Malaysia MM2H Approves Nearly 6,000 Applicants Under New Reforms

Malaysia has approved 5,972 applicants under the restructured Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) program as of August 31, following a series of new reforms aimed at enhancing transparency and strengthening due diligence.

Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing confirmed the figures in a parliamentary reply, noting that the total includes 2,134 principal applicants and 3,838 dependents.

Program Reforms and Oversight

The Malaysian government introduced major changes to the MM2H framework in June 2024, adding property investment requirements across three program tiers to boost economic contribution and strengthen program integrity.

New security and administrative measures include:

• Only registered, ministry-supervised agents may process MM2H applications.
• Full integration of the Tourism Ministry and Immigration Department databases for centralized oversight.
• Mandatory police screening, international background checks, and Letters of Good Conduct from applicants’ home countries.
• Malaysian intelligence screening for potential security or extremist links.

Residency and Security Controls

MM2H participants receive five-year renewable residency, with each renewal subject to a new security and eligibility review. Applications can be rejected if financial or safety concerns arise.

Officials emphasized that the program does not grant citizenship, which is regulated separately under the Federal Constitution through the National Registration Department.

Participants in designated economic and financial zones benefit from a reduced fixed deposit requirement of RM500,000 and exemption from the RM40,000 monthly offshore income rule.

Authorities have also tightened oversight of property transactions and fixed deposit withdrawals, granting immigration officers the power to revoke visas for violations or security risks.

Integrity Measures

The reforms follow previous cases of fraudulent MM2H documentation, which prompted the government to strengthen controls through database integration and agent registration.

Officials describe these steps as key to maintaining Malaysia’s position as a secure and competitive destination for long-term foreign residents.