MM2H Silver, explained properly
Silver is the one most people end up on — about 83 in every 100 approvals. You put USD 150,000 into a Malaysian savings account and buy a home worth at least RM 600,000. In return you get a five-year visa you can renew. You can't work here on it. All in, you're looking at roughly USD 283,000.
New to all this? Start with the full MM2H reference — what the programme is, how it has changed, and what the other three tiers ask for.
What you need
- A savings deposit of USD 150,000 in a Malaysian bank. You get this back when you leave the programme, and after the first year you can take out up to half of it for certain things — buying your home, medical bills, school fees, or travelling within Malaysia.
- A home worth at least RM 600,000. You have to buy it within a year of getting your visa stamped, and you have to keep it for ten years.
- You must be 25 or older if you're the main applicant.
- 90 days a year in Malaysia if you're under 50. Over 50, there's no minimum at all. It's your age that decides this, not which tier you're on.
- Medical insurance if you're under 60, covering your family too. Worth sorting early — most Malaysian insurers stop taking new people around 60.
- A clean record and a medical report.
- A licensed agent. You can't send the application in yourself. They must be on the official register, and this is where most of the risk in MM2H actually sits.
The official rules don't list any minimum income for Silver. Some agents still ask to see proof of income anyway, and a parliamentary report in 2025 suggested the higher tiers do have one. We've flagged the disagreement on our sources page — go by the official portal, but don't be surprised if an agent asks.
What it actually costs
The deposit is the number everyone quotes. It's not the number you should be planning around.
| What | How much | Do you get it back? |
|---|---|---|
| Savings deposit | USD 150,000 | Yes, when you leave |
| A home | RM 600,000 (~USD 133,000) | Only if you can sell it, after 10 years |
| Stamp duty at 8% | ~RM 48,000 (~USD 10,700) | No |
| Government fee | RM 1,000 | No |
| Total tied up | ~USD 283,000 | ~USD 133,000 of it, no |
That stamp duty figure is new. Foreign buyers paid 4% until the end of 2025 — it doubled to 8% in January 2026, and there's no grandfathering. What matters is the date the property transfer goes through, not the date you signed anything.
How you apply
- Find a licensed agent. Check them against the official list yourself before you pay anyone anything — here's how.
- They submit for you to the MM2H One-Stop Centre.
- You wait. Applications do get refused — usually for avoidable paperwork reasons. The official target is around 90 working days. In practice four to six months is common when there's a backlog.
- You get a conditional approval letter. Nothing is final yet.
- Come to Malaysia and do the rest: open the bank account and place the deposit, have the medical, buy the insurance.
- Get the visa stamped in your passport.
- Buy your home within a year. Miss this and the visa can be cancelled.
Who Silver actually suits
It works well if you're over 50, settling in peninsular Malaysia for good, and you'd be happy owning that property whether or not a visa came with it. Over 50 there's no minimum stay, so the visa stops feeling like an obligation and starts feeling like an option. And if you're going to live in the house, the ten-year rule costs you nothing.
Who should look somewhere else
- You work online for clients overseas. Look at DE Rantau — around RM 1,080, no deposit at all.
- You need to earn money in Malaysia. Silver doesn't allow it. Try the Premium Visa.
- You'd be happy on Borneo. Sabah asks RM 150,000 and Sarawak RM 500,000, and neither makes you buy a house.
- You're not sure yet. A ten-year property commitment is not a trial run. Rent for a year first.
The honest downside
Five years is the shortest term of any MM2H tier, and renewal happens under whatever the rules are at the time. Those rules changed in 2021, again in December 2023, and again in June 2024. Meanwhile the house is locked up for ten years — twice the length of the visa it came with. That mismatch is the single biggest thing to think hard about before you commit.
What people get wrong
- "The deposit is the cost." It's a bit over half of what you'll tie up.
- "I can rent instead." Not on any mainland tier. The purchase is compulsory.
- "I'll sell if it doesn't work out." Not for ten years, and parts of KL and Johor have plenty of empty units.
- "It leads to permanent residence." It doesn't. Nobody on the current MM2H rules is eligible for PR.
- "Silver means I can't be here much." Backwards — under 50 you must be here 90 days, over 50 you needn't be here at all.
Common questions
What are the requirements for MM2H Silver?
A savings deposit of USD 150,000 in a Malaysian bank, a home worth at least RM 600,000 that you keep for ten years, a minimum age of 25 for the main applicant, and 90 days a year in Malaysia if you are under 50 with no minimum if you are 50 or over. You also need medical insurance if you are under 60, a clean criminal record, a medical report, and a licensed agent to submit the application for you.
How much does MM2H Silver cost in total?
Around USD 283,000 tied up. That is the USD 150,000 savings deposit, a home of at least RM 600,000, roughly RM 48,000 in stamp duty at the 8% foreign buyer rate, and a RM 1,000 government fee, plus whatever your agent charges. About USD 133,000 of that you never get back, because the deposit is returned but the property costs, duty and fees are not.
Can I work in Malaysia on MM2H Silver?
No. MM2H Silver does not allow you to work in Malaysia. Only MM2H Platinum and the Premium Visa Programme permit it among the long stay visas, and the Premium Visa does the same job for roughly a fifth of Platinum's total cost.
Do I have to buy a house on MM2H Silver?
Yes. A property purchase of at least RM 600,000 is compulsory on Silver and on every other mainland MM2H tier. You must complete it within one year of your visa being stamped and keep the property for ten years. Sarawak S-MM2H and Sabah MM2H are the only Malaysian long stay visas with no property requirement.
How long does an MM2H Silver application take?
The official target is about 90 working days from a complete submission, but four to six months is common when the One-Stop Centre has a backlog. After conditional approval you still need to come to Malaysia to place the deposit, complete a medical and arrange insurance before the visa is stamped.
Can I get my MM2H Silver deposit back?
Yes. The savings deposit is returned when you exit the programme, and after the first year you may withdraw up to half of it for approved purposes including buying your property, medical treatment, children's education and domestic travel. The property purchase, stamp duty and government fee are not refundable.
Is MM2H Silver renewable after five years?
It is renewable, but renewal is assessed under whatever rules apply at the time rather than the rules you joined under. Given the programme changed substantially in 2021, December 2023 and June 2024, this is a genuine consideration — particularly since the property you buy must be held for ten years, which is twice the length of the visa.
Checked in July 2026 against the official MM2H portal and state programme rules. Ringgit converted at USD 1 = RM 4.50, which moves. Rules change — check before you commit any money.