Frequently Asked Questions

NO. The MM2H program is not an emigration program where you can eventually obtain citizenship (new nationality, new passport), permanent residency (PR) or Green Card. It only provides foreigners with a renewable Long-Term Residency Pass with Multiple-Entry Visa for 5, 10, 15, or 20 years to stay and live in Malaysia.

NO. Currently it is not possible to obtain permanent residency (PR) through the MM2H Programme in any category.

The MM2H Program is open to all individuals worldwide (except Israel and North Korea) who are 21 years or above (for SEZ/SFZ category) or 25 years or above (for Platinum/Gold/Silver category). It is mainly designed for retirees, investors who wish to invest or purchase property abroad, young parents who want their children to study in an English-based international school system, or anyone seeking a long-term residency visa in Asia as their second home.

YES. As long as you meet the financial requirements and have no criminal record, you can apply. Appoint a licensed MM2H agent to submit your application. Within 3-6 months you will get your Approval Letter. Once approved, make a trip to Malaysia to open a bank account and place the required fixed deposit to receive a multiple-entry visa valid for 5, 10, 15, or 20 years (depending on category). It is one of the simplest long-term residency programs in the world.

NO. The MM2H program is a long-term Residency Pass/Visa program and does not require applicants to change their nationality. You continue to retain your current nationality/citizenship, with no impact on your home country's residency or nationality status.

YES. MM2H participants can enter and leave Malaysia at any time with no restriction on maximum days of stay per visit, during the Visa validity period. They enjoy privileges similar to citizens, permanent residents or foreign residents with a long-term residency pass in Malaysia.

NO. The Malaysia Government does not track where MM2H participants stay. Participants are not required to report their residence to authorities such as MOTAC or the Immigration Department.

With the new MM2H policy (2024), if the main applicant passes away, the MM2H Visa can be transferred to the next-of-kin (must be above 21), usually the spouse or designated dependent, allowing the family to continue living in Malaysia under the program. Contact us immediately for assistance.

After the first 5 years expires, you can renew for another five years, and every five years thereafter. As long as you maintain at least 50% of the Fixed Deposit and have no violations, renewal is straightforward. You resubmit some documents and pay a renewal fee of RM 1,500 (whole family). Contact us at least 6 months before expiry and we will assist.

The New MM2H Program was relaunched in mid-2024. Since then there have been no major changes to the key conditions/requirements, apart from minor fine-tuning to operational details such as the documents required for application.

NO. Currently there are no upgrade or downgrade paths specified by MOTAC between MM2H categories. The only viable way is to cancel your current MM2H Visa and re-apply for a new category. However, you are allowed to change your category prior to the endorsement of your first MM2H Visa and before paying the non-refundable fees to the Government.

YES, you can apply as a single parent who is a divorcee, provided you can submit proof of full child custody, the child's certified Birth Certificate and your certified Divorce Certificate, if applicable. If requested, you may also need to provide an Authorization Letter from the biological father of your child.

YES. You can bring in your spouse later during your MM2H participation as an Add-On Dependent application. You will need to submit a certified copy of your Marriage Certificate as proof of relationship.

NO. You must be legally married to your spouse (with an official Marriage Certificate as proof) to apply for an MM2H Dependent Pass for your partner. Note: Same-sex marriage is not recognised or accepted by the Malaysia Government.

YES. You can apply for the MM2H Programme using your current foreign passport. There is no explicit barring or disadvantage for ex-Malaysians.

YES. You can independently apply as the main applicant. If you divorce your Malaysian spouse in the future after endorsing your MM2H Pass/Visa, its validity will not be affected by your divorced status.

A Letter of Good Conduct (LOGC) from the relevant authority in your home country or country of residence is a mandatory document. If your past offence was not a major crime and you can obtain a cleared LOGC, your application may still be considered.

It depends on the health issue. Only contagious/infectious diseases or life-threatening ailments affect eligibility. Participants must pass the medical checkup (performed during endorsement) and be free from: Mental Illness, Tuberculosis, Epilepsy, Chronic Asthma, Hepatitis A/B, AIDS and Leprosy. Other chronic conditions such as cancer, heart problems, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar or limb disability will not affect your application or approval.

NO. You can prepare and submit your application remotely from your own country through a licensed MM2H Agent like WANDA. In fact, the new MM2H Program requires all new applications to be submitted to MOTAC through a licensed MM2H agent you have appointed.

You only need to travel to Malaysia, together with your dependents, when your application is approved and you are ready to complete your endorsement (stamping of the MM2H Visa sticker onto your passport), within 90 days from the issue date of your Approval Letter.

NO. All new MM2H applications (starting 2024) must be submitted by a licensed MM2H agent like WANDA to the MOTAC One-Stop-Center (OSC). Strictly no "DIY" or self-application is entertained by MOTAC, unlike the old policy. Contact us for assistance.

NO. The approval process may take 3-4 months (or longer for complicated cases). During this period you are not allowed to overstay in Malaysia. You may use the 90-day visa-free Social Visit Pass given to nationals of selected countries (such as China and India), but observe strictly the 30-days-per-visit limit, re-entry constraints and overstaying regulations. Contact us for advice.

It takes up to 3 to 4 calendar months (or at least 30 working days as stated in the AP) to get the Approval Letter (SKB) after submitting completed documents. Document preparation beforehand typically takes another 1 to 2 months. After approval, endorsement can be completed within 1 to 2 weeks (up to the 90-day limit). In short, the fastest end-to-end period is at least 4 to 6 months.

All passports must have a minimum validity of at least 12 months. We strongly recommend renewing your passport (if less than 2 years validity left) to the maximum allowed in your country (5 or 10 years) before submitting your MM2H application.

NO. You cannot use the Approval Letter as a Visa to enter Malaysia. It is only a "conditional approval." You only get your MM2H Visa/Pass endorsed in your passport AFTER completing the Endorsement process within 90 days of receiving your Approval Letter.

YES. You must provide a copy to MOTAC OSC as a supporting document in follow-up applications (add-on dependents, transfer of endorsement, FD withdrawal, extension, renewal or termination). It may also be required for school enrolment, bank account opening or insurance purchase. Keep your original Approval Letter safe, like your birth/marriage certificates.

You receive 3 documents at different phases: (1) Acknowledgement Slip (Slip Pengesahan) — auto-generated for successful upload of documents with platform fee paid; (2) Acknowledgement Receipt (AP / Akuan Penerimaan) — official acknowledgement that your submission has been received and validated for completeness, with your future MM2H Visa reference number; (3) Approval Letter (SKB / Surat Kelulusan Bersyarat) — the official conditional approval with the conditions you must comply with before endorsement.

NO. MOTAC requires one set of applications (principal and dependents) to be managed by a single agency. If you obtained principal approval/endorsement from one agent but want to use another for dependents, you must first apply for Change of Agent (and obtain a Release Letter from the first agent) for the principal BEFORE submitting the dependents' add-on application with the second agent.

The document sets you need to prepare is determined by the number of your family members to be included as dependents in your MM2H application.

The MM2H applicant to prepare:

• Copy of Passport (Biodata Page) for the principal / main applicant 
• Copy of Passport (Biodata Page) for the dependents, if any.
• Passport-size photo of all participants
• Letter of Good Conduct (LOGC) / Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) / Certificate of No Criminal Conviction (CNCC) / Criminal Record Certificate (For main applicant and all dependents, aged 18 and above). 
• Proof of family relationship (Must be translated in English and certified / attested at Malaysia Embassy/ Consulate Office in home country):
• Spouse: Marriage Certificate
• Children under 21: Birth Certificate or Adoption Certificate
• Children aged 21-34: Birth Certificate or Adoption Certificate + Statutory Declaration (being single and unemployed in Malaysia)
• Parents: Main applicant's Birth Certificate
• Parents-in-law: Spouse’s Birth Certificate
• Proof of Income
• Salary Slip (for the employed)
• Other Incomes Statement (for business owners or retirees)
• Bank Statements
• Employment Confirmation Letter (for the employed or business owners) or Retirement Self-Declaration Letter (for retirees)

While your appointed agent shall be responsible for preparation of the necessary Immigration forms, official cover/intent letters, resumes and other supporting documents for your MM2H application. Contact us for assistance.

A LOGC is an official document issued by a government authority (such as the police or ministry of foreign affairs) verifying you have no criminal record in your home country or country of residence. It is also known as a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), Certificate of No Criminal Conviction (CNCC) or Criminal Record Certificate. It is mandatory for the main applicant and all dependents aged 18+, and is submitted to the Malaysia Police for security clearance. Anyone who fails the security clearance will have their application rejected with no appeals.

No. The LOGC is only valid and accepted for only six months from its date of issuance for the MM2H application process. You need to re-apply for the latest copy of LOGC from your home country or country of origin.

YES. As your appointed MM2H agent, we guide and assist you remotely during the document preparation stage. Depending on your country of origin and current residence, you may need to engage a local third-party provider for expedited services. Contact us for assistance.

This is dependent on your country of origin and the place you are staying now. Typically, it will take 2 to 6 weeks for preparation of the necessary documents such as LOGC or certified copies of Birth/ Marriage Certificates.

This is dependent on your home country and consular services as provided by your embassy / high commission / consulate in the place you are staying now. If this is not viable, you may have to make a return trip back to your country of origin to obtain these certified documents. Contact us for assistance.

YES. All participants under the Silver, Gold and Platinum categories must purchase a residential property in West Malaysia within 12 months after endorsement of their MM2H Pass/Visa. SEZ/SFZ category participants must purchase a residential property in Forest City, Johor, before endorsement.

MOTAC reserves the right to revoke your approved MM2H Pass if you fail to submit the stamped Sales & Purchase Agreement (SPA) as proof you have fulfilled the mandatory property purchase condition.

Only residential property — apartment, condominium or landed property (terrace, semi-detached or bungalow). Commercial property such as shoplots, office units or factories is not accepted. Contact us for details.

It depends on two factors: your MM2H category and the location (state/territory). For a Silver holder buying in Kuala Lumpur, the minimum is RM 1 Million (set by KL City Council for foreigners), not RM 600,000 (the MM2H Silver policy figure). In Selangor it is RM 2 Million and limited to strata-title property. In other states such as Melaka, Perak or Penang (certain projects only), you can purchase at RM 600,000. Contact us for consultation.

SEZ/SFZ holders can only purchase a property in Forest City (not other zones of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone), and it must be a first-hand property directly from the developer, not resale. Minimum value of Forest City developer units starts from RM 500,000 and above, depending on availability.

Either is allowed with conditions. Typically you purchase after your application, within the 12-month grace period after endorsement. If you bought a property years before applying, it can also count as fulfilling the condition. However, for property purchased more than 2 years before your endorsement, you are not allowed partial FD withdrawal.

YES, you may buy a completed resale property directly from the seller or via a property agent (REN), or a unit under construction directly from the developer — with the exception of the SEZ/SFZ category.

YES. MOTAC does not explicitly limit purchasing more than one residential property. Like any foreigner in Malaysia, you can purchase more than one residential property in Peninsular Malaysia, as long as the value is approved by the respective State Authorities (Land Office).

The new MM2H policy only allows selling your MM2H property after a 10-year lock-in period. However, you may sell the first unit within the 10 years as long as you simultaneously purchase a second unit of higher value. Also, upon termination of your MM2H participation, you can apply to sell your property.

Currently there are no explicit MOTAC regulations barring this, which may be necessary for some MM2H parents due to proximity to children's schools. It is advisable to seek further clarification from MOTAC. Contact us for advice.

You can only open your FD bank account after receiving your MM2H Conditional Approval Letter (SKB) from MOTAC OSC, not during the application period. Note: without the approval letter, most banks won't allow a foreigner to open an account. A few local banks may consider pre-approval account opening subject to restrictions. Contact us for details.

You can open your FD account in ANY local or international commercial bank registered and licensed in Malaysia. The choice is yours. Contact us for recommendations.

A LIEN tag means the bank will not allow you to withdraw any amount or close the account WITHOUT prior approval from MOTAC. For any withdrawal you must submit an application to MOTAC OSC and obtain an approval letter. Contact us for assistance.

You can withdraw up to 50% as soon as you complete endorsement, for approved expenses such as property purchase, children's education, medical and local travel. You must always keep at least 50% of the stipulated amount. You can only withdraw the full balance upon voluntary termination or a forced revocation by Immigration due to a condition violation.

Withdrawals are on a reimbursement basis — you pay first, then withdraw. Provide supporting documents to your agent: Property — stamped SPA + partial payment receipts (up to 50% of FD value); Medical — receipts from clinics/medical centres/hospitals (up to total receipts); Education — student fee receipts (up to total receipts); Tourism in Malaysia — travel-related receipts (accommodation, flights, food, entertainment, booking fees, up to total receipts).

YES. You can withdraw up to 50% of your FD for a residence purchased not more than 2 years before the endorsement date of your MM2H Pass.

YES. You can withdraw the annual interest for personal use, but you must apply for approval from MOTAC. Contact us for assistance.

YES. You can withdraw the full balance once you obtain the approval letter from MOTAC for voluntary termination, or if your Pass is revoked for any reason. Contact us for assistance.

YES and NO. Only the MM2H Platinum Pass (Principal only) holder may work in Malaysia (employed by a Malaysia-registered company, local or foreign-owned). Main applicants of other categories (Gold, Silver, SEZ/SFZ) and ALL Dependent Pass holders are NOT allowed to work — the Visa sticker states "Any form of employment is strictly prohibited." Warning: working even freelance or part-time when prohibited violates Immigration Law and risks revocation of your Pass (and dependents') plus penalties.

NO. Only the principal of a Platinum Visa may work or run a business. Dependents of the Platinum category are NOT allowed to work, like other categories — their pass also states "Any form of employment is strictly prohibited."

Yes, but with conditions. A Platinum principal must hold the relevant professional qualification and be accredited/registered by the respective Malaysian professional body to practise as an architect, doctor, lawyer, pharmacist, engineer, accountant, etc. Consult the relevant professional body for details.

NO. Silver holders (principal or dependent) cannot work full-time or part-time. To work, you must take up an Employment Pass (EP) and first terminate your MM2H Pass. Note: if the principal terminates their Pass, all dependents' passes are automatically terminated too.

For Gold, Silver or SEZ/SFZ categories, yes — being a director of your own company is considered employment in Malaysia, even with zero salary or benefits, and violates the "employment strictly prohibited" condition.

Receiving dividends from shareholding in a public-listed or privately owned company is not considered employment in Malaysia. However, we advise writing to the MOTAC OSC Helpdesk for confirmation. Contact us for assistance.

No. The "employment strictly prohibited" condition only applies to employment within Malaysia with a Malaysia-registered employer with income paid in Malaysia (which may include EPF, SOCSO, IRD contributions). Refer to the Employment Act of Malaysia.

NO. Public (government) schools are not open to foreigners under the new Ministry of Education policy. However, you can enrol your children in any private or international school in Malaysia.

NO. With an MM2H Dependent Pass, children (below 18) can enrol in any international school, as it's accepted as a long-term pass. You only need to obtain an additional "Permission to Study" stamping from MOTAC on top of the Dependent Pass. Contact us for assistance.

YES. Most top-ranking international schools only accept foreign children who already hold a Malaysian long-term pass (MM2H, Employment, Residency or Diplomatic Pass) as a prerequisite. A short-term Social Visit Pass is not accepted for admission.

Once a dependent turns 18 and receives an offer letter for Pre-U/A-Level/Diploma or tertiary study, they must cancel the existing MM2H Dependent Pass and have the school apply for a separate Student Pass via Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS). We can assist with the termination/shortening of the existing Dependent Pass. Contact us.

YES. We offer Education Search Services as a supplementary service to our MM2H clients, during the pre-application stage or after relocating to Malaysia, to find a suitable international school for your children. Contact us for assistance.

NO. Income/funds remitted from abroad to Malaysia are tax-exempt for MM2H participants (per the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia). However, you must have cleared any taxes due in your country of origin or country of tax residency.

Yes. When you buy goods or services in Malaysia, you pay the applicable Sales and Services Tax (SST) like any resident. You also pay Stamp Duty (for foreigners) when purchasing property.

NO. You don't automatically become a tax resident. You must apply separately to LHDN if you wish to. Note: to become a tax resident, a foreigner must generally have resided in Malaysia more than 182 days and earn income in Malaysia. Consult a tax specialist for foreigners. Contact us for assistance.

NO. You must pay import duties to Malaysia Customs to import your car, even as an MM2H participant. The old policy's duty-free car import benefit no longer applies under the new MM2H policy.

Yes. Rental income is considered passive income and is subject to income tax if your taxable personal income thresholds are exceeded.

Yes. You must pay Real Property Gains Tax (RPGT) on profit from selling your MM2H property. Consult your property/tax agent for the RPGT rate applicable to foreigners.

Yes. As long as you are above 21 (SEZ/SFZ) or 25 (Platinum/Gold/Silver) and meet the financial and other requirements, you can apply as principal immediately after graduation. Your existing Student Pass must expire or be shortened before you can endorse your new MM2H Pass.

Yes. When you buy goods or services in Malaysia, you pay the applicable Sales and Services Tax (SST) like any resident. You also pay Stamp Duty (for foreigners) when purchasing property.

YES. The new JPJ (Road Transport Department) policy allows holders of Diplomatic Pass and MM2H Pass (limited to principal and spouse only) automatic conversion of their home-country licence (not an International Driving Licence) without retaking full tests or courses. Submit your application to JPJ at state level, not MOTAC OSC. Contact us for assistance.