What is Malaysia's Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) — Silver, Gold, Platinum?

People with capital who want a long-horizon base in Malaysia. Restructured into three tiers, plus a separate Special Economic Zone pathway. It lasts silver 5 years renewable, Gold 15 years renewable, Platinum 20 years renewable. None. MM2H is a long-stay social visit pass, not a residence permit, and it does not lead to permanent residence or citizenship however long you hold it.

What is Malaysia's Employment Pass?

Skilled workers with a Malaysian employer, in three categories by salary and contract length. It lasts up to 5 years for Category I; shorter for the lower categories. Permanent residence exists but is discretionary and rarely granted — usually after many continuous years, and not something to plan around.

What is Malaysia's DE Rantau Nomad Pass?

Digital freelancers, remote workers and independent contractors in digital fields, working for non-Malaysian clients or employers. It lasts 3 to 12 months initially, renewable for a further 12. None. It is a pass for remote work, not a residence route.

What is Malaysia's Student pass?

Students at Malaysian institutions, including the several international branch campuses. It lasts course length, renewed annually. None directly; graduates must switch to an Employment Pass, which resets the clock.

GlobeQuest

Moving from Bahrain to Malaysia

What your passport gets you at the border — and what it takes to actually stay.

Bahrain

MalaysiaShort stay

Visa-free · 90 days

Bahrain passport holders can enter Malaysia without a visa and stay up to 90 days.

This is short-stay visitor policy only. It does not let you work, study or settle in Malaysia — that needs a residence permit.

Passport Index · updated 17 February 2026Malaysia's official immigration service

Long stay

How you actually move to Malaysia

RetirementHigh confidenceVerified July 2026

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) — Silver, Gold, Platinum

People with capital who want a long-horizon base in Malaysia. Restructured into three tiers, plus a separate Special Economic Zone pathway.

What you need

Silver: USD 150,000 fixed deposit and a residential property purchase of at least RM 600,000
Gold: USD 500,000 fixed deposit and property of at least RM 1,000,000
Platinum: USD 1,000,000 fixed deposit and property of at least RM 2,000,000
Aged 25 or over
Property must be bought and held for at least 10 years
A minimum 60-day stay in Malaysia each year, strictly enforced

How long it lasts: Silver 5 years renewable, Gold 15 years renewable, Platinum 20 years renewable.
Path to permanent residence: None. MM2H is a long-stay social visit pass, not a residence permit, and it does not lead to permanent residence or citizenship however long you hold it.
Cost: The deposit and property purchase dominate; add participation and agent fees, plus real-estate transaction costs.
Processing time: Several months, and it runs through licensed agents in practice.

Worth knowing

Silver, Gold and SEZ tiers carry no employment rights at all. Only Platinum holders may become company directors and shareholders — if you intend to work or run something, the tier choice is the whole decision.
The mandatory 10-year property hold is the biggest change from the old programme and makes MM2H substantially less liquid than it used to be.
The 60-day annual presence requirement is now enforced, so this no longer works as a dormant residency.

Sources:MM2H — official programme site Immigration Department of Malaysia

Work / sponsoredMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

Employment Pass

Skilled workers with a Malaysian employer, in three categories by salary and contract length.

What you need

Job offer from a Malaysian company with the required paid-up capital for foreign hires
Category I: monthly salary of RM 10,000 or more, contract up to 5 years, renewable, with dependants allowed
Categories II and III: lower salary bands with shorter validity and progressively fewer rights
Relevant degree or diploma plus experience; employer approval from the Expatriate Services Division

How long it lasts: Up to 5 years for Category I; shorter for the lower categories.
Path to permanent residence: Permanent residence exists but is discretionary and rarely granted — usually after many continuous years, and not something to plan around.
Cost: Pass fees plus employer-side ESD registration; typically employer-paid.
Processing time: Several weeks once the employer's ESD account is in order.

Worth knowing

Category III passes cannot bring dependants and are renewable only twice, which makes the RM 10,000 Category I line far more consequential than it looks.
The employer's paid-up capital requirement varies with ownership structure and blocks many small local firms from hiring foreigners.

Sources:Immigration Department of Malaysia

Digital nomadMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

DE Rantau Nomad Pass

Digital freelancers, remote workers and independent contractors in digital fields, working for non-Malaysian clients or employers.

What you need

Work in a digital domain — IT, software, digital marketing, digital content and similar
Annual income commonly stated at USD 24,000 or more, evidenced by contracts or employment letters
Contracts with clients or employers outside Malaysia
Health insurance covering the stay

How long it lasts: 3 to 12 months initially, renewable for a further 12.
Path to permanent residence: None. It is a pass for remote work, not a residence route.
Cost: A modest application fee for the main applicant, plus a smaller fee per dependant.
Processing time: Around 4–8 weeks through the MDEC portal.

Worth knowing

The income bar is among the lowest of any nomad programme, which is the main attraction — but eligibility is restricted to digital occupations, unlike Portugal's or Spain's open-ended versions.
It does not permit work for Malaysian companies or clients.
Confirm the current income threshold and eligible-occupation list on MDEC's site; both have been adjusted since launch.

Sources:MDEC — DE Rantau Nomad Pass

StudentMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

Student pass

Students at Malaysian institutions, including the several international branch campuses.

What you need

Offer from an institution registered with Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS)
EMGS clearance including a medical screening
Proof of funds and health insurance

How long it lasts: Course length, renewed annually.
Path to permanent residence: None directly; graduates must switch to an Employment Pass, which resets the clock.
Cost: EMGS processing plus pass fees, on top of tuition that is low relative to the branch campuses' home countries.
Processing time: EMGS clearance commonly takes several weeks before the pass is issued.

Worth knowing

Part-time work is tightly limited — 20 hours a week only during breaks, and only in permitted sectors.
Branch campuses of UK and Australian universities award the same degree at a fraction of the cost, which is the underrated reason to study here.

Sources:Immigration Department of Malaysia

On the ground