MM2H Platinum, explained properly
Platinum is the only MM2H tier that lets you work and invest in Malaysia. It asks USD 1,000,000, a home worth RM 2,000,000 and a RM 200,000 government fee. That's about USD 1.44 million tied up. The Premium Visa gives you the same work rights for roughly a fifth of that.
Background on the programme itself is in the full MM2H reference.
What you need
- A savings deposit of USD 1,000,000, half withdrawable after a year.
- A home worth at least RM 2,000,000, held ten years.
- A government fee of RM 200,000. This one you don't get back.
- Minimum age 25.
- 90 days a year under 50, none over 50.
What you get that the other tiers don't
- You can work and invest in Malaysia. The only MM2H tier that allows it.
- Twenty years on the visa.
- You can bring a foreign domestic helper. Silver and Gold can't.
What it costs
| What | How much | Back? |
|---|---|---|
| Savings deposit | USD 1,000,000 | Yes |
| A home | RM 2,000,000 (~USD 444,000) | After 10 years, if it sells |
| Stamp duty at 8% | ~RM 160,000 | No |
| Government fee | RM 200,000 (~USD 44,000) | No |
| Total | ~USD 1.44M | ~USD 444,000 of it, no |
The comparison the agents won't put in front of you
| Platinum | Premium Visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Total tied up | ~USD 1.44M | ~USD 267,000 |
| Money you don't get back | ~USD 444,000 | ~USD 44,000 |
| How long | 20 years | 20 years |
| Can you work? | Yes | Yes |
| Days here a year | 90 if under 50 | None |
| Must buy a home? | RM 2,000,000 | No |
| Income test | None stated | RM 40,000/mo |
Same term. Same work rights. The Premium Visa has no minimum stay and doesn't make you buy anything. The one thing Platinum has going for it is that it doesn't test your income — so if your money is in assets rather than a monthly figure you can evidence, that's the case for it. Otherwise the numbers are hard to argue with.
What Platinum no longer offers
There used to be a route to permanent residence at the top tier. It was removed and replaced with the twenty-year permit. Nobody joining MM2H now is eligible for PR on any tier. If someone tells you otherwise, they're working from old information.
Before you commit RM 200,000 you'll never see again
That fee is the largest single payment you never get back on any Malaysian visa. Price the Premium Visa properly first — its fee is the same RM 200,000, but the deposit is a fifth of the size and there's no compulsory house. If you clear the income test, that alone is a difference of over a million dollars.
Common questions
Can you work in Malaysia on MM2H Platinum?
Yes. Platinum is the only MM2H tier that permits working and investing in Malaysia. It also allows you to bring a foreign domestic helper, which Silver, Gold and the Forest City tier do not.
Does MM2H Platinum lead to permanent residence?
No. The permanent residence route that once existed at the top tier was removed and replaced with a twenty year permit. No one joining MM2H under the current rules is eligible for permanent residence on any tier.
Is the Premium Visa better than MM2H Platinum?
On the numbers, substantially. Both give a twenty year term and full work rights, but the Premium Visa ties up around USD 267,000 against Platinum's USD 1.44 million, has no minimum stay, and requires no property purchase. Platinum's one advantage is that it does not test your income, which matters if your wealth is in assets rather than monthly earnings.
How much is the MM2H Platinum fee?
RM 200,000 for the main applicant, and it is not refundable. That is the biggest single payment you never get back on any Malaysian long stay visa, and it sits on top of the USD 1,000,000 deposit and the RM 2,000,000 property purchase.
Can Platinum holders bring a maid?
Yes. Platinum permits bringing or hiring a foreign domestic helper. This is one of the few practical benefits it has over Gold and Silver, neither of which allow it.
How many days a year must Platinum holders spend in Malaysia?
Ninety days a year if you are under 50, and no minimum at all if you are 50 or over. The rule is set by your age rather than by which tier you hold, so a Platinum holder under 50 has exactly the same obligation as a Silver holder under 50.
Checked in July 2026 against the official MM2H portal and state programme rules. Ringgit converted at USD 1 = RM 4.50, which moves. Rules change — check before you commit any money.