MM2H 2026: What Each Tier Costs, and the Property Rule Explained First
MM2H now has four tiers (SEZ/SFZ, Silver, Gold, Platinum). Every one of them requires you to buy a home in Malaysia, and that home cannot be sold for 10 years — the only exit is upgrading to a more expensive one.
So the order is not "get the visa, then find a house". Decide first whether you accept money locked up for a decade — the visa is the outcome; the property is the decision you actually carry.
The four tiers, official requirements (current for 2026)
Figures transcribed from the four category pages of the official MOTAC MM2H site (mm2h.gov.my), which carries a last-updated date of 10 February 2026; re-verified unchanged on 24 August 2026. Policy changes — confirm against the official site and your licensed agent before committing.
Conditions every tier shares (as listed on the official site):
- Up to 50% of the fixed deposit may be withdrawn after approval — for buying a residence, education, medical and tourism in Malaysia. This is the one official lever that eases the cash needed for the house.
- 90 days in Malaysia per year (cumulative); for participants aged 25–49 the stay may be fulfilled by the principal and/or their dependents.
- Dependents allowed: spouse; biological/step/adopted children under 21 (those 21–34 must be unemployed and single while in Malaysia); medically certified children with disabilities at any age; parents and parents-in-law.
- Medical check-up is compulsory at a clinic/hospital appointed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, for principal and dependents.
- Incoming funds such as the FD are tax exempt; dependent children may study up to tertiary level at government-recognised institutions.
- Failure to comply with any term means the MM2H pass is revoked.
All four category pages carry the same line: purchase is compulsory after approval, and the residence may not be sold for 10 years. The only exit is an "upgrade" — buying a more expensive home than the current one.
What that means for a buyer matters more than the visa length:
- This is not buying a home; it is locking money up for a decade. If your family plan changes, the exchange rate moves, or you want a different city — the house cannot be sold, and the visa is tied to it.
- So the selection criteria change. Short-term upside and fashionable addresses stop mattering. The question becomes "will anyone want this building in ten years" — management quality, incoming supply nearby, transport and schools: the things that survive time.
- Check developer and construction risk first. Ten years without an exit means a troubled or abandoned project leaves you no way to cut losses. Before any booking fee, spend two minutes checking the project's real status on the housing ministry register — our free project checker reads the same official data.
A common assumption is "meet the MM2H price floor and you can buy". Not so. A foreigner buying residential property in Malaysia must clear two independent gates:
Gate 1 · The MM2H floor — the figures in the table above (Silver RM600k, Gold RM1m, Platinum RM2m). That is what the visa programme requires of you.
Gate 2 · The floor set by the state you buy in — every state sets its own minimum purchase price for foreigners, and a foreign purchase requires written consent from that state authority. The figures differ by state, get revised, and in some states differ by island/mainland or by title type.
The higher of the two applies. If a state's foreigner floor is above your MM2H tier's floor, the state figure is the one you must meet.
That is also why this page does not print a state-by-state price table — public sources contradict each other, and a wrong figure here would send you after the wrong properties. Tell us the state and the project you are looking at, and we will check it against that state's current policy.
Costs changed in 2026: 8% stamp duty for foreigners
Budget 2026 (tabled 10 October 2025) raised the stamp duty on instruments of transfer of residential property by non-citizens (excluding Malaysian permanent residents) and foreign companies from 4% to a flat 8%, applying to instruments executed on or after 1 January 2026.
- This is a federal rule (Stamp Act 1949) and applies uniformly across all states.
- The trigger is the transfer instrument, not the sale agreement. Even if the SPA was signed earlier, an instrument executed on or after 1 January 2026 attracts the new rate.
- It affects residential property only; commercial and industrial are not covered.
For an MM2H buyer this changes the arithmetic: on a RM1 million home, this line alone is calculated at 8%. Budget for it, and have your lawyer confirm it against your own circumstances.
Which tier fits you
- You want long-stay rights, not status or a business base
- Your budget carries USD150,000 on deposit plus a home of RM600k+
- You are fine renewing every 5 years
- You have made peace with the 10-year no-sell rule
- You want longer certainty (15 or 20 years)
- GOLD: USD500,000 deposit plus a home of RM1m+
- PLATINUM: USD1m deposit, RM200,000 fee, home of RM2m+
- 🔴 Only PLATINUM permits business and employment in Malaysia
- Your life centres on Johor, JB, or commuting to Singapore
- Lowest deposit threshold (USD65,000 aged 21–49; USD32,000 aged 50+)
- ⚠️ The purchase is confined to Forest City; floor price per Johor policy
- Business and employment are not allowed either
The order to do this in
- Pick the tier first, then look at homesThe four tiers differ hugely on deposit, fee and price floor. Confirm which one you actually clear before you shortlist — do it the other way round and most of what you like will not qualify.
- Check the state floor and consentThe state's foreigner floor may sit above your MM2H floor, and a foreign purchase needs written state consent. Fail this step and nothing else matters.
- Cost it out in fullPrice + the 8% stamp duty from 2026 + legal fees + the fixed deposit (50% of which can be withdrawn towards the home) + participation fee. Not just the price.
- Choose on a ten-year testYou cannot sell for a decade, so weigh only what survives time: developer record, management quality, incoming supply, transport and schools. Check the project on the official register before any booking fee.
- Use a licensed agent and a conveyancing lawyerThe MM2H application and the property transfer are two separate tracks. The property track needs a licensed negotiator (REN) and a property lawyer, especially where state consent is involved.
Questions buyers actually ask
How much money does MM2H require?
It depends on the tier. Fixed deposit: SEZ/SFZ USD65,000 (age 21–49) or USD32,000 (50+); Silver USD150,000; Gold USD500,000; Platinum USD1 million. One-off participation fee: RM1,000 (SEZ and Silver), RM3,000 (Gold), RM200,000 (Platinum). Every tier also requires buying a home — floors in the table above.
Is buying property compulsory under MM2H?
Yes. All four official category pages state that purchase and ownership of a residence is compulsory after approval: RM600,000+ (Silver), RM1m+ (Gold), RM2m+ (Platinum); SEZ/SFZ is confined to Forest City, Johor, with the floor price set by Johor state policy.
Can I sell the property I bought under MM2H?
Not for 10 years. The only exception is upgrading to a residence of higher value. Failure to comply with any term results in the MM2H pass being revoked — which is why the property should be chosen on a ten-year test, not a short-term one.
Can MM2H holders work or run a business in Malaysia?
Only the Platinum tier. On the official pages, business/investment activities and career opportunities are both marked "permissible" for Platinum and "not allowed" for Silver, Gold and SEZ/SFZ.
How long must I stay in Malaysia each year?
All tiers: 90 days cumulative per year. For participants aged 25–49, the stay may be fulfilled by the principal and/or their dependents.
Can the fixed deposit be used to buy the house?
Partly. After approval as an MM2H participant, up to 50% of the principal deposit may be withdrawn for buying a residence, education, medical and tourism activities in Malaysia.
What other rules apply to foreigners buying property in Malaysia?
Two. First, each state sets its own minimum purchase price for foreigners and written state consent is required; the higher of the state floor and the MM2H floor applies. Second, from 1 January 2026, instruments of transfer of residential property by non-citizens (excluding Malaysian PRs) and foreign companies attract a flat 8% stamp duty, up from 4%.