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Guide

Malaysia MM2H Platinum, Gold and Silver Tiers Compared

The three federal MM2H tiers differ on the fixed deposit, the property purchase, the term, the fees and work rights. They do not differ on dependents, and none of them has a monthly income test.

The Petronas Towers at night, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Published: 2026-10-16 · Last verified: 2026-10-16 · Numbers apply to US passport holders

Rules change. Confirm the current rules with the official sources linked below before you apply, pay a fee, or book travel around a date in this guide.

The short version

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) is run by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). The federal program, which covers Peninsular Malaysia, has three main tiers: Platinum, Gold and Silver. The financial test for each tier has two parts: a fixed deposit in US dollars held in a Malaysian bank, and a compulsory home purchase priced in ringgit. You must make both. The tiers are not split by monthly income or by dependents. Under the current terms, none of the three has a monthly offshore income test, and all three allow the same family members.

All three tiers have a minimum age of 25. On every tier, the pass itself is issued in blocks of up to 5 years at a time, even when the program term is longer.

Fixed deposit: what stays locked

On every tier, you may withdraw up to 50 percent of the deposit for four uses in Malaysia: buying property, medical care, education and tourism spending. That means the other half stays in the bank for as long as you hold the pass. Here is what stays locked on each tier:

The program terms say profit earned on the fixed deposit is not taxed. Because the deposit is set in US dollars and the property minimum in ringgit, how much the property costs you in dollars depends on the exchange rate when you buy. This guide does not convert between the two currencies.

Monthly offshore income: none on any tier

Under the current federal terms, there is no monthly income test on Platinum, Gold or Silver. Your income does not get you in. The deposit and the property purchase do. Under the old MM2H rules, monthly offshore income was the main test. If an agent or guide quotes a monthly figure for these three tiers, ask them to show you where it appears in the current MOTAC terms.

Income tests still apply on the state programs, which are separate from the federal one. Sabah MM2H requires offshore income of RM10,000 a month for a single applicant, or RM15,000 a month with dependents. Sarawak MM2H uses the same RM10,000 and RM15,000 levels as one of three ways to qualify. Both state passes are for living in that state. Neither replaces the federal program in Peninsular Malaysia.

Property purchase rules

On all three tiers, you buy a residential property after approval. The minimum price goes up with the tier: RM600,000 for Silver, RM1,000,000 for Gold and RM2,000,000 for Platinum. The same resale lock applies on every tier: you cannot sell the property for 10 years, except to upgrade to a more expensive property.

The 10 year lock lasts longer than the Silver term. A Silver holder who buys at the start of a 5 year term is still under the lock when that term ends, so Silver works best if you expect to renew. On Gold (15 years) and Platinum (20 years), the lock ends partway through the first term.

Dependents: identical across tiers

Platinum, Gold and Silver all allow the same dependents: your spouse, unmarried children up to age 34, your parents and your parents in law. A higher tier does not get you more family members. What changes is the cost per head. MOTAC charges a processing fee of RM5,000 for the principal and RM2,500 for each dependent, and Immigration charges a pass fee of RM500 per person per year.

Example: a principal, a spouse and two children is 3 dependents. The MOTAC processing fee is RM5,000 plus 3 x RM2,500 = RM12,500. Pass fees for 4 people are 4 x RM500 = RM2,000 a year, or RM10,000 over a 5 year Silver term. On top of that, Immigration charges a visa fee that depends on nationality, which we have not confirmed for US citizens.

Fees, spread over the term

You pay the participating fee once. Spread over the term, it works out to about RM10,000 a year on Platinum (RM200,000 over 20 years), RM200 a year on Gold (RM3,000 over 15 years) and RM200 a year on Silver (RM1,000 over 5 years). Renewing at the end of the term costs RM5,000 for Platinum, RM3,000 for Gold and RM1,500 for Silver, and you must still meet the program terms.

You must apply through a MOTAC licensed MM2H company, and you pay the agent separately. The reported caps are RM70,000 for Platinum, RM55,000 for Gold and RM40,000 for Silver. These caps are reported figures, so confirm the current fee in writing with your agent.

Work rights

Platinum is the only federal tier whose holders may take part in business and investment activities and work in Malaysia, and that still requires approval. Gold and Silver holders may not work in Malaysia. If you need to work for a Malaysian employer, look at the Employment Pass, which is a separate route on the Malaysia country page.

Minimum stay and tax residency

The minimum stay rule is the same on all three tiers. If you are 50 or older, there is no minimum stay. If you are 25 to 49, you must spend 90 days a year in Malaysia, and the program terms count those days across the principal, spouse and dependents together, not per person.

Tax residency is a separate test. Under section 7 of the Income Tax Act 1967, you are a Malaysian tax resident for a basis year if you are in Malaysia for 182 days or more that year. Shorter linked periods can also create residence. The 90 day MM2H minimum is well below 182, so meeting it does not make you a tax resident by itself. Spending 182 days or more in a year does. The MM2H terms say participants pay no tax on foreign funds or income brought into Malaysia. US citizens are taxed by the US on worldwide income wherever they live, so a Malaysian exemption does not change your US filing obligation.

What MM2H does not lead to

No tier leads to permanent residence. In February 2025 the Tourism Minister told Parliament that people in the current MM2H program cannot apply for permanent residence. Time on MM2H does not count toward an Entry Permit. Naturalization is a separate process, and Malaysia does not allow dual citizenship.

Processing time

MOTAC does not publish an official processing time for the current program. Applicants report 2 to 6 months from submission to approval. Treat that as an estimate, not a promise.

Before you apply

MM2H terms have changed several times in recent years. Before you move money or sign a property contract, check the deposit, property minimum, fees and dependent rules for your tier on the official MOTAC MM2H site. Ask your licensed agent for the current terms in writing, including the visa fee charged to US citizens. For Sabah or Sarawak, use that state's official program terms. All routes are summarized on the Malaysia country page.

Country pages

Official sources

Facts in this guide last verified against the sources: 2026-10-16