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MM2H, and the home you must buy.

Deposit, the compulsory purchase, how the state’s minimum for foreigners stacks on top, family, stay and fees, from the official MM2H site. 第二家园与买房 · 官方规定

Categories
4
Home, from
RM 600,000
Hold for
10 years
Rules read
21 Oct 2026

MM2H in 2026: Categories, Deposits and the Home You Must Buy

The four federal MM2H categories, their fixed deposits, the home each one must buy, and why the state minimum price for foreigners still applies.

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) is a long-stay pass, not a permit to buy property: a foreigner can buy a home without it. The federal programme has four categories. Silver needs a USD150,000 fixed deposit and a home of at least RM600,000; Gold needs USD500,000 and RM1,000,000; Platinum needs USD1,000,000 and RM2,000,000. The Special Economic Zone category buys new property from the developer in Forest City, Johor. Silver, Gold and Platinum participants must buy within one year after the pass is endorsed, and the home cannot be sold for 10 years unless they move to a more expensive one. An MM2H participant is still a foreign buyer, so the home must clear the higher of the MM2H minimum and the state figure: RM1,000,000 in Kuala Lumpur and RM2,000,000 in most of Selangor. The transfer is stamped at the flat 8% rate for foreign buyers.

Written May 28, 2026 and checked against the official rules below; the detail and the source of each point are in the answers that follow.

Twenty questions buyers ask.

Each answer is from the MM2H site or a MOTAC document, with the source under it.买家会问的 20 个问题

  1. What is MM2H now, and who runs it?MM2H 现在是什么？
  2. How much do I have to put in a fixed deposit?定存要放多少？
  3. Can I take money out of the deposit?定存可以提出来吗？
  4. Do I have to buy a property? How cheap can it be?一定要买房吗？最低多少？
  5. How soon after approval must I buy?批准后多久要买？
  6. Does the state’s minimum price for foreigners also apply?州政府的外国人最低价也要过吗？
  7. Can I sell the home later?房子可以卖吗？
  8. Can I pay for the home with the deposit?可以用定存付房款吗？
  9. Can my family come with me?可以带家人吗？
  10. How many days a year must I live here?每年要住几天？
  11. How long is the pass?准证几年？
  12. What are the government fees?政府收什么费？
  13. Do I need a medical check-up and insurance?要体检和保险吗？
  14. Do I need to show offshore income?要证明海外收入吗？
  15. Can I work or run a business?可以工作或做生意吗？
  16. Can my children study here?孩子可以在这里读书吗？
  17. Can I apply on my own?可以自己申请吗？
  18. Is there a tax benefit?有税务好处吗？
  19. Does MM2H lead to permanent residence?会变成永久居民吗？
  20. What about Sabah and Sarawak?沙巴、砂拉越呢？

Four categories, side by side.

Federal programme. Sabah and Sarawak run their own; see question 20.四个类别对照

CategoryFixed depositHome, at leastPassParticipating feeRenewal feeWorkAge
PlatinumUSD 1,000,000RM 2,000,00020 yearsRM 200,000RM 5,000Yes25+
GoldUSD 500,000RM 1,000,00015 yearsRM 3,000RM 3,000Separate pass25+
SilverUSD 150,000RM 600,0005 yearsRM 1,000RM 1,500Separate pass25+
SEZ/SFZUSD 65,000 (21–49) · USD 32,000 (50+)SEZ price, Forest City only10 yearsRM 1,000RM 300No21+

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026. Processing fee RM 5,000 + RM 2,500 per dependant for every category; pass fee RM 500 a year; deposit withdrawal up to 50%; 90 days a year under age 50.

The answers, with sources.

Q01What is MM2H now, and who runs it?MM2H 现在是什么？

A long-stay social visit pass for foreigners, run by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) through a One Stop Centre, with the immigration decision made by the Home Ministry and Immigration. Since the 2024 revamp it has four categories: Platinum, Gold, Silver and SEZ/SFZ (special economic and financial zones).

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026.

Q02How much do I have to put in a fixed deposit?定存要放多少？

USD 1,000,000 (Platinum), USD 500,000 (Gold), USD 150,000 (Silver), and for SEZ/SFZ USD 65,000 (aged 21–49) or USD 32,000 (aged 50 and over). The deposit sits with a bank licensed under the Financial Services Act 2013 or the Islamic Financial Services Act 2013. A May 2025 MOTAC announcement “encourages” placing it in ringgit at the equivalent amount.

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026. MOTAC announcement, 28 May 2025.

Q03Can I take money out of the deposit?定存可以提出来吗？

Up to 50% of the principal’s deposit, for buying a home, education, medical care or tourism in Malaysia. The guidelines page says “after MM2H approval”. One MOTAC category summary says “after 1 year” instead, so confirm the timing with the One Stop Centre before you plan around it.

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026. MOTAC “Insights on the Categories” (Dec 2025 upload).

Q04Do I have to buy a property? How cheap can it be?一定要买房吗？最低多少？

Yes, buying and owning a home after approval is compulsory. Minimum price: RM 2,000,000 (Platinum), RM 1,000,000 (Gold), RM 600,000 (Silver). SEZ/SFZ participants buy at the price set for the SEZ development; MOTAC’s May 2025 announcement limits SEZ purchases to Forest City in Johor, bought from the developer.

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026. MOTAC announcement, 28 May 2025.

Q05How soon after approval must I buy?批准后多久要买？

MOTAC’s announcement of 28 May 2025 sets one year from the pass endorsement for Platinum, Gold and Silver. For SEZ the purchase must be done before the pass is endorsed.

MOTAC, “Pengumuman Terkini Program MM2H”, 28 May 2025.

Q06Does the state’s minimum price for foreigners also apply?州政府的外国人最低价也要过吗？

Yes. Buying land or a home as a foreigner needs the state’s consent under the National Land Code, and each state sets its own minimum. The MM2H site does not say how the two interact, so the safe reading is that the unit must clear both: in Kuala Lumpur the federal floor of RM 1,000,000; in most of Selangor RM 2,000,000 (strata only); in Johor RM 1,000,000. Penang is the exception that helps: its guideline sets RM 500,000 for MM2H participants, so there the MM2H category minimum is the higher one.

Ministry of Economy, Garis Panduan Perolehan Hartanah (in force 13 Jul 2022); Pekeliling PTG Selangor Bil. 1/2014 (in force 1 Sep 2014, still in force per Pekeliling 3/2021); PTG Pulau Pinang guideline on foreign acquisition, updated 1 Aug 2024; PTG Johor, Perolehan Hartanah oleh Kepentingan Asing. Read 21 Oct 2026. No Kuala Lumpur land office circular on a separate minimum was found.

Q07Can I sell the home later?房子可以卖吗？

Not for 10 years, except to upgrade to a higher-value home. Breaking the purchase or sale conditions can lead to the pass being revoked.

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026.

Q08Can I pay for the home with the deposit?可以用定存付房款吗？

The 50% withdrawal can go to a home purchase. Under the May 2025 announcement, for Platinum, Gold and Silver the home must have been bought within 2 years before the pass endorsement (SEZ: within 6 months) and meet the category’s minimum price.

MOTAC, 28 May 2025.

Q09Can my family come with me?可以带家人吗？

Yes: spouse; children under 21 (biological, step or adopted); children aged 21 to 34 who are single and not working in Malaysia; children with a disability of any age with a medical certificate; parents and parents-in-law. Only Platinum may bring a foreign maid. Dependants pay no participating fee. One MOTAC summary gives 35 as the age limit; the official site says 34.

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026.

Q10How many days a year must I live here?每年要住几天？

Under 50: 90 days in total in a year; for principals aged 25 to 49 the days can be met by the principal and/or dependants. Aged 50 and over: no minimum. SEZ/SFZ 21–49: 90 days.

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026.

Q11How long is the pass?准证几年？

20 years (Platinum), 15 years (Gold), 5 years (Silver), 10 years (SEZ/SFZ), all renewable, with a multiple-entry visa. The pass sticker follows the passport’s validity.

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026.

Q12What are the government fees?政府收什么费？

One-off participating fee for the principal: RM 200,000 (Platinum), RM 3,000 (Gold), RM 1,000 (Silver and SEZ). Processing fee RM 5,000 for the principal and RM 2,500 per dependant. Online system fee RM 500 per application from 1 August 2025 (before SST). Visa RM 0–50 by nationality; pass fee RM 500 a year. Renewal fee RM 5,000 / 3,000 / 1,500 / 300.

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026. MOTAC, “Pengumuman Terkini Sistem MM2H”, effective 1 Aug 2025.

Q13Do I need a medical check-up and insurance?要体检和保险吗？

After approval, the principal and dependants take a medical check-up at a clinic or hospital appointed by MOTAC. Health insurance is required when renewing after the maximum programme years; MOTAC publishes a list of insurers.

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026.

Q14Do I need to show offshore income?要证明海外收入吗？

No fixed income threshold for the federal programme: the July 2024 terms dropped the offshore income requirement for every category. The May 2025 announcement says applicants may still be asked for work, income and family documents.

MOTAC Terms and Regulations for New Participants, accurate as of 22 July 2024; announcement 28 May 2025.

Q15Can I work or run a business?可以工作或做生意吗？

Platinum: business, investment and career activities are “permissible”. Gold and Silver: not under the MM2H pass; a separate pass is needed.

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026.

Q16Can my children study here?孩子可以在这里读书吗？

Yes. Dependants may study up to tertiary level at government-recognised institutions.

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026.

Q17Can I apply on my own?可以自己申请吗？

No. Applications go through an MM2H agent licensed by MOTAC under the Tourism Industry Act 1992, to the One Stop Centre. New applications use the online system at mm2h.gov.my/portal from 1 August 2025; agent appointments are booked online from 1 October 2025. MOTAC does not publish agent fees or an official processing time.

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026. MOTAC announcements effective 1 Aug 2025 and 1 Oct 2025.

Q18Is there a tax benefit?有税务好处吗？

The official overview lists “no tax on foreign funds/income and profit on fixed deposits in Malaysia”. Buying a home is taxed like any foreign purchase: from 1 January 2026 the stamp duty on the transfer of a home to a non-citizen who is not a permanent resident is 8% of the price or market value, and gains on a sale are taxed under Part III of the RPGT schedule (30% in the first five years, 10% from the 6th).

MM2H official site (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture): mm2h.gov.my category overview, guidelines and category pages, “Last Update 10/02/2026”, read 21 Oct 2026. Stamp duty: Stamp Act 1949 item 32(ab), inserted by Finance Act 2025 (Act 874, gazetted 31 Dec 2025); RPGT: LHDN rates page (updated 23 Jun 2026). Read 21 Oct 2026. Work it out on our calculators.

Q19Does MM2H lead to permanent residence?会变成永久居民吗？

The MM2H site does not offer permanent residence or citizenship. The minister has said in Parliament that it does not (reported by the press; not on the MM2H site).

Q20What about Sabah and Sarawak?沙巴、砂拉越呢？

Both run their own programmes with their own rules. Sarawak (S-MM2H, from 1 Jan 2025): aged 30+, RM 500,000 deposit in a Sarawak bank, 30 days a year in Sarawak, home purchase voluntary (Kuching at least RM 600,000, elsewhere RM 500,000 if you buy). Sabah: Silver RM 500,000 deposit and a Sabah high-rise home of at least RM 600,000; Gold and Platinum mirror the federal deposits; 30 days a year in Sabah.

Sarawak Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, S-MM2H guide (version 4.3.2025) and news release 31 Oct 2024; Sabah MM2H site (Sabah Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment), updated 8 Sep 2026. Read 20 Oct 2026; see our notes.

Left out, no official source

  • Agent fees and total processing time: MOTAC does not publish them.
  • Whether SST applies to the participating fee: only the RM 500 system fee is stated as before SST.
  • Loan margins for MM2H buyers: set by each bank.

From application to keys.

The order matters because of the one-year purchase clock.申请到买房的步骤

  1. Choose a category and a licensed agentCategory by deposit and the home you want; agent from MOTAC’s licensed list (Tourism Industry Act 1992).
  2. Apply online through the agentFrom 1 Aug 2025 on mm2h.gov.my/portal: IM.12 form, passports, family documents, a good-conduct certificate for everyone 18+, translations certified. System fee RM 500.
  3. Security screening and approvalAll applications are screened by the police; random interviews since 2025. Then approval in principle.
  4. Open the fixed deposit, medical check-upDeposit at a licensed Malaysian bank; check-ups at MOTAC-appointed clinics for the principal and dependants.
  5. Pass endorsedParticipating and processing fees, visa and pass fees paid; pass stuck to the passport.
  6. Buy the home within one yearAt or above the category minimum and the state’s minimum for foreigners, with state consent; up to 50% of the deposit may fund it. Then hold it for 10 years.
StateForeigner minimum, homesNotes
Kuala LumpurRM 1,000,000Federal floor for foreigners; no separate KL land office minimum found
SelangorRM 2,000,000 (strata only)Petaling, Gombak, Hulu Langat, Sepang, Klang, Kuala Selangor, Kuala Langat; RM 1,000,000 in Hulu Selangor and Sabak Bernam; landed homes not allowed
PenangRM 500,000 for MM2H (strata: RM 1,000,000 island / RM 500,000 mainland for other foreigners)Cannot resell within 3 years; application fee RM 10,000 per unit; state levy 3% (1.5% for island strata of RM 1–1.5 million)
JohorRM 1,000,000Applies to developer and subsale; condo quota up to 50% per project

Ministry of Economy, Garis Panduan Perolehan Hartanah (in force 13 Jul 2022); Pekeliling PTG Selangor Bil. 1/2014 (in force 1 Sep 2014, still in force per Pekeliling 3/2021); PTG Pulau Pinang guideline on foreign acquisition, updated 1 Aug 2024; PTG Johor, Perolehan Hartanah oleh Kepentingan Asing. Read 21 Oct 2026. No Kuala Lumpur land office circular on a separate minimum was found.

Which projects clear both minimums?

Pick a category and a state. The higher of the MM2H minimum and the state’s minimum for foreigners is the one that counts.哪些项目够门槛

Which portal projects fit?

The unit must cost at leastRM 0

Projects

    Prices: developer price lists in the portal database (MPD export 14 Oct 2026); a project is listed when its highest listed price reaches the minimum, so only some units in it may qualify. State minimums: see the table on the left of this section and its sources.

    What I’d tell an MM2H buyer.

    MM2H is a visa with a house attached, not a property deal with a visa attached.

    Who it suits

    • Gold is the realistic tier for most families buying in KL City Centre or Mont Kiara: its RM 1,000,000 equals the federal floor for foreigners that applies in KL, so one purchase clears both.
    • Silver at RM 600,000 really works in Penang, where MM2H buyers have a RM 500,000 state minimum. In KL and Johor the state floor is RM 1,000,000 and in most of Selangor RM 2,000,000, so the cheaper Silver home does not exist there.
    • Platinum only makes sense if you need the right to work or run a business here, or a maid; RM 200,000 is a fee, not an investment.
    • Over 50 with no plan to live here three months a year? The 50+ exemption from the 90-day rule matters more than the tier.

    What to watch

    • You cannot sell for 10 years. Buy what you would hold anyway: completed or near-completion, rail-linked, a layout tenants want.
    • The one-year purchase clock starts at endorsement. Shortlist before you apply, not after.
    • Stamp duty for foreigners is 8% from 2026; budget it from day one.
    • Serviced apartments and SOHO: check the title and whether the state treats it as residential for foreigners before you pay a booking fee.

    Worked example: Gold, KL, one unit

    RM 1,200,000 unit bought from a developer

    Fixed deposit (held, up to half usable)
    USD 500,000
    Stamp duty on transfer, 8%
    RM 96,000
    Legal fee on the SPA, about (SRO 2023, developer sale 50%)
    RM 6,625
    Participating fee (one-off)
    RM 3,000
    Processing: principal + spouse
    RM 7,500
    Online system fee
    RM 500
    Cash out before the price itself
    RM 113,625

    Illustration only. Legal fee before SST and disbursements; loan costs, state consent fees and agent fees left out because they vary. Fees: MM2H site and MOTAC (read 21 Oct 2026); duty: LHDN; legal scale: Solicitors’ Remuneration Order 2023.

    Yee Woei Shyan, REN 46305, IQI Realty · 我的看法

    Short answers.

    What is MM2H now, and who runs it?

    A long-stay social visit pass for foreigners, run by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) through a One Stop Centre, with the immigration decision made by the Home Ministry and Immigration. Since the 2024 revamp it has four categories: Platinum, Gold, Silver and SEZ/SFZ (special economic and financial zones).

    How much do I have to put in a fixed deposit?

    USD 1,000,000 (Platinum), USD 500,000 (Gold), USD 150,000 (Silver), and for SEZ/SFZ USD 65,000 (aged 21–49) or USD 32,000 (aged 50 and over). The deposit sits with a bank licensed under the Financial Services Act 2013 or the Islamic Financial Services Act 2013. A May 2025 MOTAC announcement “encourages” placing it in ringgit at the equivalent amount.

    Can I take money out of the deposit?

    Up to 50% of the principal’s deposit, for buying a home, education, medical care or tourism in Malaysia. The guidelines page says “after MM2H approval”. One MOTAC category summary says “after 1 year” instead, so confirm the timing with the One Stop Centre before you plan around it.

    Do I have to buy a property? How cheap can it be?

    Yes, buying and owning a home after approval is compulsory. Minimum price: RM 2,000,000 (Platinum), RM 1,000,000 (Gold), RM 600,000 (Silver). SEZ/SFZ participants buy at the price set for the SEZ development; MOTAC’s May 2025 announcement limits SEZ purchases to Forest City in Johor, bought from the developer.

    How soon after approval must I buy?

    MOTAC’s announcement of 28 May 2025 sets one year from the pass endorsement for Platinum, Gold and Silver. For SEZ the purchase must be done before the pass is endorsed.

    Does the state’s minimum price for foreigners also apply?

    Yes. Buying land or a home as a foreigner needs the state’s consent under the National Land Code, and each state sets its own minimum. The MM2H site does not say how the two interact, so the safe reading is that the unit must clear both: in Kuala Lumpur the federal floor of RM 1,000,000; in most of Selangor RM 2,000,000 (strata only); in Johor RM 1,000,000. Penang is the exception that helps: its guideline sets RM 500,000 for MM2H participants, so there the MM2H category minimum is the higher one.

    Can I sell the home later?

    Not for 10 years, except to upgrade to a higher-value home. Breaking the purchase or sale conditions can lead to the pass being revoked.

    Can I pay for the home with the deposit?

    The 50% withdrawal can go to a home purchase. Under the May 2025 announcement, for Platinum, Gold and Silver the home must have been bought within 2 years before the pass endorsement (SEZ: within 6 months) and meet the category’s minimum price.

    Rules checked 21 Oct 2026

    Planning MM2H around a home?Ask on WhatsApp.

    Tell me the category and the state. You get the projects that clear both minimums, the full cost sheet and the timeline.欢迎中文咨询 · MM2H 买房

    • Cost sheetDuty, legal fees, MM2H fees
    • Qualifying unitsAt or above both minimums
    • Viewing slotSales gallery or video walkthrough

    Use it on real projects.