Program Visa Premium Malaysia (PVIP)
A twenty year multiple-entry pass for high-net-worth applicants that permits employment and business activity, bought with a fixed deposit, a large non-refundable fee and a documented income test.
PVIP is marketed as Malaysian residency. It is a long-term visit pass, and it does not lead to permanent residence. It is also the only federal route where you can work without an employer sponsor and without paying MM2H Platinum money, which is what actually distinguishes it.
Programme snapshot
| Item | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Main audience | High-net-worth investors, entrepreneurs and senior professionals. No age limit |
| Route family | investment |
| Validity | 20 years, multiple entry |
| Stay per entry | Multiple entry, no minimum stay requirement |
| Threshold | RM 1,000,000 fixed deposit (about USD 245,000 at RM 4.09 per USD, Bank Negara, October 2026), plus a RM 200,000 participation fee (about USD 49,000), plus RM 100,000 per dependent, plus proven income of RM 40,000 per month or RM 480,000 per year (about USD 9,790 per month), or total net worth of at least RM 1 billion |
| Renewal | 20 year term issued in 5+5+5+5 year tranches; pass fee RM 2,000 per year per holder; extending past year twenty costs half the participation fee again |
| Settlement | None |
| PR clock | None. A long-term visit pass, not a PR programme |
| Citizenship clock | None |
| Family | Spouse, children under 25, disabled children of any age, parents and parents-in-law, plus foreign domestic helpers. Dependents may take a 10 year term at RM 50,000 instead of RM 100,000 |
| Local employment | Yes. Holders may be employed, run legal business activity and study |
| Tax headline | Foreign-source income generally exempt; Malaysian employment and business income taxable |
| Processing | 30 working days if documents are complete, through an authorised PVIP agency only |
Application flow
- Check the income test before anything else. RM 40,000 per month must be documented. The deposit alone does not qualify you.
- Appoint an authorised PVIP agency. Immigration does not accept direct applications, and unlicensed consultants are the most common way applicants lose money here.
- Assemble evidence of the RM 1,000,000 deposit and the monthly income.
- Pay the RM 200,000 participation fee, charged per principal, and RM 100,000 per dependent, or RM 50,000 for a dependent taking a 10 year term.
- The agency submits to the PVIP Centre in Putrajaya. Expect 30 working days on complete documents.
- Endorse the pass and pay the annual pass fee of RM 2,000.
- If you later want to release funds, note that withdrawal is only available after 6 months, capped at 50 percent, and only for property, medical or education spending, with an Immigration recommendation letter.
Good fit
A business owner with USD 600,000 or more who wants to work, invest and buy property in Malaysia for 20 years with no minimum stay. Senior professionals whose income is already documented at RM 40,000 a month and who do not want to depend on an employer for their right to stay.
Poor fit
A retiree who will not work. MM2H Gold is cheaper for the same residence outcome. Also a poor fit for anyone whose income is real but hard to document, since the monthly test is checked and the deposit does not substitute for it.
Watchpoints
- The RM 200,000 fee is non-refundable and charged per principal. A family of four pays RM 500,000 in fees alone before the deposit.
- The income test is real. RM 40,000 per month must be documented to Immigration’s satisfaction. Deposit size does not cure a failed income test.
- Deposit access is tightly restricted. No withdrawal from the principal in the ordinary case, and the 50 percent route opens only after 6 months, only for property, medical or education, and only with an Immigration recommendation letter.
- Only authorised agencies may submit. There is no direct channel, and paying an unlicensed intermediary is how applications get lost.
- It still does not lead to permanent residence, despite the residency framing in most marketing.
- Twenty years is a long commitment to a pass you may not need. If you will not work, the cheaper tiers do the same job.
Sources
- Immigration Department of Malaysia, PVIP FAQ, https://imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/eservices/doc/FAQ_PVIP.pdf, checked 2026-10-22