Malaysia · Residency by investment
Premium Visa Programme
Open. Launched October 2022. It is reported to have been eased starting March 2026. That includes a 10-year dependant option at a reduced fee, fixed deposit withdrawal permitted after six months rather than twelve, and an income test that can be satisfied by onshore income or net worth rather than offshore income alone. The March 2026 changes come from secondary sources. They have not been verified against a primary Immigration Department publication.
PVIP is the better product for most UHNW families than MM2H, yet it gets far less attention. There is no mandatory property purchase, no minimum stay, no age limit, 20 years of validity, and the right to work, run a business and study. The trade-off is a MYR 200,000 fee you never see again.
Qualifying routes
MYR 200,000 non-refundable government participation fee for the principal, plus MYR 100,000 per dependant, plus a MYR 1,000,000 fixed deposit in a licensed Malaysian bank.
The facts
- Minimum investment
- 200k MYR
- Total landed cost
- MYR 200,000 participation fee, roughly USD 45k and non-refundable, plus MYR 100,000 per dependant, plus a MYR 1,000,000 fixed deposit, roughly USD 225k, of which up to 50% can be withdrawn after six months for property, medical or education costs. Add agent fees on top.
- Route type
- Residency by investment
- Timeline
- 3–8 months (Generally faster and cleaner than MM2H.)
- Physical presence
- None. PVIP has no minimum stay obligation. That is its main advantage over MM2H.
- Family
- SpouseChildren under 25ParentsParents-in-lawDomestic helper
- Permanent residency
- None. PVIP is a long-term pass. It does not lead to permanent residency or citizenship.
- Citizenship
- None
- Language test
- Not applicable
- Dual citizenship
- Not permitted. You would have to renounce.
- Requirements
- MYR 200,000 government participation fee for the principal applicant. MYR 100,000 per dependant.MYR 1,000,000 fixed deposit in a licensed Malaysian bank.Proof of income of MYR 40,000 per month, or MYR 480,000 per year. From March 2026, this is reported to be satisfiable through onshore income or net worth instead.A clean criminal record and medical clearance.
- The MYR 200,000 participation fee is non-refundable and is not an investment. If the programme is later restructured, as MM2H repeatedly has been, that money is simply gone.
- Like MM2H, PVIP confers no path to permanent residency or citizenship. It is a long pass, not a status.
- The reported March 2026 easing measures come from secondary sources only. Confirm the fixed deposit withdrawal window and the income-test alternatives with the Immigration Department before you rely on them.
- The MYR 40,000 per month (MYR 480,000 per year) income test is substantial. You will need to prove it.
- Malaysia's foreign-source income exemption expires 31 December 2036. The tax case for Malaysia has a stated end date.
- The programme has only existed since 2022. It has no track record through a change of government.