South-Eastern Asia · Immigration

Malaysia

102 immigration routes

Malaysia sits in South-Eastern Asia. Its immigration system runs 102 distinct routes — led by family, short stay & visit and work, each set out in official law. All 102 cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.

6 further routes are recorded for Malaysia but not shown here — their details are still under review.

Immigration routes
102across 19 route categories, each set out in official law
Source-cited routes
102 of 102cite an official government source, with the date we last read it
Largest category
Family20 of the 102 routes — see them under Family below
Region
South-Eastern Asia
Capital
Kuala Lumpur
Population
35,977,838
Official language
English, Malay
Currency
MYR
Time zone
UTC+08:00
Source-cited pathways

Immigration routes

All 102 routes, grouped by purpose — 102 of 102 cite an official government source directly.

Work

5 of 12 say who you can bring
12 routes

Temporary research-assignment route under the Professional Visit Pass-Expert framework.

Can bring: spouse, dependants
Eligibility: 3Process & costs: 1Report facts: 2
Official government source: imi.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Temporary project-specific route for a foreign technical expert engaged by a Malaysian government agency or private company.

Can bring: spouse, dependants
Eligibility: 3Process & costs: 1Report facts: 3
Official government source: imi.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Investment

1 of 3 says who you can bring
3 routes

Multiple-entry business-visitor pass for a foreign investor with no investment record in Malaysia and a prospective project.

Report facts: 5
Official government source: esd.imi.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27 · 2 sources

Up-to-twenty-year multiple-entry residence for qualifying investors, entrepreneurs and foreign talent with high income/net-worth and fixed deposit.

Can bring: spouse, children, parents, parents-in-law
Process & costs: 1Report facts: 6
Official government source: imigresen-online.imi.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Business & self-employment

1 of 2 says who you can bring
2 routes

Up-to-five-year Residence Pass for an established digital entrepreneur with a proven record.

Can bring: dependants
Eligibility: 1Process & costs: 3Report facts: 5
Official government source: mdec.my · checked 2026-07-27

One-year Professional Visit Pass for a new digital entrepreneur hosted by a recognised Malaysia Digital Hub or MRANTI.

Eligibility: 2Process & costs: 3Report facts: 4
Official government source: mdec.my · checked 2026-07-27

Talent & merit

1 of 2 says who you can bring
2 routes

Study

1 of 8 says who you can bring
8 routes

Student Pass for an admitted international student at an approved public university or private higher-education institution.

Eligibility: 2Documents: 2Process & costs: 1Report facts: 3
Official government source: imi.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Student Pass for study at an approved language centre authorised to enrol international students.

Eligibility: 2Documents: 2Process & costs: 1Report facts: 2
Official government source: imi.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Student Pass for study at a qualifying government, aided, international, expatriate, private or Chinese private secondary school.

Can bring: legal guardian
Eligibility: 3Documents: 2Process & costs: 1Report facts: 1
Official government source: imi.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Family

from MYR 2,000/mo · 1 of 20 says who you can bring
20 routes

Independent means

from MYR 7,000/mo · 8 of 8 say who you can bring
8 routes

Fifteen-year renewable MM2H pass with fixed deposit and residence-purchase requirements.

Savings from USD 500,000Can bring: spouse, dependants, children, parents…
Eligibility: 2Documents: 1Process & costs: 3Report facts: 4
Official government source: mm2h.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Twenty-year renewable Malaysia My Second Home pass with high fixed deposit, property and participation-fee requirements.

Savings from USD 1,000,000Can bring: spouse, dependants, children, parents…
Eligibility: 2Documents: 1Process & costs: 3Report facts: 4
Official government source: mm2h.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Ten-year renewable MM2H category tied to Forest City, Johor, with age-tiered fixed deposit.

Savings from USD 65,000Can bring: spouse, dependants, children, parents…
Eligibility: 2Documents: 1Process & costs: 3Report facts: 4
Official government source: mm2h.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Five-year renewable MM2H pass with fixed deposit and residence-purchase requirements.

Savings from USD 150,000Can bring: spouse, dependants, children, parents…
Eligibility: 2Documents: 1Process & costs: 3Report facts: 4
Official government source: mm2h.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Fifteen-year Sabah-only MM2H Gold category with USD500,000 fixed deposit and property requirement.

Savings from USD 500,000Can bring: spouse, children, parents, parents-in-law
Eligibility: 2Documents: 1Process & costs: 2Report facts: 5
Official government source: sabahmm2h.sabahtourism.com · checked 2026-07-27

Twenty-year Sabah-only MM2H Platinum category with USD1 million fixed deposit and RM2 million property requirement.

Savings from USD 1,000,000Can bring: spouse, children, parents, parents-in-law
Eligibility: 2Documents: 1Process & costs: 3Report facts: 5
Official government source: sabahmm2h.sabahtourism.com · checked 2026-07-27

Ten-year Sabah-only MM2H Silver category with RM500,000 fixed deposit and high-rise property requirement.

Income from MYR 10,000/moCan bring: spouse, children, parents, parents-in-law
Eligibility: 2Documents: 1Process & costs: 2Report facts: 5
Official government source: sabahmm2h.sabahtourism.com · checked 2026-07-27

Ten-year Sarawak MM2H pass for qualifying older applicants or younger applicants linked to property, study or long-term medical treatment.

Income from MYR 7,000/moCan bring: spouse, children
Eligibility: 2Documents: 1Process & costs: 2Report facts: 3
Official government source: smm2h.sarawaktourism.com · checked 2026-07-27

Digital nomad

2 of 2 say who you can bring
2 routes

Residence-based status

1 of 2 says who you can bring
2 routes

Permanent residence Entry Permit category for a fully foreign national, with detailed current qualifying tests not exposed on the public landing page.

Official government source: imi.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Free movement

2 routes

Youth mobility

2 of 3 say who you can bring
3 routes

Reciprocal youth-mobility route allowing eligible Australian citizens to holiday and undertake incidental work in Malaysia.

Can bring: dependants, children
Eligibility: 3Documents: 2Process & costs: 2Report facts: 6
Official government source: imi.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Cultural, religious & volunteer

1 of 5 says who you can bring
5 routes

Short stay & visit

18 routes

Humanitarian protection

4 routes

Ancestry & return

2 routes

Medical treatment

3 routes

Sports

2 routes

Transit

2 routes

Transit visa for a visa-required foreign national who must enter Malaysia while travelling onward.

Official government source: imi.gov.my · checked 2026-07-27

Other & special

1 of 2 says who you can bring
2 routes

Official sources

Compiled by António Mira, founder · How we verify our data · Not legal advice — immigration rules and thresholds change; confirm with the official sources above before deciding.

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