News Event Summary
On 26 September 2026, Malaysia’s The Star reported that Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Chiew Choon Man said the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme generated RM8.85 billion in economic value between 1 October 2024 and 31 August 2026, with more than RM5 billion coming from property purchases and RM3.82 billion from fixed deposits. The same period saw 7,650 new applications, with China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States as the leading source markets. The ministry also said it would step up promotion in overseas markets including Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea.
What This Guide Covers
– MM2H currently runs across three core federal tiers — Platinum, Gold and Silver — plus the SEZ/SFZ tier (Special Economic Zone/Special Financial Zone, tied to the Forest City development in Johor) launched in 2024. The deposit thresholds, property rules and pass validity differ meaningfully across all four, so picking the wrong tier has real financial-planning consequences.
– This article answers two things: what the current tier thresholds actually are, and how to read the government-backing signal in this news announcement without overreading it.
– The single most-missed condition: property purchase is mandatory, not optional, and the property generally cannot be sold for 10 years. The SEZ/SFZ tier has no fixed property price — it is set by the specific development project instead.
Who Actually Needs to Read This
Foreigners comparing long-term residency destinations — particularly those with meaningful assets who are weighing whether to move part of their savings into a Malaysian fixed deposit — are the core audience for this guide. Many arrive here while researching a second home for retirement, or while trying to secure a stable residency status for their children’s education.
MM2H’s appeal is that it does not require working or running a business in Malaysia to maintain long-term residency. But the thresholds themselves — especially the deposit and property requirements — involve real capital allocation decisions, not just an application fee to budget for. That is why getting the current numbers right matters before anything else.
Existing MM2H holders under older rules often want to confirm whether the current system has changed, and whether the conditions they originally applied under still apply. This guide works as a reference for the current framework, but an existing participant’s individual entitlements remain governed by their original approval letter and the latest official notices.
Current MM2H Tier Requirements Compared
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture’s (MOTAC) official category overview page lists three federal tiers — Platinum, Gold and Silver — plus SEZ/SFZ, which is split into two age bands. Here is what the official page currently sets out:
| Requirement | Platinum | Gold | Silver | SEZ/SFZ (age 50+) | SEZ/SFZ (age 21–49) | Data basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed deposit | USD 1,000,000 | USD 500,000 | USD 150,000 | USD 32,000 | USD 65,000 | Official |
| MM2H pass validity | 20 years, renewable | 15 years, renewable | 5 years, renewable | 10 years, renewable | 10 years, renewable | Official |
| Minimum age (main applicant) | 25+ | 25+ | 25+ | 50+ | 21+ | Official |
| Mandatory property purchase | RM 2,000,000 or above | RM 1,000,000 or above | RM 600,000 or above | Price as set for the SEZ development project (no fixed official figure) | Same as left | Official |
| One-off participating fee (principal) | RM 200,000 | RM 3,000 | RM 1,000 | RM 1,000 | RM 1,000 | Official |
| Processing fee | RM 5,000 (principal) + RM 2,500 (each dependant), uniform across all tiers | Same as left | Same as left | Same as left | Same as left | Official |
| Renewal fee | RM 5,000 | RM 3,000 | RM 1,500 | RM 300 | RM 300 | Official |
| Minimum days in Malaysia per year (age 25–49) | 90 days cumulative, met by principal and/or spouse and dependants combined | Same as left | Same as left | Not applicable (this band is 50+) | Same as left | Official |
| Minimum days in Malaysia per year (age 50+) | No minimum stay requirement | Same as left | Same as left | No minimum stay requirement | Not applicable (this band is 21–49) | Official |
A few details that are easy to misread: the two SEZ/SFZ age bands run in reverse of what you might expect — the deposit for applicants aged 50 and above (USD 32,000) is lower than for the 21–49 age band (USD 65,000). That is the official structure, not a typo. Also, the maximum withdrawal from the fixed deposit once approved is 50% of the principal, and only for property purchase, education, medical or tourism-related purposes — it is not a lump sum released for free use.
The property purchase requirement is mandatory across all tiers, not an optional extra: once approved, participants must buy and hold a residence at or above the threshold value, and generally cannot sell it for 10 years, unless upgrading to a higher-value property. On dependants, spouses, children under 21 (those aged 21–34 must be unemployed and single), medically certified disabled children of any age, and parents or parents-in-law of either applicant can all be included; only the Platinum tier additionally allows a foreign domestic helper. On business rights, Platinum participants are permitted to engage in business, investment activity and career opportunities in Malaysia; Gold and Silver participants are not.
On the application route, MOTAC requires that all applications go through a licensed MM2H tour operator (licensed under the Tourism Industry Act 1992) and be submitted through the One Stop Centre (OSC MM2H); final immigration approval sits with the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Immigration Department. In other words, this is not a process an applicant can run directly with the immigration authority alone.
Reading the Government-Backing Signal in This News
The RM8.85 billion economic-value figure and the 7,650 new applications are statements attributed to the Deputy Minister as reported by the media, not numbers drawn from the same official MOTAC pages that set the tier thresholds in the comparison table above — those are two separate things, and this article treats them as such. The current tier requirements (deposits, property values, fees) remain governed by MOTAC’s current official pages and were not changed by this announcement.
On the government’s actual actions, the stated intent to expand promotion in Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea, and the ministry’s ongoing engagement with industry stakeholders (MM2H consultants, real estate, education, healthcare and banking representatives), is a reasonable signal that the programme is still being actively administered. But that is an administrative and public-relations signal, not a commitment that the thresholds will stay unchanged going forward — MM2H has been restructured before, and applicants who have already decided to apply should re-verify the current official page immediately before submitting.
Common Misunderstandings and Risks
– Misunderstanding: the deposit amount is the same as usable funds. In practice, only 50% of the principal can be withdrawn after approval, and only for specific purposes. Financial planning should be based on the portion that stays locked in Malaysia, not the amount that can eventually be withdrawn.
– Misunderstanding: the property can be sold whenever you like. The rule is a 10-year holding period with no sale allowed, other than upgrading to a higher-value property. Anyone treating the property purchase as a short-term asset allocation needs to account for this restriction.
– Misunderstanding: SEZ/SFZ is simply a cheaper shortcut compared to the other three tiers. SEZ/SFZ does have a lower deposit threshold, but the property purchase is tied to a specific Forest City development with no fixed official price, so the real total cost needs separate confirmation from a licensed operator or the development itself — deposit size alone does not tell you which tier is cheaper.
– Misunderstanding: an applicant can apply directly with the Immigration Department, skipping the intermediary step. The official rule requires applications to go through a licensed MM2H operator and the One Stop Centre — choosing an operator is part of the required process, not an optional shortcut.
– Misunderstanding: the economic-value figures in this news story reflect a commitment to any individual applicant. These are programme-wide statistics and have no direct bearing on an individual applicant’s approval outcome, waiting time, or likelihood of success.
Three Practical Scenarios
Scenario one: a Hong Kong couple planning to retire with Malaysia as their primary residence. This couple has moderate assets and is considering the Silver tier because the threshold (USD 150,000 deposit plus RM 600,000 property) is relatively achievable. They need to confirm three things first: the deposit must sit in a regulated Malaysian financial institution, the property cannot be sold for 10 years, and the 25+ minimum age applies — if one spouse is under 25 (for example, if a younger adult child were named as the main applicant instead), that person would not qualify under this tier.
Scenario two: a family whose main goal is their children’s education. This applicant type is mainly focused on whether dependants can join, and whether children can attend government-recognised higher-education institutions in Malaysia. Children under 21 (and those aged 21–34 if unemployed and single) can be included as dependants, and can either use the existing MM2H pass or be issued a student pass automatically. This does not guarantee a school place or admission — that still needs to be confirmed separately with the institution.
Scenario three: an applicant with larger assets considering Platinum specifically to keep business flexibility. What matters most to this applicant is that Platinum is the only tier that permits business, investment activity and career development in Malaysia — a right Gold and Silver do not carry. But Platinum’s deposit (USD 1,000,000) and property threshold (RM 2,000,000+) are correspondingly higher, and the applicant needs to confirm this capital commitment against other existing financial plans, rather than applying based solely on the work-permission advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions About MM2H Applications
Q1: Is MM2H still accepting new applications?
Yes. Based on official statements in September 2026 and MOTAC’s current website, all four tiers (Platinum, Gold, Silver and SEZ/SFZ) remain open to new applications, though the exact intake status and process details should be confirmed against the latest official announcement.
Q2: How much of the deposit can actually be used after approval?
The official maximum withdrawal is 50% of the principal, restricted to property purchase, education, medical or tourism-related purposes. It is not released in full for free use — the remainder must stay in the regulated Malaysian fixed deposit account.
Q3: Which has a lower threshold, Silver or SEZ/SFZ?
It depends on the age band. The SEZ/SFZ 50+ deposit (USD 32,000) is much lower than Silver’s (USD 150,000), but SEZ/SFZ property purchase is tied to a specific Forest City development with no fixed price, so the real total cost needs separate confirmation from a licensed operator — deposit comparison alone is not enough.
Q4: Can the property really not be sold at all?
Generally not for 10 years after approval, with the only exception being an upgrade to a higher-value property. This applies across all tiers, so anyone factoring MM2H into a liquidity plan should account for this lock-in period.
Q5: Is going through an agent mandatory?
Yes. The official rule requires applications to go through a MOTAC-licensed MM2H tour operator and be submitted via the One Stop Centre (OSC MM2H). This is part of the official application route — there is no direct path that bypasses this step.
Q6: What does the RM8.85 billion economic-value figure in the news actually mean for my application?
It reflects the programme’s overall scale and contribution to the Malaysian economy — a statistic attributed to a government official in media reporting, not a number tied to individual applicant thresholds. It has no direct bearing on any specific application’s outcome, and the tier requirements in this guide remain the relevant reference for preparing to apply.
Important Disclaimer
This article is general informational content and does not constitute legal, tax, financial or immigration advisory advice. The figures are compiled primarily from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture’s (MOTAC) official MM2H website as it currently stands in 2026. Specific requirements may be updated at any time — readers should confirm the latest official announcement before applying, and consult a licensed MM2H operator or a qualified professional adviser where necessary.
This content is current as of 27 September 2026, per the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture’s (MOTAC) official MM2H website.
References
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) – MM2H Category Overview / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) – MM2H Category Platinum/Gold/Silver/SEZ / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) – MM2H Apply Guidelines / The Star – MM2H generates RM8.85bil in economic value, says Deputy Tourism Minister
