Malaysia's My Second Home Visa

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H)

Updated: August 2025

The Malaysia My Second Home visa allows expats and retirees to live in Malaysia either on a part-time or full-time basis.

There are three versions of the MM2H visa. The main program is the Western Malaysia MM2H, which covers the main island of Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur, Penang etc.

Sarawak and Sabah in Malaysian Borneo also have their respective MM2H programs.

For the purposes of this article, we will be referring to the national MM2H program that relates to West Malaysia. Although we will also briefly cover the eligibility criteria for the Sarawak (S-MM2H) later in the article.

Why Malaysia is a great place for a second residency

Malaysia has its own personality. It’s Asia. But it was also a former British colony. And it has a large Indian and Chinese population. All of these factors make it quite an interesting place. And an easy place to live and run a business from.

Like much of Southeast Asia, there is a multitude of things to do and experience. It has the big and modern city of Kuala Lumpur. And it has the traditional villages. It has pristine beaches, remote rainforests, and all of the natural beauty that is so plentiful in this part of the world.

English is widely spoken in Malaysia. And though learning a foreign language is always a worthwhile experience, being able to speak to people and do business in English has its obvious advantages.

Kuala Lumpur can be seen as a bit of a mini-Singapore, but without the price tag. It’s modern, efficient and a world class location to do business in.

The cost of living is around $1,500 a month in KL and much less in the regions.

Strategically located in Southeast Asia and the main hub for airline carrier Air Asia, you can be in any number of major Asian cities within one or two hours. And this can be done for under $100.

You get bang for your buck here. A champagne lifestyle on a beer budget. And many entrepreneurs base themselves in KL to capitalize on this.

MM2H visa rules announced June 2024 – What has changed?

The revamped Malaysia My Second Home visa has three tiers – Silver, Gold and Platinum. Plus a new category for Special Economic Zones.

In the current form, there will no longer be an income requirement. Previously applicants were required to demonstrate a monthly income of RM 40,000.

The liquid asset requirement of RM 1,500,000 is also gone.

The fixed deposit amount has changed depending on which tier of the program you are on. More on that below.

The minimum age has been reduced to 25 years of age.

The scope of allowed dependents who can accompany the visa holder to Malaysia has been broadened. You can now bring your spouse, unmarried children up to age 34, parents who are over 60, and parents in law.

The minimum stay requirement was previously announced to be reduced to 60 days, however it has been confirmed to remain unchanged at 90 days.

Applicants are required to purchase a property in Malaysia as part of meeting the eligibility criteria. The property has to be held for 10 years. However you can sell it before this time provided that you are upgrading to a more expensive property.

The previous announcement on the Platinum tier included an option to apply for permanent residency. This has now been cancelled. In it’s place, Platinum MM2H visa holders will be given full work rights and investment rights in Malaysia, similar to the PVIP visa.

Other basic features

When you are granted an MM2H visa, you receive a multiple entry social visit pass. It’s not permanent residency. But it does give you the right to reside in Malaysia for the allowable term of the visa.

Once your visa has been approved, you can withdraw 50% of your fixed deposit to pay for your property purchase or spend on education, medical or tourism expenses.

The residency permit lasts for between 5 years up to 15 years, depending on the visa tier that you apply for. If you are on the Silver MM2H, the length of validity may depend on the time remaining on your passport. So you may want to consider renewing your passport before applying for the MM2H, so as to maximize the permit validity period.

You can register and own a company in Malaysia. However, a work visa is required to legally be involved in the day-to-day running of the company, unless you are a Platinum MM2H visa holder.

Applicants aged over 50 are eligible to work part time for up to 20 hours per week.

Eligibility criteria

The main eligibility for the MM2H is as follows:

• Be at least 25 years of age
• After approval, make a deposit into any Malaysian bank. The size of the fixed deposit depends on whether you are applying for the Silver, Gold or Platinum tier (more on that below) – you are eligible to receive interest on the deposit
• Take a medical check up

You can bring family members with you. There is no additional fee for dependents.

For the MM2H visa to remain active you must be present in the country for a minimum of 90 days per year. However there is no minimum stay requirement for those aged 50 and above.

MM2H – Silver

• Make a fixed deposit into a Malaysian bank of USD 150,000
• Participation fee RM 1,000
• Must purchase residential property valued at least RM 600,000 (note that many states such Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory, require a minimum RM 1 million purchase price for foreigners)
• You cannot work unless you apply for a separate work permit
• Not entitled to bring a maid with you
• 5 year renewable multi entry visa

MM2H – Gold

• Make a fixed deposit into a Malaysian bank of USD 500,000
• Participation fee RM 3,000
• Must purchase residential property valued at least RM 1,000,000
• You cannot work unless you apply for a separate work permit
• Not entitled to bring a maid with you
• 15 year renewable multi entry visa

MM2H – Platinum

• Make a fixed deposit into a Malaysian bank of USD 1,000,000
• Participation fee RM 200,000
• Must purchase residential property valued at least RM 2,000,000
• You are allowed to work and invest in Malaysia without restrictions
• You are entitled to bring a maid with you
• 20 year renewable multi entry visa

MM2H – Special Economic Zone (New Category)

This option is currently only available to those that want to base themselves in Forest City, Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone.

• Minimum age of 21 years
• Fixed deposit for under 50s – USD 65,000
• Fixed deposit for over 50s – USD 32,000
• Participation fee RM 1,000
• Must purchase residential property per existing state minimum thresholds
• Property must be purchased directly from a developer
• You cannot work unless you apply for a separate work permit
• 10 year renewable multi entry visa

How is the Sarawak S-MM2H visa different to the regular MM2H?

There is some variation in how different regions of Malaysia administer the MM2H.

Sarawak, which is in Malaysian Borneo, has loosened the eligibility criteria in comparison to the rest of the country.

Here are the main requirements for the S-MM2H:

• Monthly income – RM 10,000 (15k for married couples)
• Fixed deposit – RM 500,000
• 40% of deposit can be deducted after 2 years
• Must be sponsored by local resident, however this can be a visa agent who is based in Sarawak

You must spend at least 30 days of the year in Sarawak.

In the past there have been people who have applied under the Sarawak S-MM2H program and are using that to live in West Malaysia once they have ticked off their 30 days in Sarawak each year. While this has been tolerated in the past, it is technically not within the rules and is not advisable. It may also jeopardize the visa renewal process once the first 5 years have been completed.

Is there an option to convert to permanent residency or Malaysian citizenship?

There is also no clear pathway towards citizenship.

Although, technically there is an option for foreign nationals to become a Malaysian citizen by naturalization if they have resided in the country for at least 10 years. But this is set up more to cater to foreign men who have married Malay women. However, if a foreign woman marries a Malay man, they may apply for naturalization after just 2 years.

Dual citizenship is illegal in Malaysia. So you can’t become a Malaysian citizen without renouncing citizenship in your home country.

Do foreigners have to pay tax in Malaysia?

MM2H visa holders are exempted from tax on funds brought into Malaysia from overseas. Although income earned in Malaysia is taxed.

On a broader level per the Malaysian Income Tax Act, residents of Malaysia don’t pay tax on foreign sourced income.

However this rule operates under an exemption (with conditions) that will expire in 2036.

This offers an opportunity for tax minimization. Your personal tax liability can be greatly reduced if you structure things in the right way.

The top marginal tax rate in Malaysia is currently 30% for income over RM 2 million.

International taxation is complex. Any information in this article is made on a general basis only and is not tax advice. If you need taxation advice specific to your situation, you can get that here.

Are there other visa options in Asia?

There are many other visa options available in Southeast Asia if the MM2H doesn’t quite give you what you need.

Malaysia also has a digital nomad visa which is popular with entrepreneurs and remote workers who are less established or are looking for shorter visa term.

Indonesia has a second home visa that is a good option for people who don’t quite meet the MM2H eligibility.

Thailand has the LTR visa which allows you to stay in the country for 10 years. And the Thai Elite visa is a good option if you have some spare cash but don’t qualify for the LTR visa.

The Philippines has an investment visa that allows indefinite residency if you make an investment in the local stock market. This is another good one for people who don’t qualify for the MM2H.

Cambodia is also introducing a second home visa which will have a pathway to citizenship.

Who is the MM2H visa good for?

The MM2H program is aimed at wealthier expats and self-funded retirees who would like to establish residency in Malaysia.

It is good for people who are looking for residency in a relatively developed country, that is a former British colony with a strong English speaking population.  With Singapore close by, it is strategically placed to perform well in an up-and-coming region of the world.

You have to be willing to spend 3 months of each year in the country. So this is for people who want a genuine offshore base in Asia and who intend to spend time there – perhaps to build a business or just enjoy life in a multicultural Asian city.

If you would like help with the Malaysia My Second Home visa, or with any other matter, you can book a call.

Thanks for reading.