Malaysia Residency Visas:
6 Pathways Compared
Foreigners who want to live in Malaysia have 6 residency pathways: MM2H (Malaysia My Second Home) in 4 tiers (Silver, Gold, Platinum and Special Economic Zone), Sarawak's own S-MM2H, and the Premium Visa Programme (PVIP). They differ in the money you need to commit, how many days you must spend in the country, and whether you can work. The full comparison is below.
Silver
Age 50+: exempt
Gold
Age 50+: exempt
Platinum
Age 50+: exempt
Economic Zone
at developer pricing
Age 50+: exempt
Sarawak
in Sarawak
PVIP
How to choose: a decision matrix
Start from the condition that matters most to you, then find the box that matches your situation.
You want to work full-time or run a business in Malaysia
→ Among the MM2H tiers, only Platinum allows this (US$1,000,000 fixed deposit + RM 2,000,000 property)
You are 50 or older and don't want a minimum-stay rule
→ Any of Silver, Gold, Platinum or Economic Zone (applicants 50+ are exempt from the stay requirement). Sarawak still requires 30 days a year.
Your budget is limited and you are open to Forest City, Johor Bahru
→ Economic Zone (US$32,000-65,000 fixed deposit, the lowest of the 4 MM2H tiers)
You like the slower pace of East Malaysia and are 30 or older
→ Sarawak S-MM2H (RM 500,000 fixed deposit; part-time work and a 49% stake in a joint venture are allowed)
You want city living in Peninsular Malaysia and will split your time between countries
→ Gold (15-year visa, RM 1,000,000 property, government fee of just RM 3,000)
You want to try it first and are unsure about the long term
→ Silver (5-year visa, US$150,000 fixed deposit, the lowest entry point)
You want to work, without a required property purchase or minimum stay
→ PVIP (RM 1,000,000 fixed deposit + RM 40,000 monthly income + 20-year visa + no minimum stay; a premium visa that runs alongside MM2H)
Silver: an entry tier to test the waters
5-year visa, US$150,000 fixed deposit, RM 600,000 property. The lowest deposit and the lowest government fee of the 4 MM2H tiers.
- Suits people who want a visa in hand first and may upgrade later
- Stay requirement: ages 25-49 must spend a cumulative 90 days or more a year in Malaysia; 50+ are exempt
- After buying property, 50% of the deposit (US$75,000) can be released for housing, education, medical costs or domestic travel
- Three generations can be included: spouse, parents, parents-in-law, children under 21, and unmarried children aged 21-34
Gold: the middle ground for part-time residents
15-year visa, US$500,000 fixed deposit, RM 1,000,000 property. The property threshold is half of Platinum's, and the government fee is only RM 3,000.
- Suits applicants with substantial assets who don't plan to work full-time and want long-term stability
- The 15-year visa (5+5+5) is 3 times as long as Silver's, and the deposit is half of Platinum's
- After buying property, 50% (US$250,000) can be released for housing, education or medical costs
- Stay requirement: ages 25-49 at least 90 days a year; 50+ are exempt
Platinum: the MM2H tier that allows employment
20-year visa, US$1,000,000 fixed deposit, RM 2,000,000 property. Holders may work full-time or run a business in Malaysia.
- Suits high-net-worth applicants who want to work full-time or run a business in Malaysia
- Of the 4 MM2H tiers, it is the one that permits local employment; the other 3 do not allow work
- 20-year visa (5+5+5+5), three generations can be included, and US$500,000 can be released after buying property
- Note: the government participation fee is a one-time RM 200,000, 67 times the fee of the other tiers
Economic Zone (Forest City)
10-year visa, US$32,000-65,000 fixed deposit, limited to Forest City in Johor Bahru. The lowest financial threshold, but where you live is restricted.
- Suits applicants on a tighter budget who are comfortable living in Forest City, Johor Bahru
- Property must be in a developer-approved Forest City project; there is no minimum price, and pricing is set by the developer
- The purchase must be completed within 3 months of the approval letter, which is a tight timeline
- Johor Bahru is close to Singapore for cross-border commuting, which suits people who work across Singapore and Malaysia
Sarawak S-MM2H: East Malaysia's separate program
Issued independently by the Sarawak state government. RM 500,000 fixed deposit, applicants aged 30 or older, residence in Sarawak, and part-time work of up to 20 hours a week.
- Suits people drawn to East Malaysia's slower pace, retirees, and applicants on a tighter budget
- Part-time work of up to 20 hours a week is allowed in education, banking, manufacturing and medical professions
- Holders can be a 49% minority partner in a joint-venture company (capital of RM 250,000 or more)
- A fixed deposit of at least RM 250,000 must stay untouched, and the sponsor must be a licensed agent based in Sarawak
- Plus one of three proofs of income: a pension or overseas salary of RM 10,000 / RM 15,000 a month, or savings of RM 100,000 / RM 200,000
PVIP (Premium Visa Programme): a premium route with no property purchase
A premium visa that runs alongside MM2H. RM 1,000,000 fixed deposit (about US$246,000), a required monthly income of RM 40,000, a 20-year visa and no minimum stay. The deposit is about a quarter of MM2H Platinum's, but you need proof of income and each dependent carries a separate government fee.
- Suits high-net-worth applicants who want to work full-time or run a business without a required property purchase or minimum stay
- A 100% foreign-owned company can be set up, with no local director required
- Family members covered: spouse, children under 25, parents, and 1 foreign domestic helper
- Note: each dependent carries a government fee of RM 100,000, so total government fees for a family of 4 come to about RM 500,000
- After 6 months, 50% of the deposit can be released for medical, education or property costs