Quick answer
Do Chinese citizens need a Malaysia visa photo?
Not for visits of up to 30 days. The China–Malaysia mutual visa exemption, in force since 17 July 2025, allows 30 days per entry and 90 days in any 180. If you need a visa, the MyVISA eVISA photo is 35 mm wide by 50 mm high on plain white, with the head 30–35 mm high.
The China–Malaysia mutual visa exemption agreement has been in force since 17 July 2025: with a PRC ordinary passport valid for at least 6 months, you can visit visa-free for up to 30 days per entry and 90 days in any 180, for tourism, family visits, business and the other purposes it lists, so short trips need no visa photo. Work, study, journalism or settling need a visa. Malaysia's MyVISA eVISA photo (马来西亚签证照片) is 35 mm wide by 50 mm high, with the head 30–35 mm high, on a plain white background for VTR applications.
Malaysia eVISA photo size (if you need a visa)
| Photo size | 35 mm wide × 50 mm high |
|---|---|
| Head height | 30–35 mm, chin to crown |
| Margins | About 5 mm above the head; 5–10 mm below the chin |
| Background | Plain white for VTR applications; plain white or plain blue for VDR applications; no border or frame |
| Pose | Full face, front view, eyes open, neutral expression |
| Head coverings | Only for religious reasons, with your face fully visible |
| Image quality | Clear and sharp: not blurred, tilted, too far away or too small |
| Checklist wording | "Passport sized studio photo" (VTR application) |
| File size | Not stated on the portal |
These rules are the photo requirements built into the MyVISA eVISA portal, which warns that non-compliant photos lead to rejection and offers a photo checker before you upload. The photo maker's Malaysia "eVisa" preset makes 35 × 50 mm on white (1050 × 1500 pixels), which fits both VTR and VDR applications. Its 35 × 45 mm Malaysia presets are the wrong height for the eVISA.
What the visa exemption does not cover
The exemption is for PRC ordinary and 公务普通 passports valid for at least 6 months, travelling for leisure, family or friends, business, exchange visits, private affairs, medical treatment or as transport crew. Settling, work, study and news reporting are not covered, and neither is a single stay of more than 30 days: apply for the right visa before you travel. The agreement runs for 5 years and then renews automatically for another 5.
Visiting Malaysia visa-free
The agreement was exchanged during President Xi Jinping's state visit in April 2025 and took effect on 17 July 2025. It keeps the earlier 30-day single stay and adds a limit of 90 days in any 180, with no limit on the number of entries within that.
If you fill in the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online before you arrive, note that its form asks for your passport, travel and accommodation details but has no photo upload.
If you need an eVISA
Apply on Malaysia's official MyVISA portal (malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my). Make your photo to the rules above, run it through the portal's photo checker, and upload it with your application. The 35 × 50 mm size is taller than most visa photos, so crop a new copy from your original photo rather than reusing a 35 × 45 mm or 33 × 48 mm Chinese passport photo.
How to get your Malaysia eVISA photo right
- Check whether you need a visa. Visits of up to 30 days per entry, and 90 days in any 180, are visa-free on a PRC ordinary passport valid for at least 6 months.
- Take a studio-style photo on white. Full face, eyes open, neutral expression, and no head covering except for religious reasons.
- Crop it to 35 × 50 mm. Keep your head 30–35 mm high, with about 5 mm above it and 5–10 mm below your chin, and no border.
- Check it and upload it. Use the photo checker on the MyVISA portal, then upload the photo with your eVISA application.
Sample photos
Samples show pose, lighting and background. Crop your own photo to the Malaysia visa size.
Malaysia visa photo FAQ
Not for visits of up to 30 days per entry and 90 days in any 180, on a PRC ordinary passport valid for at least 6 months, under the agreement in force since 17 July 2025.
35 mm wide by 50 mm high, with the head 30–35 mm from chin to crown, about 5 mm space above the head and 5–10 mm below the chin.
Plain white for VTR applications. VDR applications may use plain white or plain blue. There must be no border or frame.
No. The eVISA photo is 50 mm high, so a 35 × 45 mm photo is the wrong shape. Crop a new 35 × 50 mm copy.
No. The MDAC form asks for passport, travel and accommodation details, with no photo upload.
Official sources
- Chinese Embassy in Malaysia: 关于中马互免签证协定的常见问题与解答 (mutual visa exemption FAQ)
- China Consular Service: Mutual visa exemption list
- Immigration Department of Malaysia: MyVISA eVISA portal
- Immigration Department of Malaysia: Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC)
Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.