysia digital nomad visa (DE Rantau)?
- USD 2,000/month for technical roles (engineer, designer, developer) or USD 5,000/month for non-technical roles. MDEC must be able to trace the same income figures across your contract, invoices/payslips, and bank statements — put a red box around the income numbers to speed review.
- Can I qualify with crypto-only income?
- Sometimes. For DE Rantau, crypto income may pass as a bank statement if signed by a local notary service. For MTEP, some applicants have had a Malaysian notary stamp an exchange/wallet statement as a bank record. Your mileage may vary — treat it as a workaround, not a guarantee.
- How does entering Singapore work if Network School is in Malaysia?
- Many people fly into Singapore (SIN) and cross to Forest City. Check whether your nationality needs a Singapore visa, and complete the Singapore Digital Arrival Card (SDAC) at ns.com/sdac within 3 days of entering Singapore. For Malaysia, complete the MDAC at ns.com/mdac within 3 days of entry.
- Are visa runs allowed?
- Members do leave and re-enter, but immigration rules on repeated visa-free entries are at the officer’s discretion — verify current rules and consider a proper long-term pass if you plan to stay. This is not legal advice.