Can foreign buyers get residency in Malaysia by buying property?

Yes. Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - Silver, Gold and Platinum: from MYR 600,000 (about $147k). Fixed deposit at a Malaysian licensed bank AND purchase of a home: Silver USD 150k + home RM600k or above; Gold USD 500k + RM1m; Platinum USD 1m + RM2m. Home cannot be sold for 10 years except to upgrade. Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - Special Economic Zone / Special Financial Zone (SEZ/SFZ): no set minimum. Fixed deposit of USD 65k (age 21-49) or USD 32k (50+) plus purchase of a home in the zone; the minimum home value is set by the state property purchase policy Sarawak Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H): from MYR 500,000 (about $123k). RM500k fixed deposit in a Sarawak panel bank (balance must stay at RM250k or more) AND monthly pension or offshore income of RM10k (RM15k with dependants), OR savings of RM100k (RM200k with dependants); home purchase optional (at least RM600k in Kuching Division, RM500k elsewhere); up to 50% of the deposit can be withdrawn after year 1 for a house, car, medical or education in Sarawak

How long does it take?

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - Silver, Gold and Platinum: the authorities publish no processing time. The permit runs 5 (Silver) / 15 (Gold) / 20 (Platinum) years, renewable (pass renewed every 5 years or in line with passport validity).

Does it lead to citizenship?

No set path to permanent residence or citizenship through this route.

The Residency Index2027 edition

Malaysia residency by investment.

From: $147k
Permit in: —
Passport in: No
Index score: 59

Homes in Malaysia The Malaysia map

3 open routes

The routes to living in Malaysia.

Our Malaysia visa and residency guide

Our verdict. Malaysia My Second Home suits a family that wants to buy a home and hold a long-stay permit around it, parents included. Silver asks for a US$150,000 fixed deposit and a home of RM600,000 or more, for a five-year pass; Gold and Platinum raise both and run 15 and 20 years. Foreign-sourced income received by residents is currently exempt. The drawbacks: holders under 50 must spend 90 days a year in Malaysia, the home cannot be sold for ten years except to upgrade, and the route sets no path to permanent residence or citizenship. Compared with Thailand's LTR, the entry cost is lower, but Thailand sets no minimum stay.

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - Silver, Gold and Platinum

Open59

official guidelines last updated 10 Feb 2026

Minimum: MYR 600,000 · about $147k
What counts: Fixed deposit at a Malaysian licensed bank AND purchase of a home: Silver USD 150k + home RM600k or above; Gold USD 500k + RM1m; Platinum USD 1m + RM2m. Home cannot be sold for 10 years except to upgrade.
Processing: Not published
Permit: 5 (Silver) / 15 (Gold) / 20 (Platinum) years, renewable (pass renewed every 5 years or in line with passport validity)
Time you must spend there: 90 days a year (cumulative) for participants under 50; 50+ exempt
Path to a passport: No set path to permanent residence or citizenship through this route.
Family: spouse; children (biological, step, adopted) under 21, or 21-34 if unmarried and unemployed; disabled children of any age; parents and/or parents-in-law
Tax: Malaysia taxes on a territorial basis; foreign-sourced income received by resident individuals is currently exempt (time-limited exemption)

Official source · Second source · checked 2026-10-20

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - Special Economic Zone / Special Financial Zone (SEZ/SFZ)

Open49

Minimum: No minimum
What counts: Fixed deposit of USD 65k (age 21-49) or USD 32k (50+) plus purchase of a home in the zone; the minimum home value is set by the state property purchase policy
Processing: Not published
Permit: 10 years, renewable
Time you must spend there: 90 days a year (cumulative) for participants under 50
Path to a passport: No set path to permanent residence or citizenship through this route.
Family: spouse; children under 21, or 21-34 if unmarried and unemployed; disabled children of any age; parents and/or parents-in-law
Tax: Malaysia taxes on a territorial basis; foreign-sourced income received by resident individuals is currently exempt (time-limited exemption)

Official source · Second source · checked 2026-10-20

Sarawak Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H)

Open59

Application Guide amended 31 Jul 2025; ministry page updated 14 Oct 2026

Minimum: MYR 500,000 · about $123k
What counts: RM500k fixed deposit in a Sarawak panel bank (balance must stay at RM250k or more) AND monthly pension or offshore income of RM10k (RM15k with dependants), OR savings of RM100k (RM200k with dependants); home purchase optional (at least RM600k in Kuching Division, RM500k elsewhere); up to 50% of the deposit can be withdrawn after year 1 for a house, car, medical or education in Sarawak
Processing: Not published
Permit: 5 years, renewable (5 + 5 years, then a new application for a further 10 years)
Time you must spend there: 30 days a year in Sarawak (main participant)
Path to a passport: No set path to permanent residence or citizenship through this route.
Family: spouse, children and stepchildren 21 and under, disabled children of any age, parents
Tax: Malaysian territorial basis, as federal MM2H

Official source · Second source · checked 2026-10-20

Residency rules, thresholds and fees change often, sometimes without notice. Everything here is general information, checked on the date shown, not legal, tax or immigration advice: confirm with the official source and a licensed adviser before you act. Continental sells property; we don’t arrange visas or residency.

Homes

Homes from the MYR 600,000 minimum.

Our homes in Malaysia priced at the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - Silver, Gold and Platinum minimum or above. Whether a purchase qualifies turns on the route’s conditions: the authorities and your adviser decide. We sell the home, not the visa.

All homes in Malaysia

AvailableFromMYR 724k (about £133k)
Melaka, Malaysia
The Sail, Malacca
Hotel suites and residences on the Melaka waterfront
Type
Apartment
Bedrooms
1–3
Completion
Off-plan

Pounds are approximate, at ECB euro reference rates, 20 October 2026; Gulf currencies at their US dollar pegs.

Buying in Malaysia The Malaysia map Malaysia Visa & Residency guide

Short answers

What people ask.

Can foreign buyers get residency in Malaysia by buying property?: Yes. Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - Silver, Gold and Platinum: from MYR 600,000 (about $147k). Fixed deposit at a Malaysian licensed bank AND purchase of a home: Silver USD 150k + home RM600k or above; Gold USD 500k + RM1m; Platinum USD 1m + RM2m. Home cannot be sold for 10 years except to upgrade. Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - Special Economic Zone / Special Financial Zone (SEZ/SFZ): no set minimum. Fixed deposit of USD 65k (age 21-49) or USD 32k (50+) plus purchase of a home in the zone; the minimum home value is set by the state property purchase policy Sarawak Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H): from MYR 500,000 (about $123k). RM500k fixed deposit in a Sarawak panel bank (balance must stay at RM250k or more) AND monthly pension or offshore income of RM10k (RM15k with dependants), OR savings of RM100k (RM200k with dependants); home purchase optional (at least RM600k in Kuching Division, RM500k elsewhere); up to 50% of the deposit can be withdrawn after year 1 for a house, car, medical or education in Sarawak
How long does it take?: Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) - Silver, Gold and Platinum: the authorities publish no processing time. The permit runs 5 (Silver) / 15 (Gold) / 20 (Platinum) years, renewable (pass renewed every 5 years or in line with passport validity).
Does it lead to citizenship?: No set path to permanent residence or citizenship through this route.

The Wealth Atlas

What living well in Malaysia costs.

Kuala LumpurA well-provided year, sourced line by line£59k

Read it for your passport

Malaysia residency, passport by passport.

Visa-free stays: Immigration Department of Malaysia; Malaysian Embassy, Abu Dhabi; EY on the India and China extension. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.

Homes

Looking for a home in Malaysia?

We sell homes in Malaysia. Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll show you what’s available, including homes at the price points these routes ask for. The visa itself is a matter for the authorities and your own adviser.

Malaysia residency by investment.

The routes to living in Malaysia.

Homes from the MYR 600,000 minimum.

The Sail, Malacca

What people ask.

What living well in Malaysia costs.

Malaysia residency, passport by passport.

Looking for a home in Malaysia?