Requirements for Sarawak MM2H Visa: Eligibility criteria for living in Sarawak, Malaysia, on this Golden Visa

Sarawak MM2H operates under the state's autonomous immigration laws, offering a flexible 5-year renewable visa. With lower financial requirements, it's an attractive option for retirees and investors seeking long-term residency in Malaysia's largest state.

The requirements for citizens of Finland are as follows:

Eligibility	Open to citizens of all countries.
Applicant age	30 years old and above.
Fixed deposit	RM500,000 per main applicant, to be placed in a participating Sarawak bank. After one year, 50% of the FD can be withdrawn for residential, car, medical, or kids' education purposes.
Offshore income OR offshore savings	EITHER: Minimum RM10,000 per month for solo applications. Or RM15,000 per month for applications with dependents. Documentation required OR: Minimum savings: RM100,000 for solo applications. Or RM200,000 for applications with dependents. Documentation required
Dependents	Spouse, children under 21 years old, as well as both parents and parents-in-law
Letter of good conduct	Applies to the principal applicant, as well as each of the dependents.

Health screening	Principle applicant and all dependents need to undergo and pass basic health screening to be conducted in Sarawak.
Visa tenure	Initial tenure is 5 years, which can be renewed for an additional 5 years, provided all visa conditions are still met.
Minimum stay per year	Principle applicant is required to spend a minimum of a total of 30 days per year in Sarawak. In other words, total time spent in Sarawak can be with or without interruptions for time spent elsewhere.
Property purchase	Optional for applicants aged 50+, in which case participants are entitled to buy any property starting from RM600,000 if it's located within Kuching, or RM500,000 if it's located outside Kuching. Minimum lock-in period is 5 years¹.
Employment / Business / Private Equity	Participants can, upon approval, work part-time in approved sectors. Participants can be "sleeping partner" in joint-venture businesses, in approved sectors, with a local partner
Tax exemptions	All funds remitted to Malaysia from overseas are tax-exempt. This applies to pensions, investment gains, rental income, standing orders, etc.
Education	Permitted with student pass, provided students have local medical insurance coverage.
Government processing fee (MYR)	RM3,000 (One-time payment)
Agent fee	Agent's discretion

Sabah MM2H »

¹Applicants below 50 years old are required to buy a property, at either a minimum of RM600,000 if it's located within Kuching, or at a minimum of RM500,000 if it's located outside Kuching. Alternatively, S-MM2H can be applicable for medical purposes, i.e. long-term medical treatment in Sarawak and for educational purposes, i.e. when applicant's children attend school in Sarawak. In either of these cases, the mandatory property purchase requirement is waived.

Conclusion

Sarawak's MM2H program offers a more flexible and accessible route to long-term residency in Malaysia's largest state. With a lower fixed deposit requirement and the option to withdraw funds for housing, healthcare, or education, it caters to retirees and investors alike. Participants can also enjoy a relaxed visa tenure with a minimum stay of just 30 days per year, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a balanced lifestyle in a nature-rich environment.

Sarawak in a Nutshell

Frequently Asked Questions

That used to be the case. However, since the start of 2024, all MM2H applications need to be submitted by a recognized MM2H agent. More details? Please submit the form at the bottom of this page.

No. The fixed deposit needs to be placed at a local bank.

One year after depositing the FD funds, a maximum of 50% of it can be withdrawn, on request, for property, car, education or medical care purposes.

Yes, with MM2H, you're free to buy a property. In fact, Malaysia is one of very few countries that allows foreigners, Finnish citizens included, to buy and own property outright, even freehold property. Sure, some terms and conditions apply, but that's fair enough. Use the form below if you'd like more details on this topic.

The medical includes tests for communicable diseases, including TB, HIV, Malaria and Hepatitis. Yes, all dependents need to undergo and pass the medical. The medical can take place at any certified medical institution, as long as it's in the same jurisdiction as the MM2H application in question. In some cases, applicants that have been denied insurance eligibility, for instance on the basis of their advanced age, can have the medical waived.

Choosing the right medical insurance ensures you're appropriately covered for any medical episodes that may be encountered. As there are several companies in Malaysia, local and international, offering suitable insurance services, we recommenddoing due diligence to whittle your options down to a couple of contenders. Use the form below to let us know if you could use some suggestions.

By default, employment is not permitted whilst in Malaysia. However, MM2H holders over 50 years of age can submit a request to work part-time.

It typically takes roughly three months for the visa application to be processed. There are exceptions, however, since the process may involve third-party entities, including authorities located overseas.

Offshore income, including general remittances, rental income and fixed income such as dividends, FD coupon payments, are all not taxable. Any capital appreciation, both offshore and local, is also not taxed. However, locally-derived employment income is taxable. Need more details? By all means let us know with the form below.

Yes. And yes, MM2H holders are eligible for bank loans of up to 80% of the value of the property. More details? Please submit the form at the bottom of this page.

You'll need to present a letter by your government/employer as well as 3/6 months' worth of banks statements that display the amounts in question.

Yes, a bond is payable by the MM2H applicant; the exact amount depends on the applicant's country of birth. More details? Go ahead and use the form at the bottom of this page.

Any assets that are either 1) cash or 2) can be converted to cash swiftly are considered liquid. These include cash, bank deposits, gold, bonds, shares etc. Brick and mortar doesn't qualify.

Foreigners in Malaysia, Finnish citizens included, are permitted to buy land for residential purposes only.

Sure. As long as you ended up staying the annual minimum number of days required for your MM2H Visa, you've met that condition.

You can simply have your passport renewed, after which you'll be able to add the balance of your MM2H tenure at the immigration office of your MM2H's jurisdiction.

You can take your passport to the immigration office in your jurisdiction, along with all documents required, after which the renewal will be processed. More details? Please use the form below.

Once your visa has expired for the second time, a fresh MM2H application has to be submitted.

If your application is on the basis of your kids' education, their school needs to be in the jurisdiction of the MM2H you're applying for.

Please provide documentation containing details of the medical condition in question, as verified by either a private or a government physician registered with the Malaysia Medical Council.

That used to be the case. However, with the exception of the Sarawak MM2H visa, all latest versions of the MM2H visas require the purchase of a property within that particular jurisdiction, i.e. West Malaysia or Sabah. There are, however, several legal workarounds. For more details on these, click here.

MM2H is a risk-free program and it can be cancelled prematurely quite easily, after which any fixed deposit will be duly returned. The exact steps depend on the circumstances of the MM2H-holder, however. For the full process, please submit the form below.

Want to speak to a knowledgeable S-MM2H representative? Use below form.