Every visa for living in Malaysia
There are eight visas that let you live in Malaysia long term. Most people only hear about MM2H, and most of those only hear about Silver. Depending on your age, your capital and whether you need to work, the right answer is often one of the other seven.
Malaysia does not have one visa programme. It has a federal programme with four tiers, two separate state programmes on Borneo, a digital nomad pass, and a premium visa — each with different requirements and different things it forbids you from doing.
| Route | Deposit | Property | Term | Days/yr | Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabah MM2H | RM 150,000 | None | 10 yrs | 30 | No |
| Sarawak S-MM2H | RM 500,000 | None | 10 yrs | 30 | Part-time |
| MM2H Forest City (SEZ) | USD 65,000 32,000 at 50+ | RM 500,000 | 10 yrs | 90 under 50 | No |
| MM2H Silver | USD 150,000 | RM 600,000 | 5 yrs | 90 under 50 | No |
| MM2H Gold | USD 500,000 | RM 1,000,000 | 15 yrs | 90 under 50 | No |
| MM2H Platinum | USD 1,000,000 | RM 2,000,000 | 20 yrs | 90 under 50 | Yes |
| DE Rantau | None | None | 2 yrs | None | Foreign only |
| Premium Visa (PVIP) | RM 1,000,000 | Optional | 20 yrs | None | Yes |
The other seven routes
Those eight are the long-stay visas — the ones you get by having money rather than a job. There are another seven ways to be here legally, and for a lot of people one of these fits better and costs far less.
| Route | Who it's for | Money down | Work? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Pass | Someone has hired you | None | Yes, that employer |
| Residence Pass-Talent | 3 years here already, RM 15,000/mo | None | Yes, any employer |
| Labuan director | Running a real business | Company setup | Yes |
| MTEP | Tech founders | None | Yes |
| Spouse visa (LTSVP) | Married to a Malaysian | None | With endorsement |
| Student & guardian | Studying, or a parent of a student | Course fees | Limited |
| Permanent residence | The long game | Varies | Yes |
Two of those deserve a mention up front, because people miss them. The Residence Pass gives ten years with work rights and no money down at all if you've already worked here three years. And if you're married to a Malaysian, the spouse visa is almost always the right answer rather than MM2H — cheaper, no property, and it can carry work rights.
Start with what you need to do
You are retiring or settling, not working
Look at Silver if you want the peninsula and can commit around USD 283,000 all in. Look at Forest City SEZ if you are 50 or over and want the cheapest peninsular entry. Look at Sabah or Sarawak if Borneo appeals and you would rather not buy property at all.
You work remotely for clients outside Malaysia
DE Rantau costs about RM 1,080 and needs no deposit. If your income qualifies, none of the MM2H tiers make financial sense for you.
You need to work or trade inside Malaysia
Only Platinum and PVIP permit it. PVIP does it for roughly a fifth of Platinum's commitment, which is the single most under-reported fact in this entire programme.
The three questions that decide it
- Are you 50 or over? At 50+ there is no MM2H minimum stay, and the Forest City deposit halves. The rule is keyed to age, not tier.
- Will you buy property anyway? All four mainland tiers force a purchase held for ten years. If you would not buy on the merits, the state programmes avoid it entirely.
- Do you need to earn money in Malaysia? If yes, six of the eight visas are out immediately.
Not sure you can afford any of it? Start with how much money you actually need. Still weighing Malaysia against somewhere else? Here's the honest comparison. Once you have a shortlist, price it properly: what each route actually costs, all in, and then whether it is worth it.
Common questions
How many ways are there to live in Malaysia long term?
Eight main routes: MM2H Silver, Gold, Platinum and the Forest City SEZ tier; Sarawak S-MM2H; Sabah MM2H; the DE Rantau digital nomad pass; and the Premium Visa Programme. Employment Passes, the Residence Pass-Talent, MTEP for tech founders and the Labuan director route exist as well but depend on employment or company structure.
Which Malaysian visa allows you to work?
Only MM2H Platinum and the Premium Visa Programme permit working and investing in Malaysia among the long-stay routes. MM2H Silver, Gold and Forest City SEZ do not. Sarawak S-MM2H allows limited part-time work within Sarawak. DE Rantau permits remote work only for clients outside Malaysia.
What is the minimum number of days for MM2H?
Ninety cumulative days per year if you are under 50, and no minimum stay at all if you are 50 or over. The requirement is keyed to your age rather than which tier you hold. Sarawak and Sabah set their own requirement at 30 days a year.
Verified July 2026 against the official MM2H portal, Sarawak and Sabah state programme rules, and MDEC's DE Rantau documentation.