Residency by Investment · Malaysia
Premium Visa Programme (PVIP) Malaysia
A 20-year renewable residency that lets you live, work, and invest in Malaysia with no minimum stay, in exchange for a fixed deposit and offshore income. Emerhub handles the application.
20-year residencyNo minimum stayWork and investNo age limit
Overview
What is the Premium Visa Programme?
The Premium Visa Programme, the PVIP, is Malaysia’s residency-by-investment scheme for global investors, entrepreneurs, professionals, and retirees. Launched in 2022, it grants a 20-year renewable residency under a single visa, with the freedom to live, work, run a business, study, and invest, without the short renewal cycles that disrupt long-term planning.
It rests on financial standing rather than a job or a sponsor: a fixed deposit in a Malaysian bank and a verifiable offshore income. There is no age limit and no minimum stay, so you can base yourself in Malaysia full-time or use it as a second home while managing ventures abroad.
What sets the PVIP apart. Unlike MM2H, it does not require you to buy property, and unlike most work routes, it does not tie you to one employer or set a minimum stay. In return it asks for an RM1 million fixed deposit and offshore income of RM40,000 a month. It is residency with full work and business rights, on your own terms.
What you get
Key features of the PVIP
Long-term certainty with the flexibility that high earners and investors need.
20-year residency
A renewable 20-year visa, with the option to extend for another 20, so you can plan a decade ahead without reapplying.
No minimum stay
Come and go freely. There is no requirement to spend a set number of days a year in Malaysia.
Work, business, study
Take up employment, run a company, serve as a director, or study, without separate permits.
Family included
Bring your spouse, children, and parents on the same visa, with one application for the whole family.
Eligibility
Who qualifies for the PVIP
The Premium Visa Programme is open to anyone who can meet the financial bar, with few other restrictions.
- No age limitFor established investors and younger founders alike.
- Fixed deposit of RM1,000,000Held in a Malaysian bank.
- Participation fee of RM200,000Plus RM100,000 per dependent.
- Offshore income of RM40,000 / monthOr RM480,000 a year.
- Letter of Good Conduct and a medicalMedical at a registered Malaysian clinic.
- Open to most nationalitiesAll countries with diplomatic ties to Malaysia.
- Israel is excluded
Updated for 2026. Since March 2026, dependents can take a 10-year pass at a reduced RM50,000 fee instead of the 20-year option, you can withdraw from the fixed deposit after six months rather than a year, and the income test can also be met through onshore income or net worth, not only offshore income.
Tax
PVIP and tax residency
Malaysian tax residency turns on the time you spend in the country, not on which visa you hold. As a rule, spending 182 days or more in Malaysia in a calendar year makes you a tax resident; the PVIP itself does not. Because the PVIP has no minimum stay, a holder can keep their days below that line and remain a non-resident for tax.
Malaysia taxes on a territorial basis. Residents are taxed on Malaysian-sourced income, while foreign-sourced income is generally exempt for individuals. The interest earned on the RM1 million fixed deposit is Malaysian-sourced, so it can be taxable. How the rest of your income is treated depends on your days in Malaysia, your home country’s rules, and any double taxation agreement, so it is worth taking advice for your own situation. We are not tax advisors, but we can point you to the right help.
Comparison
PVIP vs MM2H
The closest alternative is the Platinum tier of MM2H. Both run 20 years, but the PVIP asks for less capital, no property, and no minimum stay.
| PVIP | MM2H Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| Residency | 20 years | 20 years |
| Fixed deposit | RM1,000,000 | USD 1,000,000 |
| Property purchase | Optional | Required, RM2,000,000, held 10 years |
| Minimum stay | None | 90 days a year if under 50 |
| Work and business | Yes | Yes |
| Income test | RM40,000 a month offshore | None |
For an investor with strong recurring income who would rather not lock capital into property, the PVIP is the cleaner structure. See the full MM2H tiers if a property-based route suits you better.
Beyond the visa
What the PVIP opens up
The reasons long-term planners choose Malaysia as a base.
An ASEAN business base with pro-investment policies and broad trade agreements
Malaysian real estate in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, or Johor, with no MM2H-style holding period
Top private healthcare and leading schools and universities, no extra permits needed
A territorial tax regime and a wide network of double taxation agreements
What to prepare
Documents required for the PVIP
- A clear color copy of every page of your passport, valid for at least 24 months.
- A personal resume detailing your professional background.
- At least three months of bank statements, or a letter of employment, to verify your income.
- A police clearance certificate from your home country, and any country you have lived in for over a year.
- A medical report from a registered clinic or hospital in Malaysia.
- Birth or marriage certificates for dependents, where applicable.
Any document not in English must be translated by a certified translator and authenticated by the relevant authorities. We prepare, translate, and certify the full set with you.
How Emerhub helps
How to apply for the PVIP
The Premium Visa Programme is filed through an authorised channel, and approval comes before you place the deposit.
1
Preliminary assessment
We review your income and funds against the criteria and confirm you qualify before any commitment.
2
Documents and fee
We prepare and certify the documents, and lodge the application with the initial fee through an authorised channel.
3
Conditional approval
The authorities review the application and issue a conditional approval letter, with background vetting.
4
Deposit, medical, endorsement
You place the RM1 million fixed deposit, complete the medical and insurance, and the 20-year visa is endorsed.
PVIP as your Malaysia base?
Tell us about your income and plans, and we’ll confirm you qualify for the PVIP, run the application end to end, and see you through to the endorsement.
Common questions
PVIP FAQs
The questions investors and families ask most about the Premium Visa Programme.
What does PVIP stand for, and what is it?
PVIP stands for the Premium Visa Programme, Malaysia’s residency-by-investment scheme. It grants a 20-year renewable residency, with full work and business rights and no minimum stay, to applicants who meet a fixed deposit and offshore income threshold.
How does the PVIP compare to MM2H?
Both can run 20 years, but the PVIP does not require a property purchase, sets no minimum stay, and allows work and business in every case. MM2H requires a property bought within 12 months and held for 10 years, has a 90-day stay rule for under-50s, and grants work rights only on its Platinum tier.
Does the PVIP lead to permanent residency or citizenship?
No. The PVIP is a long-term residency program, not a path to permanent residency or citizenship. It grants a 20-year visa, renewable for a further 20, with many of the privileges of a resident but not the status itself.
Can I use the RM1 million deposit for property or other investments?
It must sit as a fixed deposit at first. After six months you can withdraw up to 50% of it for an approved purpose, a property purchase, medical expenses, or education, while the rest stays on deposit for as long as you hold the visa.
Does holding the PVIP make me a Malaysian tax resident?
No, not by itself. Tax residency in Malaysia is based on days spent in the country (182 or more in a calendar year), not on the visa held. Because the PVIP has no minimum stay, a holder can choose whether to cross that line in any given year.
Who can I bring as a dependent?
Your spouse, children, and parents can be included on the same application. Under the 2026 update, dependents can take a 10-year pass at a reduced RM50,000 fee instead of the 20-year visa, if that fits the family better.
PVIP in Malaysia?
Talk to our Malaysia team
A free, no-obligation call: thirty minutes with our Malaysia team to check the income and funds tests, walk through the 2026 dependent and deposit changes, and lay out the timeline through to the 20-year endorsement.
Emailmalaysia@emerhub.com
Phone / WhatsApp+60 17 684 9718
OfficeC-18-6, KL Trillion
Kampung Datuk Keramat
50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kampung Datuk Keramat
50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia