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Residency pathway · Malaysia

Move to Malaysia.
Territorial tax.
A 5-to-20-year pass.

Malaysia taxes income derived from Malaysia; foreign income brought in by resident individuals is exempt until 31 December 2036 if it was taxed at source. The relaunched MM2H programme issues renewable passes of 5, 15 or 20 years. MoveToMalaysia sets out the real pass categories, the official deposit and property thresholds, the 182-day tax test and the filing sequence — so you arrive with a plan, not a forum thread.

Start my residency file — $497 →See the pathways ↓
Official thresholds / Vetted local lawyers / Exit Global review
Your residency file, organisedExample
My residency file🔒
🌍 Home country🇲🇾 Malaysia

One destination. One organised file.

Every document the authority will ask for, in order.
Example checklist3 of 4 added
🛂
Passport + photosValidity checked against the rule
✓
📜
Police clearance, apostilledFrom every country of recent residence
✓
🏦
Proof of funds / incomeMatched to the category threshold
✓
🩺
Health coverAdd it when available
PENDING
Know what you have. See what's next.Less guesswork. Fewer rejected files.
At a glance

Malaysia in four numbers

Figures are quoted from the official pages linked on each card. Checked 8 September 2026.

Tax system
Territorial

Malaysia-source income is taxed; foreign income received by resident individuals is exempt to 2036 if taxed at origin.

Official source ↗
Presence to keep MM2H
90 days / year

Participants aged below 50 must be present 90 days (cumulative) in a year; Sarawak S-MM2H requires 30 days.

Official source ↗
Pass length
5 / 15 / 20 years

Silver 5 years, Gold 15 years, Platinum 20 years, each with a multiple-entry visa and renewal every 5 years.

Official source ↗
Citizenship
10 of 12 years

Naturalisation needs an Entry Permit (permanent residence), 10 years' residence in the preceding 12, and adequate Malay.

Official source ↗
Why people choose Malaysia

The honest case.
And who it isn't for.

No destination is right for everyone. These are the reasons people actually choose Malaysia — and the situations where we would tell you to look elsewhere.

Foreign income can come in tax-free

Since 1 January 2022 foreign-source income received in Malaysia by a resident is within the tax net, but resident individuals are exempt on income that was subjected to tax in the country of origin. The exemption ran to 31 December 2026 and has been extended to 31 December 2036. Malaysia-source income is taxed at 0% on the first RM5,000 rising to 30% above RM2,000,000.

A long pass with a clear price tag

MM2H is a rules-based programme: place a US dollar fixed deposit, buy a home above the stated floor, and you hold a 5-, 15- or 20-year renewable pass. Nothing is discretionary beyond the published criteria, and dependants are included without extra participation fees.

Low cost, English widely spoken, well connected

Kuala Lumpur and Penang have international private hospitals, English is common in business and daily life, and KLIA connects to every major Asian hub. The ringgit is not freely convertible offshore, so most people keep their main wealth abroad and remit what they spend.

Probably not the right fit if…
  • People who want to work locally on a Silver or Gold MM2H pass — employment and business activity are not allowed on those tiers; only Platinum permits work and investment.
  • Anyone unwilling to buy a home (RM600,000 to RM2 million minimum by tier) and hold it for 10 years — the purchase is compulsory after approval.
  • Remote workers assuming their salary is 'foreign income': employment exercised while physically in Malaysia is Malaysia-source and taxable once you are resident.
An independent preparation tool. Not a government body. Residency is granted only by the Immigration Department of Malaysia / MM2H Centre. Private beta.
01 / The routes that exist

The residency pathways

These are the categories published by the MM2H Centre, the Sarawak state programme and MDEC today. Figures are the official thresholds. A fourth MM2H tier (SEZ/SFZ, deposit US$65,000 for ages 21–49 or US$32,000 for 50+) exists only for property in Forest City, Johor.

MM2H Silver

Retirees and passive-income households who want a long pass at the lowest deposit.

  • Fixed deposit of USD150,000 in any Malaysian financial institution; up to 50% may be withdrawn after approval for a residence, education, medical or tourism spending in Malaysia
  • Compulsory purchase of a residence of RM600,000 or above after approval; no sale for 10 years except to upgrade
  • Minimum age 25; 90 days (cumulative) in Malaysia per year if aged below 50
  • Participation fee RM1,000 one-off; annual pass fee RM500; employment and business not allowed
  • Dependants: spouse, children under 21 (21–34 if single and unemployed), disabled children, parents and parents-in-law
Timeline / validity: 5-year pass with multiple-entry visa, renewable every 5 years
Official source ↗

MM2H Gold

Families who want a 15-year pass and can hold a larger deposit.

  • Fixed deposit of USD500,000 in a Malaysian financial institution licensed under the Financial Services Act 2013 or Islamic Financial Services Act 2013; 50% withdrawable after approval for the same purposes
  • Compulsory residence purchase of RM1 million or above, held 10 years
  • Minimum age 25; 90 days (cumulative) per year if aged below 50 — the stay may be met by the principal and/or dependants
  • Participation fee RM3,000 one-off; no fee for dependants; renewal RM3,000
  • Employment and business not allowed
Timeline / validity: 15-year pass with multiple-entry visa, renewed every 5 years
Official source ↗

MM2H Platinum

Investors and business owners who want the longest pass and the right to work or invest.

  • Fixed deposit of USD1 million in a licensed Malaysian financial institution; 50% withdrawable after approval
  • Compulsory residence purchase of RM2 million or above, held 10 years
  • Participation fee RM200,000 one-off for the principal; no fee for dependants; renewal RM5,000
  • Work and investment are permissible; a foreign domestic helper may be brought as a dependant
  • Minimum age 25; 90 days per year if aged below 50
Timeline / validity: 20-year pass with multiple-entry visa, renewed every 5 years
Official source ↗

Sarawak S-MM2H

People happy to live in Kuching or elsewhere in Sarawak with a lighter stay requirement.

  • Applicant aged 30 and above from a country with diplomatic relations with Malaysia
  • Fixed deposit of RM500,000 with a local bank in Sarawak, per application including spouse and dependants
  • Minimum stay of 30 days a year in Sarawak as a condition of extension or renewal
  • Requirements in force from 1 January 2025; administered by Sarawak's Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts
Timeline / validity: 5-year pass, renewable for a further 5 years
Official source ↗

DE Rantau Nomad Pass

Remote employees and freelancers testing Malaysia before committing to MM2H.

  • Digital professionals (developers, designers, cybersecurity, digital marketing): minimum income USD24,000 a year; non-digital professionals (CEO/CFO, managers, consultants): USD60,000 a year
  • Employment or client contract that started at least 3 months before application
  • Fees RM1,080 for the principal and RM540 per dependant (including 8% SST, non-refundable), plus immigration pass fee of RM90 (3 months) or RM360 (1 year)
  • Dependants: spouse, children under 18, disabled children and parents
Timeline / validity: Professional Visit Pass of 3–12 months, renewable to a maximum stay of 24 months; decision in 6–8 weeks
Official source ↗
The $497 residency-file review

Build the file once.
Pay a lawyer to file — not to chase paper.

You gather the documents; we check the file against the current MM2H Centre and Immigration Department requirements, pick the right tier, and hand you to a licensed MM2H agent for lodging. Exit Global is independent and is not a government body — only the Immigration Department of Malaysia grants a pass.

$497one-time, per applicant file
Start the process →
What the $497 covers.

A category check against the current official requirements, a document-by-document review of your file, and a warm handover to a vetted local lawyer or licensed agent who files it. Their fees and government fees are separate and quoted up front.

Your information is sensitive. We treat it that way.

Documents are stored privately when you explicitly save them. We use restricted access and do not sell or share your information.

Your tax position once resident

Territorial taxation, a foreign-income exemption to 2036, and the 182-day test.

The Income Tax Act 1967 charges income accruing in or derived from Malaysia. Since 1 January 2022 income from outside Malaysia that is received in Malaysia by a resident is also chargeable, but resident individuals are exempt where that income was subjected to tax in its country of origin — an exemption gazetted to 31 December 2026 and, following Budget 2025, extended to 31 December 2036. You are tax-resident under section 7 if you are in Malaysia for 182 days or more in a calendar year, or under the linked-period, 90-day or consecutive-year tests.

Official source ↗
  • Foreign-source income (salary for work done abroad, dividends, interest, rent, pensions) kept offshore is not taxed. When brought into Malaysia by a resident individual it is exempt if it was subjected to tax of a similar character in the source country; income from a partnership business in Malaysia is excluded. Keep the foreign tax evidence — LHDN expects it to be declared as exempt income.
  • Residency is a day count. 182 days or more in the basis year makes you resident; shorter periods can count if linked to 182 consecutive days in the adjacent year, or if you are present 90 days having been resident or present 90 days in three of the four preceding years.
  • Malaysia-source income is taxed on a scale from 0% on the first RM5,000 to 30% above RM2,000,000 for residents; non-residents pay a flat 30% with no reliefs. Employment physically exercised in Malaysia — including remote work for a foreign employer — is deemed derived from Malaysia under section 13(2).
  • Capital gains: the capital gains tax introduced on 1 January 2024 applies to companies, LLPs, trust bodies and co-operatives, not to individuals. Individuals pay Real Property Gains Tax on Malaysian land and property only: non-citizens 30% on disposals within 5 years and 10% from the 6th year. There is no capital-gains charge on an individual's foreign shares or crypto; LHDN looks instead at whether the activity is a trade.
  • Dividends: from year of assessment 2025 a 2% tax applies to an individual's Malaysian dividend income above RM100,000. No wealth tax and no inheritance or estate duty are levied in Malaysia.
  • Social security: EPF contributions are compulsory for non-Malaysian employees at 2% employee and 2% employer from October 2025 wages; there is no contribution on passive or foreign income. MM2H participants are stated by the MM2H Centre to receive tax exemption on foreign funds such as their fixed deposit.

Residency here is only half the move. Your old country has to agree you left.

Find your Exit site →

Exit Global's review is an advisory opinion, not a determination by any tax authority.

02 / Step by step

From decision to pass in hand

The order matters: apostilles and police certificates expire, and most authorities want everything dated within a few months of filing.

01

Choose the tier

Silver, Gold, Platinum, SEZ/SFZ or Sarawak — set by how much you will deposit, whether you need to work, and the home you intend to buy. DE Rantau is the trial route. We flag the traps (the 10-year property lock, the 90-day rule, remote-work taxation).

02

Appoint a licensed MM2H agent and gather documents

MM2H applications must be submitted through a tour-operating business licensed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. Passport copies, marriage and birth certificates, bank and income evidence, and a police clearance — certified and translated where required.

03

Lodge and receive approval

The MM2H Centre issues an approval; you then place the fixed deposit in a Malaysian bank (USD150,000 / USD500,000 / USD1 million by tier) and open the operating account you will remit spending money to.

04

Medical check-up, insurance and pass endorsement

A medical check-up at a panel clinic appointed by the Ministry is compulsory after approval; health insurance is required for renewals. Attend the Immigration Department for the pass sticker and multiple-entry visa; pay the RM500 annual pass fee.

05

Buy the home

Purchase and own a residence at or above your tier's floor (RM600,000 / RM1 million / RM2 million). It cannot be sold for 10 years unless you upgrade. Up to 50% of the deposit may be withdrawn for this purchase.

06

Register with LHDN and close the loop at home

Open an income tax file, track your 182 days, and apply for a Malaysian tax-residence certificate once resident; then finish your old-country exit file (see the Exit sites).

03 / Living there

Living there: the practical facts

The things people ask us after the paperwork: money, health, language and a roof.

Banking

MM2H requires the fixed deposit to sit in a Malaysian financial institution licensed under the Financial Services Act 2013 (or its Islamic equivalent); the MM2H approval letter is the key document for opening accounts. Expect source-of-funds questions, and note the ringgit is not traded offshore — bring funds in through the banking system.

Healthcare

A medical check-up at a Ministry-appointed panel clinic is compulsory after MM2H approval, and health insurance must be shown at each 5-year renewal. Private hospitals in Kuala Lumpur and Penang serve most residents; long-term medical treatment is an expressly permitted activity on the pass.

Language & daily life

Bahasa Malaysia is the official language; English is widely used in business, hospitals and government portals. Citizenship applications require adequate knowledge of Malay. The MM2H pass permits tertiary education for dependants.

Property

MM2H makes a home purchase compulsory at RM600,000, RM1 million or RM2 million minimum by tier, held for 10 years. State governments set their own minimum purchase prices for foreigners, so confirm the state floor before contracting. On sale, non-citizens pay RPGT of 30% within 5 years and 10% thereafter.

Where are you leaving from?

Each departure has
its own rules.

Getting a card in Malaysia does not end tax residency where you came from. Pick your departure country to see its residency test, exit tax and departure filings.

🇨🇦 Exit Canada🇺🇸 Exit USA🐻 Exit California🗽 Exit New York🇬🇧 Exit the UK🇮🇪 Exit Ireland🇫🇷 Exit France🇧🇪 Exit Belgium🇳🇱 Exit Netherlands🇪🇸 Exit Spain🇮🇹 Exit Italy🇩🇰 Exit Denmark🇳🇴 Exit Norway🇸🇪 Exit Sweden🇦🇺 Exit Australia🇿🇦 Exit South Africa🇩🇪 Exit Germany🇦🇹 Exit Austria🇫🇮 Exit Finland🇧🇷 Exit Brazil🇯🇵 Exit Japan🇮🇱 Exit Israel🇳🇿 Exit New Zealand🇵🇹 Exit Portugal🇰🇷 Exit South Korea🇦🇷 Exit Argentina🇮🇳 Exit India🇨🇭 Exit Switzerland
Good questions. Clear answers.

Before you
get started.

Answers reflect the official rules as checked on 8 September 2026.

Do I have to live in Malaysia full-time?

No. MM2H participants aged below 50 must be present 90 days (cumulative) in a year — on Gold and Platinum the days can be met by the principal and/or dependants. Sarawak S-MM2H asks for 30 days a year. Nothing requires full-time presence, but staying under 182 days also means you are not Malaysian tax-resident, which matters for your exit from the old country.

How is Malaysian tax residency triggered?

By physical presence under section 7 of the Income Tax Act 1967: 182 days or more in the calendar year; or a shorter period linked to 182 consecutive days in the preceding or following year; or 90 days in a year after being resident or present 90 days in three of the four previous years; or being resident for the following year and the three preceding years. Nationality and pass type are irrelevant.

Can my family come?

Yes. MM2H dependants are your spouse, children under 21 (21–34 if single and unemployed), medically certified disabled children of any age, and parents and parents-in-law; Platinum may also bring a foreign domestic helper. There is no participation fee for dependants. DE Rantau covers spouse, children under 18 and parents.

Is there a path to citizenship or a second passport?

In practice it is long and uncertain. MM2H is a social visit pass, not permanent residence. Citizenship by naturalisation under Article 19 of the Federal Constitution requires an Entry Permit (permanent residence), residence in Malaysia for at least 10 years within the preceding 12 including the 12 months before applying, adequate Malay and two citizen referees. Malaysia does not recognise dual citizenship. Treat Malaysia as a residency destination, not a passport play.

What does it cost in government fees?

MM2H participation fee: RM1,000 (Silver), RM3,000 (Gold) or RM200,000 (Platinum), one-off for the principal, with no fee for dependants; annual pass fee RM500 and a visa fee of RM0–RM50 by nationality; renewal every 5 years (RM1,500 Silver, RM3,000 Gold, RM5,000 Platinum). DE Rantau: RM1,080 principal and RM540 per dependant, plus a pass fee of RM90 (3 months) or RM360 (1 year). Agent fees and the fixed deposit are on top.

Do I need a lawyer or agent?

For MM2H, yes: the guidelines require the application to be submitted through an MM2H tour-operating business licensed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. A lawyer is needed for the property purchase. DE Rantau is applied for directly online with MDEC. Our review makes sure the file is right before the agent lodges it.

Can I keep working remotely for a foreign employer?

On Silver and Gold MM2H, employment and business are not allowed as pass conditions; Platinum permits work. On DE Rantau, remote work is the point of the pass. On tax, LHDN's Public Ruling 2/2026 confirms that employment exercised while you are physically in Malaysia is deemed derived from Malaysia — so once you are tax-resident, remote salary is Malaysia-source income taxed at the scale rates, not exempt foreign income. Under 60 days of work in a year as a non-resident is exempt.

What about my old country's tax residency?

Getting a Malaysian pass does not end tax residency where you came from, and Malaysia's 182-day test is only half of the picture. Use the relevant Exit site — see exitglobal.app.

The next chapter starts with a plan

Arrive in Malaysia with a file
the authority will accept.

Start my residency file — $497 →

MoveToMalaysia · part of the Exit Global network

The Exit network

One process. Every country.

Each site covers one departure, in that country's own rules. The destination sites cover where you're going. All reviewed by the same team at Exit Global.

Leaving
🌐Exit GlobalPortfolio home🇨🇦Exit CanadaNR73 + departure file🇺🇸Exit USAExpatriation + Form 8854🐻Exit CaliforniaFTB residency🗽Exit New YorkDomicile + statutory residency🇬🇧Exit the UKStatutory Residence Test🇮🇪Exit IrelandOrdinary residence tail🇫🇷Exit FranceArt. 167 bis exit tax🇧🇪Exit BelgiumSpecial departure return🇳🇱Exit NetherlandsM-form + conserverende aanslag🇪🇸Exit SpainArt. 95 bis + quarantine rule🇮🇹Exit ItalyAIRE + black-list presumption🇩🇰Exit DenmarkFraflytterskat🇳🇴Exit NorwayUtflyttingsskatt🇸🇪Exit SwedenTen-year share rule🇦🇺Exit AustraliaCGT event I1🇿🇦Exit South AfricaSection 9H exit charge🇩🇪Exit Germany§ 6 AStG Wegzugsbesteuerung🇦🇹Exit Austria§ 27 (6) Wegzugsbesteuerung🇫🇮Exit FinlandThree-year rule🇧🇷Exit BrazilSaída definitiva🇯🇵Exit JapanExit tax on ¥100m+ assets🇮🇱Exit IsraelCentre of life + s.100A🇳🇿Exit New Zealand325-day rule + IR886🇵🇹Exit PortugalArt. 16 CIRS residency🇰🇷Exit South KoreaExit tax on large shareholders🇦🇷Exit ArgentinaPérdida de residencia + baja🇮🇳Exit IndiaSection 6 residency + RNOR🇨🇭Exit SwitzerlandWegzug + pension withholding
Arriving
🇵🇦Move to PanamaTerritorial tax, Friendly Nations🇦🇪Move to DubaiNo personal income tax🇲🇹Move to MaltaRemittance basis, EU🇨🇾Move to Cyprus60-day rule, non-dom🇵🇾Move to ParaguayTerritorial tax, fast residency🇺🇾Move to UruguayTax holiday for new residents🇨🇷Move to Costa RicaTerritorial tax🇧🇸Move to BahamasNo income tax🇵🇹Move to PortugalD7, D8, Golden Visa, IFICI🇹🇭Move to ThailandLTR visa, remittance basis🇲🇾Move to MalaysiaMM2H, territorial tax🇮🇩Move to IndonesiaSecond Home visa, Bali🇬🇪Move to GeorgiaForeign income exempt, 1% SBS🇵🇷Move to Puerto RicoAct 60 for US citizens🇮🇹Move to ItalyFlat tax, 7% pensioner regime🇬🇷Move to GreeceGolden Visa, non-dom flat tax🇭🇰Move to Hong KongTerritorial, no CGT🇸🇬Move to SingaporeForeign income exempt, no CGT