Retirement visa in Malaysia

• MM2H is a programme for foreign individuals from countries with diplomatic relations with Malaysia who want to stay longer than a visit allows. It gives a renewable social visit pass with multiple entries, and it has four categories: Platinum, Gold, Silver and SEZ/SFZ.
• The guidelines set the minimum age at 25 for Silver, Gold and Platinum and 21 for SEZ/SFZ, while the ministry's terms document, accurate as of 22 July 2024, says 25 and above for all categories, so confirm the SEZ/SFZ age with the One Stop Centre.
• Silver, Gold and SEZ/SFZ participants may not take up employment or run a business or investment activity on the pass; only Platinum permits both.
• The ministry's booklet lists a separate request for permission to work part time, which needs a company authorisation letter, an offer letter and a local-hiring advertisement among other papers. The pages we read do not say which categories can use it.
• Every application goes through a MM2H tour operator licensed by the ministry and through the One Stop Centre (OSC MM2H). The Immigration Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs gives the final approval.
• You may bring a spouse, children under 21 (children aged 21 to 34 only if unemployed and single while in Malaysia), medically certified disabled children of any age, and parents or parents-in-law. Platinum also allows one foreign domestic helper.
• Sarawak runs its own state scheme, S-MM2H, with separate terms from the national programme; its page carries both 2025 and older 2024 terms, so confirm with the Sarawak tourism ministry.

Sources: Ministry of Tourism, InvestSarawak (Sarawak state investment agency). Checked 16 October 2026.

• The fixed-deposit test is about US$150,000 for Silver, about US$500,000 for Gold and about US$1 million for Platinum. To be safe, have more than US$160,000, US$510,000 or US$1.1 million.
• The SEZ/SFZ fixed-deposit test is about US$65,000 for ages 21 to 49 and about US$32,000 at 50 and over. To be safe, have more than US$66,000 or US$33,000.
• The deposit must sit in a Malaysian financial institution licensed under the Financial Services Act 2013 or the Islamic Financial Services Act 2013.
• After approval you may withdraw up to 50% of the principal deposit, only for buying a residence, education, medical care or tourism in Malaysia.
• Each category requires you to buy and own a home after approval: about RM600,000 for Silver, about RM1 million for Gold and about RM2 million for Platinum. To be safe, plan for a home worth more than RM610,000, RM1.1 million or RM2.1 million.
• SEZ/SFZ participants must buy a home in Forest City, Johor, at a floor price set by Johor state policy.
• The home cannot be sold for 10 years, though you may upgrade to a higher-value home; breaking the property terms leads to the pass being revoked.
• The ministry's terms say the requirement to show offshore income has been dropped for every category, so the financial test in these sources is the deposit and the home.

Sources: Ministry of Tourism. Checked 16 October 2026.

• The checklist asks for the immigration pass application form IM.12 and a copy of the passport biodata page for the principal and each dependant.
• Proof of family relationship must be translated into English and certified by a Malaysian embassy, high commission or consulate, or at the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• A letter of good conduct, police certificate or certificate of clearance is needed for the principal and for dependants aged 18 and over. It must have at least six months of validity left and come from your country of origin or country of residence only.
• All documents must be translated into English and certified in the same way. Originals are uploaded, only complete applications are accepted, and every application goes through security screening by the Royal Malaysian Police.
• A false statement in an application is an offence under section 56(1)(f) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, with a fine of up to RM10,000, up to five years in prison, or both.
• After approval, the principal and dependants must have a medical check-up at a clinic or hospital on the ministry's panel; the ministry says panels are used so services and charges are standardised, and the pages give no amount.
• The booklet for renewals lists health insurance (for those under 60), a medical report, the latest fixed-deposit statement and an original bank confirmation letter showing the lien.

Sources: Ministry of Tourism. Checked 16 October 2026.

• You apply through a licensed MM2H operator at the One Stop Centre in Putrajaya; the ministry's own listing for renewals and other requests says to submit over the counter at the MM2H Centre, Level 1, No. 2, Precinct 5, Putrajaya, from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM on working days.
• The ministry's Client's Charter aims to process an MM2H application within 90 working days of receiving a complete one, subject to the bank's confirmation during the same period.
• The booklet's service standards for existing participants are 30 working days for a renewal or add-on, 14 working days for a dependant's permission to study and 3 working days for a fixed-deposit withdrawal.
• Appeals, if any, fall under the Minister of Home Affairs, since final approval rests with the Immigration Department.
• The deposit, the home purchase and the medical check-up come after approval, so the sources describe the home as something you buy once you hold the approval.

Sources: Ministry of Tourism. Checked 16 October 2026.

• The one-off participation fee for each principal applicant is RM1,000 for Silver, RM3,000 for Gold, RM200,000 for Platinum and RM1,000 for SEZ/SFZ; dependants pay no participation fee.
• Before the programme's maximum years are completed, the pass sticker is renewed every five years or with the passport, at a visa fee of RM0 to RM50 depending on nationality and a fixed pass fee of RM500 per year.
• The renewal fee for the principal and each dependant is RM1,500 for Silver, RM3,000 for Gold, RM5,000 for Platinum and RM300 for SEZ/SFZ.
• The ministry's pages do not set a fee for the medical check-up, the bank, the tour operator or the home purchase, so those costs are unknown from these sources.

Sources: Ministry of Tourism. Checked 16 October 2026.

• The pass runs for 5 years in Silver, 15 years in Gold, 20 years in Platinum and 10 years in SEZ/SFZ, with a multiple-entry visa for the principal and dependants.
• The sticker in your passport follows your passport's validity; if the passport expires before the pass, you must renew the sticker into the new passport.
• After the programme's maximum years are completed, the pass renews every 5 years with a copy of a valid passport, the latest medical report and health insurance.
• Participants must be in Malaysia for at least 90 days cumulatively in each year. For participants aged 25 to 49 the principal and/or dependants can meet this.
• If the principal dies, the pass of the deceased can transfer to a registered dependant who is next of kin.
• Dependent children may study up to tertiary level at government-recognised institutions, using the MM2H pass or an automatic Student Pass, and long-term medical treatment in Malaysia is allowed.

Sources: Ministry of Tourism. Checked 16 October 2026.

• MOTAC's FAQ says that taking part in MM2H does not lead to permanent residence or citizenship.
• The Immigration Department lists its own permanent residence categories, and its page does not tie any of them to MM2H.
• Neither the SEZ/SFZ category page nor the MM2H guidelines mention any step from the pass to permanent residence.

Sources: Ministry of Tourism, Immigration Department of Malaysia. Checked 17 October 2026.

• You are a Malaysian tax resident for a year if you are in Malaysia for 182 days or more in it. The MM2H minimum is 90 days a year, and the tax authority's linking rules can make a shorter stay count as resident in some cases.
• The ministry's category pages say incoming funds such as the fixed deposit are tax exempt.
• Residents pay graduated rates, from 0% on the first RM5,000 up to 30% above RM2 million in LHDN's table for 2023 to 2025; non-residents pay a flat 30% on Malaysian income.
• An LHDN guideline exempts foreign income, other than partnership income, that a resident individual receives in Malaysia, for 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2026; a newspaper and a tax news service report an extension to 2036 that we could not confirm from the gazette.

Sources: Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN / HASiL), Ministry of Tourism. Checked 16 October 2026.

• Digital nomad visa in Malaysia
• Work permit in Malaysia
• Family visa in Malaysia
• Investor visa in Malaysia

• Visas in Malaysia
• Malaysia

1. Visa requirements by country (Keperluan Visa Mengikut Negara), Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia). Checked 15 October 2026. In Malay; Canada, Australia and New Zealand are on the list of countries that need no visa for any purpose of entry; the United States is on neither list; no length of stay is given.
2. Malaysia international travel information, US Department of State (Internet Archive copy). Checked 15 October 2026. Internet Archive capture of 11 February 2026. Says business or tourism of 90 days or less needs no visa.
3. MM2H application guidelines, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), MM2H portal. Checked 16 October 2026. Many category figures on this page appear only in images; the text gives eligibility, stay, property, dependants, renewal and the RM500 yearly pass fee.
4. Identity History Summary Checks (FBI criminal record check), Federal Bureau of Investigation; Internet Archive copy. Checked 15 October 2026. Internet Archive capture of 6 October 2026, read on 15 October 2026. Gives the US$18 fee and says the FBI does not forward requests to the State Department for the apostille, so the apostille is a separate step.
5. Application checklist, Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), One Stop Centre MM2H. Checked 16 October 2026. Marked "updated as at 27.01.2025".
6. US citizens and residents abroad: filing requirements, Internal Revenue Service. Checked 16 October 2026. Page last reviewed or updated 28 September 2026.
7. Foreign earned income exclusion limit, Internal Revenue Service. Checked 10 October 2026. Tax year 2026 figure: up to $132,900 per person.
8. Limited double taxation agreements, Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN / HASiL). Checked 10 October 2026. Lists the United States of America, P.U.(A) 242/1989, as a limited agreement.
9. United States income tax treaties, A to Z, Internal Revenue Service. Checked 10 October 2026. Malaysia is not listed.
10. US international Social Security agreements, US Social Security Administration (Internet Archive copy). Checked 15 October 2026. Internet Archive capture of 4 October 2026; Malaysia is not on the list of agreements in force.
11. Malaysia travel advice and advisories, Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca). Checked 11 October 2026. Page last updated 9 October 2026; gives 90 days for Canadians.
12. Criminal record checks: where to go, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Checked 16 October 2026. Opened 16 October 2026; no date shown. A fingerprint-based criminal record check: inside Canada, fingerprints are taken at your local police service or an RCMP-accredited fingerprinting company; from outside Canada, apply through an accredited fingerprinting company.
13. Determining your residency status, Canada Revenue Agency. Checked 16 October 2026. Page details date 20 January 2026.
14. Comprehensive double taxation agreements, Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN / HASiL). Checked 10 October 2026. Lists agreements in force with Canada (signed 1976), Australia (signed 1980) and New Zealand (signed 1976, with protocols).
15. Malaysia travel advice, Australian Government, Smartraveller (Internet Archive copy). Checked 15 October 2026. Internet Archive capture of 7 June 2026; says Australians can in most circumstances get a 90-day tourist visa on arrival.
16. National police checks, Australian Federal Police. Checked 16 October 2026. Opened 16 October 2026. Each National Police Certificate application costs A$57; most are completed within 48 hours, and name and fingerprint checks may take 15 to 30 business days.
17. Australian resident for tax purposes, Australian Taxation Office (Internet Archive copy). Checked 15 October 2026. Internet Archive capture of 1 October 2026.
18. Malaysia travel advice, SafeTravel (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand). Checked 15 October 2026. We found no official stay length for New Zealand passports.
19. Criminal records: get your own, Ministry of Justice (New Zealand). Checked 16 October 2026. Opened 16 October 2026. Requesting a copy of your own criminal record is free; the Ministry aims to respond within 20 working days.
20. Tax residency status for individuals, Inland Revenue (New Zealand). Checked 16 October 2026. Page last updated 25 June 2026.
21. MM2H Silver category, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), MM2H portal. Checked 16 October 2026. Fixed deposit US$150,000; property RM600,000; participation fee RM1,000; renewal RM1,500; 5-year pass.
22. MM2H Gold category, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), MM2H portal. Checked 16 October 2026. Fixed deposit US$500,000; property RM1 million; participation fee RM3,000; renewal RM3,000; 15-year pass.
23. MM2H Platinum category, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), MM2H portal. Checked 16 October 2026. Fixed deposit US$1 million; property RM2 million; participation fee RM200,000; renewal RM5,000; 20-year pass.
24. Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) home page, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), MM2H portal. Checked 16 October 2026. Describes MM2H as a renewable social visit pass with multiple entries and lists four categories: Platinum, Gold, Silver and SEZ/SFZ.
25. Terms and regulations for new participants under the MM2H programme, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). Checked 16 October 2026. Document marked "accurate as of 22 July 2024"; says offshore income requirements are dropped for every category.
26. MM2H SEZ/SFZ category, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), MM2H portal. Checked 16 October 2026. Fixed deposit US$65,000 at ages 21 to 49 or US$32,000 at 50 and over; property in Forest City, Johor; participation fee RM1,000; renewal RM300; 10-year pass.
27. MM2H Application Guidelines Booklet (renewal, add-on, termination and other requests), Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). Checked 16 October 2026. File created 4 May 2026; covers requests from existing participants, not first applications.
28. New requirements for Sarawak MM2H (S-MM2H) in 2025, InvestSarawak (Sarawak state investment agency). Checked 10 October 2026. Page dated 23 April 2026; it also carries older 2024 terms that differ, so confirm with the Sarawak tourism ministry (MTCP).
29. Client's Charter, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). Checked 16 October 2026. Service standard for MM2H applications: 90 working days from receipt of a completed application, subject to the bank's confirmation.
30. MOTAC frequently asked questions: MM2H and permanent residence, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), Malaysia. Checked 17 October 2026. FAQ answer: participation in MM2H does not lead to PR or citizenship.
31. Entry Permit, Immigration Department of Malaysia. Checked 16 October 2026. Lists permanent residence application categories; the page does not set out the criteria or years.
32. Residence status (section 7, Income Tax Act 1967), Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN / HASiL). Checked 10 October 2026. Page last updated 10 August 2026.
33. Individual tax rates, Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN / HASiL). Checked 15 October 2026. Table for years of assessment 2023, 2024 and 2025; no 2026 table shown.
34. Tax treatment in relation to income received from abroad (amendment, June 2024), Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN / HASiL). Checked 10 October 2026. Paragraph 5.2.2 on resident individuals; written for the period to 31 December 2026.