01
A residence programme, not PR
Participation does not lead to Malaysian permanent residence or citizenship. The permission you receive remains subject to its conditions, passport validity and the authorities’ decisions.S9
DESA PARKCITY · RELOCATION GUIDE
New federal applications · English / 中文
A second home.
A considered move.
Make sense of Malaysia My Second Home before you make your move. Compare the routes, understand the financial commitments, and plan the home and family life that come next.
With Danny Ung · Desa ParkCity property agent
Kuala Lumpur · Malaysia·Photo: YoNeKeN / Unsplash ↗Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · archive destination photography
Sources checked 8 September 2026
Start with information. Ask questions. Commit when the details are clear.
YOUR STARTING POINT
MM2H, made clearer.
Four federal categories. Different commitments. One place to begin your research.
- 01Choose a route
- 02Separate costs from capital
- 03Plan your home and family
Explore below — or ask Danny to help you take the next step.
01 / THE BIG PICTURE
More than a visa decision.
Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) is a long-term social visit programme with multiple-entry facilities for eligible foreign nationals. This guide follows the federal Platinum, Gold, Silver and SEZ/SFZ framework, rather than mixing it with legacy or state-level schemes.S1S2S9
02
Your move is bigger than the deposit
The fixed deposit is restricted capital, a property is an asset purchase, and application/service charges are fees. They should not be presented as one misleading “visa price”.
03
Start with the right application channel
New applications and renewals go through MOTAC-licensed MM2H operators and the One-Stop Centre. Danny is your enquiry and housing contact here; the formal operator and scope must be confirmed before engagement.S2S12
Planning for Sarawak, Sabah or an existing MM2H pass?
Those cases need a separate check. This page is not a renewal rulebook for every historic approval, and a regional programme should not be treated as interchangeable with a Kuala Lumpur relocation plan. Ask about the correct route before comparing its headline deposit.S15S16
02 / FIND YOUR STARTING POINT
Compare the four routes.
Select a category for its financial requirements and practical implications. These are published programme thresholds—not a guarantee that a particular person or property qualifies.
Selected route
Silver
A lower-deposit federal starting point
USD 150,000
Required fixed deposit
Silver carries a five-year category duration and a USD150,000 fixed-deposit requirement. Its RM600,000 programme property minimum does not override local foreign-buyer rules. It is a residence option, not a local work permit.S1S5
- Category duration
- 5 years
- Principal applicant
- 25 and above
- Programme property minimum
- RM 600,000
- One-off participation fee
- RM 1,000
- Published renewal fee
- RM 1,500
- Indicative agency fee (handbook)
- RM 40,000
○ Employment and business not permitted under this category
Local acquisition rules also apply.
| Requirement | Silver | Gold | Platinum | SEZ / SFZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal applicant | 25+ | 25+ | 25+ | 21+ |
| Category duration | 5 years | 15 years | 20 years | 10 years |
| Required fixed deposit | USD 150,000 | USD 500,000 | USD 1,000,000 | USD 65,000 / 32,000* |
| Programme property minimum | RM 600,000 | RM 1,000,000 | RM 2,000,000 | Johor / Forest City policy |
| One-off participation fee | RM 1,000 | RM 3,000 | RM 200,000 | RM 1,000 |
| Published renewal fee | RM 1,500 | RM 3,000 | RM 5,000 | RM 300 |
| Indicative agency fee (handbook) | RM 40,000 | RM 55,000 | RM 70,000 | RM 40,000 |
* SEZ/SFZ: 21–49 → USD 65,000 · 50+ → USD 32,000. Local acquisition rules also apply.S1
A 15- or 20-year category does not mean one passport sticker lasts that long. Endorsement/reissue and renewal formalities still apply, with passport validity affecting the pass issued.S2
A quick planning check
Choose only an age band and intended location. Nothing here is an immigration assessment.
For a Kuala Lumpur / Desa ParkCity plan, start by comparing Silver, Gold and Platinum. A home in Desa ParkCity is not the qualifying developer purchase for the Forest City special category.
For the under-50 bracket, plan around the published annual 90-day requirement and confirm who can fulfil it.
S1S6S903 / KNOW WHAT YOU ARE COMMITTING
Capital is not the same as cost.
Build a partial planning subtotal without hiding the important exclusions. Keep the full initial deposit in your funding plan; an approved withdrawal later is not cash you can assume you already have.
Planning only · not an eligibility decision or quotation
Your planning breakdown
- Restricted fixed-deposit capital
- USD 150,000
- Selected published government feesPrincipal processing + dependant processing + participation
- RM 6,000
- Indicative agency fee (handbook)Category agency fee + RM6,000 per dependant
- RM 40,000
- Property budget not entered — excluded
- —
Partial planning subtotal
USD 150,000
+ RM 46,000
Full FD + entered home budget + selected government fees + indicative agency fee only. NOT an all-in price or amount due today.
Currencies remain separate until you enter an exchange-rate assumption.
Not included in this subtotal
Any separately billed system/portal charge and SST; pass and nationality-based visa charges; security bond; medicals and insurance; translation/legalisation; property stamp duty, legal fees, consent charges, finance costs and living expenses. Ask for a written itemised quotation.S1S2S11
What the official pages list
The category overview lists principal processing at RM5,000 and dependant processing at RM2,500 each, plus the category’s participation fee. Participation is charged to the principal, not per dependant. Pass charges are listed separately at RM500 per year, with visa charges varying by nationality.S1S2
| Fee type | RM |
|---|---|
| Principal processing | 5,000 |
| Processing per dependant | 2,500 |
| Participation — selected category | 1,000 |
| Renewal — selected category | 1,500 |
| Agency fee — selected category (handbook) | 40,000 |
| Agency fee per dependant (handbook) | 6,000 |
Renewal is a future charge, not included in the initial planning subtotal. Sticker, pass and other costs may be additional.
UNDERSTAND THE FIXED DEPOSIT
Plan for the full amount first.
01
Your deposit remains restricted capital
Place it with an eligible Malaysian licensed financial institution in accordance with your approval. MOTAC’s May 2025 notice encourages a ringgit deposit equivalent to the required USD value. Ask the bank which currency, conversion date and documentation apply; there is no universal guaranteed exchange rate or interest return.S2S7
02
Up to 50% is not an automatic refund
Published guidance allows a maximum 50% withdrawal for approved property, education, medical and tourism expenses in Malaysia. Supporting evidence and approval are required. The website wording and official one-page chart are not identical on timing—the chart says after one year. Obtain case-specific written confirmation before relying on an earlier release.S2S8
03
Earlier property purchases have separate windows
For property-related withdrawal, the May 2025 notice specifies purchases up to two years before endorsement for Platinum/Gold/Silver, versus six months for SEZ/SFZ. This is not a blanket promise that every existing home satisfies every MM2H condition. Check the ownership, date, value and supporting documents.S7
04 / FROM ENQUIRY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
Know which stage comes next.
Conditional approval, pass endorsement and property completion are different milestones. Your appointed operator should set out each deadline in writing, rather than offering one vague “approval date”.
01
Discuss the right route
Start with your intended location, age band, family situation, work plans and comfortable funding range. Identify the licensed filing operator and obtain a written scope, itemised quotation and refund/cancellation terms.S2S12
02
Prepare and verify documents
Use the operator’s current nationality- and family-specific checklist. Check passport spelling, relationships, certified translations and financial evidence before submission. Do not send passports or bank statements through this public website.S2S10U1
03
Submit and respond to queries
The licensed operator submits through the official channel. Screening, additional documents and possible interviews are decided by the authorities. The reference handbook’s 2–4 month estimates are not a guaranteed processing service level.S7U1
04
Complete approval conditions
After conditional approval, follow the required banking, panel medical, insurance, bond and immigration steps. Travel/endorsement deadlines should be taken from the actual letter. Do not assume an application extends an existing visitor permission.S2S9S10
05
Coordinate endorsement and the home
For Platinum/Gold/Silver, the May 2025 notice allows one year from pass endorsement to complete the qualifying home purchase. For Forest City SEZ/SFZ, purchase from the developer is required before endorsement. Ask your operator and solicitor to confirm the required purchase evidence.S7
06
Maintain the arrangement
Keep current passports, pass/stay records, deposit records, medical/insurance documents and property evidence. Diary endorsement, renewal and dependant changes. Approval is the beginning of ongoing compliance, not the end.S2S9
Do not pay a non-refundable home deposit or book an irreversible family move purely on an estimated visa timeline. Coordinate your operator, bank, solicitor and school first.
05 / A PLAN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Who comes with you matters.
MM2H can accommodate eligible family members, but each person’s immigration and school arrangements still need to be checked. The detailed official guidance is more precise than a simple “children under 35” slogan.
01
Spouse and parents
A spouse, parents and parents-in-law are listed as eligible dependant relationships, subject to the relevant proof and application requirements. A dependant is not automatically added merely because the relationship exists.S2
02
Children and young adults
Biological, step and adopted children under 21 are listed. Those aged 21–34 must meet unmarried and non-employment conditions in Malaysia. Medically certified disabled children have no stated age limit. Confirm any case approaching the 35th birthday before applying.S2S9
03
Domestic help is a separate question
The official family list names a foreign domestic helper for Platinum. Do not rely on the handbook’s broader domestic-helper statements as permission for every category; check the relevant immigration approval before making arrangements.S9
The annual stay rule is age-sensitive.
Below age 50
The published framework sets 90 cumulative days per year for the applicable under-50 bracket. MOTAC’s FAQ allows the principal or qualifying dependants to fulfil it. Confirm family aggregation, overlapping dates and the records accepted; do not assume you can multiply everyone’s same-day stay or carry unused days into a later year.
Age 50 and above
The official category overview states that no minimum stay applies. This differs from the blanket 90-day statements in the supplied handbook. Have the operator confirm the treatment of your principal applicant and dependants in the approval.
The planner shows the published age-band position, not a day-count compliance certificate. Immigration stay requirements and Malaysian tax-residence tests are different.S1S9
06 / THE HOME BEHIND THE APPLICATION
Choose a home for real life.
A qualifying property and a home that suits your family are two different questions. Address both before you commit to a purchase.
01
Two sets of requirements
Check the MM2H category minimum AND the local foreign-acquisition rules, property/title category and required consent. A RM600,000 Silver programme floor is not permission to buy any RM600,000 property in Desa ParkCity. The state table in the reference brochure is not transaction-specific clearance.S2S7U1
02
Existing homes need confirmation
The reference handbook says an existing home may be accepted, but ownership, purchase timing, valuation, category and accepted evidence must be checked. A withdrawal window is not the same as automatic acceptance of an existing house. Obtain written confirmation before deciding that no further purchase is needed.S7U1
03
Think beyond an early exit
The programme restriction is generally no sale of the qualifying residence for ten years, with an upgrade to a higher-value home allowed under the published conditions. Do not assume pass cancellation automatically removes all property restrictions or taxes. Check the proposed transaction with your operator and solicitor.S2S9
Forest City is not a shortcut for a Desa ParkCity purchase.
The current special-category notice ties the qualifying purchase to Forest City, Johor, directly from its developer and before pass endorsement. A Kuala Lumpur resale home does not replace that purchase. Assess the programme and the location together.S6S7
Danny’s practical housing guidance
Planning a family home in Desa ParkCity
Start with your daily routine: the school entrance you will use, peak-hour travel, bedrooms and work space, access for older relatives, pets, parking and ongoing household costs. Visit the area before deciding whether your first step should be a temporary rental or a purchase. Renting can help you explore, but it does not replace the new federal programme’s required home ownership.S2
Discuss a Desa ParkCity homeMM2H and school admission are separate.
Children’s education is contemplated by the programme, but a visa does not guarantee a school place. Depending on age and pass type, a dependant may need Permission to Study or a different student arrangement. Confirm this with Immigration and the chosen school instead of assuming every MM2H child must switch to a Student Pass.S2S10
Danny is also an appointed ISP school agent. You can discuss ISP enquiries, the admissions timeline and a suitable home as one coordinated relocation conversation. Admission decisions remain with the school, and housing services are optional.
07 / GET ORGANISED
A preparation checklist, not a document upload.
Use this to organise your next conversation. The final checklist depends on nationality, category, dependants and current operator/authority instructions. Checkmarks stay in this browser when local storage is available, or only for this session otherwise. No files or personal documents are collected.
08 / THE QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING
Clear answers. Sensible qualifications.
Is MM2H permanent residence or a passport?
No. It is a long-term social visit programme with multiple-entry facilities. MOTAC states that participation does not lead to PR or citizenship. Do not buy a property or pay an agent on the basis of a promise of automatic permanent residence.S9
Can I work, consult or run a business?
The category pages permit employment and business/investment activities for Platinum, while Gold, Silver and SEZ/SFZ do not provide those permissions. Do not treat the reference handbook’s remote-work or consultancy statement as blanket authorisation. Describe your actual activity and obtain the applicable immigration, business and tax advice before working from Malaysia.S3S4S5S6
Does the 90-day requirement mean I am a Malaysian tax resident?
No automatic equivalence should be assumed. LHDN determines individual tax residence under section 7 of the Income Tax Act. Programme stay rules, income tax treatment, property taxes and obligations in your other tax jurisdictions must be considered separately. This guide does not provide a personal tax ruling.S13
Is all my income or every money transfer tax-free?
Do not read promotional references to offshore funds as a universal tax exemption. The nature and source of income, residence status, relevant exemption conditions and other-country rules matter. Ask a qualified tax adviser about your actual arrangements; the calculator excludes taxes rather than silently treating them as zero.S2S13
Can I just rent instead of buying a home?
The current federal categories include compulsory residential ownership/purchase requirements. A rental may help with temporary living arrangements, but it does not replace those requirements. Legacy or regional approvals may have different conditions; check your own approval rather than applying this page retrospectively.S2S7
When must I buy the property?
MOTAC’s notice dated 28 May 2025 gives Platinum/Gold/Silver participants one year from pass endorsement to complete the purchase. The Forest City special category requires the developer purchase before endorsement. Your actual approval and the required evidence must be checked; “three months after approval” is not the uniform rule presented here.S7
When can I withdraw 50% of the deposit?
Up to 50% is available only for approved purposes and with supporting evidence and authorisation. Current web guidance describes withdrawal after approval, while an official category chart says after one year. Because the public documents differ on timing, get written clarification for your case and budget without assuming immediate release.S2S8
Must the fixed deposit be in US dollars?
Do not assume that. Requirements are expressed in USD, while the May 2025 notice encourages deposits in MYR equivalent. Confirm the bank’s permitted structure, exchange-rate basis and the wording of your approval. This guide does not forecast which currency is better or promise an interest rate.S7
How long will the application take?
The supplied material gives estimates of 2–3 months in one section and 2–4 months in another. They are provider estimates, not a guaranteed government deadline. Completeness, background checks, further queries, appointments and endorsement arrangements can affect timing. Avoid making a fixed move-in or school date depend on an unconfirmed estimate.U1S7
Do my children automatically receive a school place?
No. Admissions assessments, year-group places, fees and school policies remain separate. Confirm the appropriate immigration permission for study. Danny can help coordinate an ISP enquiry, but neither an MM2H application nor a property purchase guarantees admission.S2S10
Can I change category or transfer to a new agent?
Do not assume the handbook’s “cancel and start again” wording applies to every stage: the supplied briefing itself includes a category-change workflow. Ask the licensed operator/OSC for the current process, fees and effect on your approval before changing category or representative. Do not submit duplicate applications based on a generic FAQ.U1S14
What happens at renewal?
The category term and a passport’s endorsement validity are not the same thing. The official pages describe periodic formalities and updated passport, medical and insurance documents. Listed category renewal fees are RM1,500 Silver, RM3,000 Gold, RM5,000 Platinum and RM300 SEZ/SFZ, with other charges potentially additional. Confirm the precise due date and requirements for your issued pass.S1S2
Can I recover the remaining FD when I leave the programme?
There is a formal cancellation and bank-release process. MOTAC’s FAQ describes obtaining a termination letter after cancellation and submitting it, with the withdrawal application, to the holding bank. Do not assume you can close the restricted deposit immediately without clearance, or that every fee is refundable.S9
What happens if the principal applicant passes away?
Official guidance allows a transfer to a next-of-kin who was already a named dependant, subject to the necessary process and evidence. This should not be described as automatic inheritance of the pass or immediate unrestricted access to the bank deposit. Discuss estate and programme arrangements in advance.S2S10
Are the agency prices in the brochure Danny’s current prices?
No. The supplied handbook identifies third-party agency fees; government charges and provider charges are different. Ask Danny about the enquiry and coordination arrangement, then obtain a current itemised quotation from the identified licensed operator. Check tax, inclusions, payment milestones and what happens if an application is rejected.U1
Is this page a government website or an application portal?
No. This is Danny’s information and relocation-enquiry guide. Formal MM2H filings must be handled by the appropriate licensed operator and authorities. You can use the source links to verify requirements independently, and an enquiry does not commit you to a property transaction.S2S12
YOUR NEXT STEP
Talk through the move.
Then make a plan.
I’m Danny Ung, a property agent specialising in Desa ParkCity. Start a conversation about MM2H, finding a home, or planning schooling alongside your move. We can clarify your questions and the appropriate next steps before you commit.
Danny Ung · +60 17-613 0529
Danny coordinates enquiries and property support. Formal MM2H applications are handled through a MOTAC-licensed operator; the operator’s identity, licence and service scope must be confirmed before engagement. No approval or processing-time guarantee is offered.
Verify licensed operatorsUnderstand the categories, financial commitments and questions to put to a licensed operator.
Review your message in WhatsApp before sending. No passport, bank account, medical record or child’s full identity is needed for this first enquiry. WhatsApp opens a draft for you to review; nothing is sent automatically.
RESEARCH & TRANSPARENCY
Know where the information comes from.
This guide combines Danny’s supplied reference pack with the official sources below. Where they differ, the relevant official wording and unresolved points are identified rather than blended into a single promise.
Important differences from the supplied handbook
Special category duration
The handbook says 5 years. The current official SEZ page and overview state 10 years.U1S1S6
Property deadline
The handbook refers to approval and an earlier infographic says 3 months. The dated MOTAC notice uses endorsement for the one-year Platinum/Gold/Silver window and a before-endorsement developer purchase for SEZ/SFZ.U1S7
Family, stay and work wording
Use the official dependant age conditions and age-based stay table. Do not copy the handbook’s “child age >34” typo, blanket 90-day rule or general remote-work permission into a public offer.U1S1S2
Costs and withdrawal timing
Private agency fees are not government charges. Public fee descriptions and FD-withdrawal timing also require itemised, case-specific confirmation. These uncertainties remain visible in the planner.S1S8S11U1
View the source register
- S1MM2H official category overview
Deposit, duration, participation and processing fees, age-based stay rules, renewal fees.
- S2MM2H official application guidelines
Licensed application channel, dependants, property conditions, endorsement and ongoing requirements.
- S3Platinum — official category page
Platinum-specific requirements and permissions.
- S4Gold — official category page
Gold-specific requirements and restrictions.
- S5Silver — official category page
Silver-specific requirements and restrictions.
- S6SEZ / SFZ — official category page
Forest City category, 10-year duration, age-specific deposit and RM300 renewal.
- S7MOTAC notice dated 28 May 2025
Read both pages. Property deadlines, developer-only Forest City purchases, MYR deposit and pre-endorsement property withdrawal windows. The URL upload month is not the policy date.
- S8MOTAC category chart — Insights on the Categories
Read one-page chart. It states FD withdrawal after one year; timing is not identical to current web guidance. Child-age wording also differs.
- S9MOTAC FAQ — OSC MM2H section
Definition, no PR, licensed filing, no offshore-income minimum, eligibility, family and cancellation. Relevant section: One Stop Center Malaysia My Second Home.
- S10Immigration Department — MM2H procedures
Used for procedural issues, including permission to study and documents. The page includes legacy conditions; old financial thresholds were not applied to new categories.
- S11MOTAC MM2H system announcement
System from 1 August 2025; RM500 per application excluding SST. Fee basis requires itemised confirmation alongside the overview processing fees.
- S12Licensed MM2H agencies
Verify the contracting operator and licence status before engagement.
- S13LHDN — Certificate of Residence
Individual tax residence is determined under section 7 of the Income Tax Act, separately from immigration programme stay requirements.
- S14MM2H official reference library
Current forms, panel medical facilities, insurance references and operational notices.
- S15Sarawak tourism ministry — S-MM2H references
Separate regional route; do not substitute its requirements for federal MM2H.
- S16Sabah tourism ministry
Separate Sabah MM2H information and administration.
- U1mm2h.pdf — reference supplied by Danny, 62 pages
Briefing photographs pp.1–31, Chinese Q&A pp.32–38, CMB 迈马国际 client handbook pp.39–62. Mixed/undated material, not a uniform current government rulebook. Raw file and identity-document examples are not published.
Official web pages can change. “Checked” is the date researched, not a guarantee of future policy. Undated source material is not relabelled as a new circular. Before spending or applying, verify your current approval terms and the latest official instructions.
Independent information guide by Danny Ung. Not a government application portal, legal opinion, immigration approval or personal financial/tax advice. Requirements and quotations should be verified before commitment.