Moving To Malaysia

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H)

Overview of the MM2H process

There are broadly 10 steps to applying for and obtaining the Malaysia My Second Home visa:

  1. Collate your supporting documents. There’s quite a lot of evidence and documentation you’ll need to pull together – it’s not hugely complicated, but can take some time and planning.
  2. Complete the application form. This is done online. Despite the blank form being readily downloadable, you should not fill it in by hand.
  3. Print and submit your application to the MM2H Centre in Putrajaya. This can be done in person or by post, but if you have the opportunity to be in Malaysia, I would recommend doing it in person – if, like me, you get something wrong first time, they will be able to advise you and hopefully you can more quickly fix the problem and re-submit.
  4. Wait…
  5. Receive your letter of conditional approval. This is not your actual visa, but will allow you to open bank accounts and such like in order to complete the MM2H process.
  6. Set up bank accounts in Malaysia and deposit a minimum amount of money (the exact amount will vary according to your age). You will need to leave at least half of this in place for as long as you intend to stay in Malaysia under an MM2H visa – so be prepared to lock it away.
  7. Submit to a medical examination (fairly basic and straightforward) and obtain a doctor’s declaration that you are healthy (just a simple form they need to complete and sign).
  8. Obtain a “medical card” (essentially medical insurance, but arguably a much better deal than standard expat or worldwide health insurance).
  9. Complete the security bond form and go to the Inland Revenue Board to have it stamped.
  10. Go to the Immigration Department at Putrajaya to present your various documents from the above steps, deposit your security bond and pay the visa fee, and have your passport endorsed with your MM2H social visit pass. 

The first half of that lot can be done remotely, from your home country, but at some point before or after step 5 you’ll need to come to Malaysia. Step 6 can either be done in Malaysia, or depending on your existing banking relationships at home, may be possible remotely (eg HSBC can set up local accounts prior to arrival).

Note that you will most likely be coming to Malaysia on a tourist visa initially, which for most countries allows you to stay for 90 days. So even though you get 6 months from your conditional approval being granted to complete the process, you cannot stay in Malaysia for 6 months – so either plan to get everything done within 90 days, or arrange to leave the country for a few days halfway through. 

A useful tip there would be to book your flights to KL as a multi-trip to somewhere else in the region, with stopovers in Kuala Lumpur in each direction – that way you can schedule the second sector a few months after arrival in KL, the third a few days after that, then the final one for whenever you want to make a visit back home. Flights on Malaysia Airlines are almost always cheaper from (wherever) to Kuala Lumpur to (somewhere else) than just flying to KL (the same is true for most airlines – a direct flight to their home base will usually cost more than transiting it).

Once you have your visa, you are free to come and go as you please, with no time constraint on how long you can stay (within your visa validity, which is the maximum of ten years or the remaining validity of your passport – but it can be renewed thereafter). Your passport will however be stamped on every exit and re-entry. If you want to avoid that, you should register for the automated electronic immigration gates (e-gates) on your next entry to Malaysia.

Next up: Collate your supporting documents.

11 Comments

  1. Ahmed on 2 October, 2019

    Thanks a lot Jon. I am french based in singapore and will probably send my application next week.
    Your blog is really precious it helped me a lot.
    Hope the process get faster.

    Ahmed

    • Jon on 2 October, 2019

      Thanks Ahmed – glad it was useful. Good luck!

  2. Naz on 3 January, 2021

    Hi Jon, thank you so much for your blog, priceless info here!

    I’m thinking about moving to Malaysia from the UK. I work in IT and would ideally like to work in this field. Any idea what the IT job market is like?

    Thank you again!

    Naz

    • Jon on 8 November, 2022

      Hi Naz,

      My impression is that IT skills are very much in demand here. A good place to start might be http://www.jobstreet.com.my. But note that you won’t be able to work in Malaysia on an MM2H visa – you’ll need a proper work visa or talent pass for that. There is, theoretically, an exception – if you’re on MM2H and aged 50 or over you can apply for permission to work up to 20 hours a week, but it’s not guaranteed to be given.

  3. Manuel on 15 November, 2021

    Hi Jon,

    Thank you so much, this is really helpful.

    I’m thinking of moving to Malaysia within the next 6-8 months and you just made my life a whole load easier.

    God bless.

    • Jon on 29 November, 2021

      Thank you, glad it was of use, and good luck with your move! Be aware the government has recently announced some fairly severe changes to the MM2H programme. I’ll try to get round to writing something about it soon, although like everyone here, I’m waiting for the dust to settle to see what actually happens – it has been controversial to say the least! But for now, if you Google something like “MM2H relaunch” you should find the latest information. It’s looking as though the Sarawak programme (SMM2H) may provide a better option for many, depending on individual circumstances, so that may be worth looking into.

  4. Joyce Heggli on 8 November, 2022

    Hi Jon,

    Thank you so much for all helpful information here.
    For the new MM2H regulations, do you recommend to apply the mm2h directly without an agent? I am actually planning to fly in to apply the visa and go to Putrajaya in person. Not sure if everything can be done within my 90 days stay with my EU passport. : )

    • Jon on 8 November, 2022

      Hi Joyce,

      90 days should easily be enough to get the application in yourself, without an agent, but whether it will be processed within that timeframe so that you can get your approval letter and complete the process is another matter – you may end up needing to make a second trip. I’m not up to speed on the exact details of the latest process as it has now moved from the Ministry of Tourism to the Immigration Department, but as far as I am aware, it is much the same in terms of the documents you’ll need and the steps you take. I assume you’re aware of the new, much more onerous, financial requirements? An alternative might be the separate Sarawak MM2H programme (S-MM2H), which seems to be what everyone is looking at now, though I know nothing about the application process. Good luck!

      • Joyce on 8 November, 2022

        Dear Jon,

        Thanks for your reply.
        Yes I noticed the new financial requirement of MM2h. Just that our kids will go to school in KL so SMM2H isn’t suitable for us. But thanks for advice.
        Did you need to notarize the copies of document before you submit? Did you able to get them notarized in Malaysia?

        • Jon on 8 November, 2022

          Ah fair enough! I got my documents notarized here – in Putrajaya actually, when I went there to submit my application and they told me that, even though the web site at the time said a Commissioner for Oaths was sufficient, it wasn’t – has to be a Notary. So they sent me to a local one a short taxi ride away, who did it on the spot, and I was able to get back within an hour or so and successfully submit my application. Slightly stressful as I was flying home the next day, but it all worked out fine in the end!

          • Joyce on 8 November, 2022

            Oh wow. It must be very stressful. Glad that you managed to solve and submit the application before flying home.
            Thanks for sharing information with us.

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