The Premium Visa Programme (PVIP): Malaysia's 20-Year Residency-by-Investment Visa

Buy a house, hire staff, enrol the kids in school, and never track how many days a year you spend in the country: those are the core rights Malaysia offers wealthy foreigners through the Premium Visa Programme. Announced by the Home Ministry in September 2022 and open to applicants from 1 October 2022, PVIP (Program Visa Premium) is a residency-by-investment visa that gives qualifying applicants up to two decades of settled residence in Malaysia. It is easy to confuse with the older Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) scheme, but the two are run by different ministries and aimed at different applicants.

Who runs PVIP, and how is it different from MM2H?

PVIP is administered by the Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia, JIM) under the Ministry of Home Affairs. That is the first thing that sets it apart from MM2H, which is run by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin announced the programme on 1 September 2022, framing it as a “Residency Through Investment” route to draw investors, entrepreneurs and foreign talent.

The practical difference is in what you are allowed to do once you hold the pass. MM2H is fundamentally a long-stay residence scheme. PVIP adds the right to work, run a legal business, study and invest actively — and it lets holders buy not only residential property but commercial and industrial property too. It also waives any minimum-stay obligation, so holders are free to come and go. As with MM2H, the number of participants is capped and meeting the criteria does not guarantee approval, which remains discretionary.

What does PVIP cost?

There are three separate money commitments, and it helps to keep them apart: a fixed deposit you (mostly) keep, a participation fee you do not get back, and smaller recurring charges.

Item	Amount	Notes
Fixed deposit	RM1,000,000	Held in the applicant’s name at a licensed Malaysian bank; no withdrawal on the principal at first
Participation fee (principal)	RM200,000	One-time and non-refundable; a portion (secondary sources cite ~10%) is payable before the agent submits the online application, with the balance on conditional approval
Participation fee (each dependent)	RM100,000	A 10-year dependent option is available for RM50,000 (half rate) under the 2026 revision
Pass fee	RM2,000 per year, per person	Recurring annual fee
Visa fee	Varies by nationality	Set by existing country-based rates
Security bond	Varies by nationality	Set by existing country-based rates

The income test sits alongside these: applicants must show income of RM40,000 a month (RM480,000 a year) through recent bank statements. Traditionally this had to be offshore income; under the 2026 revision the test may also be met through onshore income or a demonstrated net worth. (Secondary sources cite a net-worth threshold in the region of RM1 billion; confirm the exact figure on the official PVIP materials.)

Can you ever touch the RM1 million deposit?

Not immediately. The fixed deposit must sit in the account with no withdrawals allowed on the principal at first. Under the 2026 revision, after six months from the first PVIP endorsement, up to 50% of the deposit can be withdrawn — but only for three specific purposes: purchasing real estate, medical needs, or education. (Earlier reporting from the 2022 launch described a one-year window; the six-month rule reflects the later revision, so confirm the current terms before relying on either.) Even then, you need a recommendation letter from the Immigration Department before the bank will release the funds. The deposit is placed in the applicant’s own name, so the money remains theirs; the restriction is on when and why it can be moved.

Who can you bring with you?

PVIP allows a wide range of dependents. The Immigration Department defines them as:

• The spouse of the principal (with a certified marriage certificate).
• Children under 25 — biological, stepchild or legally adopted.
• A disabled child of any age, with confirmation from a medical specialist or general practitioner.
• The principal’s parents and parents-in-law.

On top of the RM100,000-per-dependent fee, the 2026 revision added a cheaper 10-year dependent option at RM50,000 — half the standard rate — for families who do not need the full 20-year duration for a dependent. Separately, the principal pass holder may bring in a foreign domestic helper from the country of origin, subject to the ordinary maid regulations. There is no age limit anywhere in the programme, for the principal or the dependents.

How do you actually apply?

You cannot apply directly. Every application must go through an agency appointed by the Immigration Department, and the agency submits through the official PVIP portal. The broad shape of the process is:

1. Engage an appointed PVIP agent (the Immigration Department publishes the list of authorised agencies on its portal).
2. Submit the application with a passport copy, and — for dependents — certified, English-translated marriage and birth certificates.
3. Pay the initial portion of the participation fee before the agent submits the online application, then pay the balance of the participation fee and place the RM1 million fixed deposit on conditional approval.
4. Complete the onshore requirements and secure endorsement. Where parents or children under 25 join before entering Malaysia, endorsement must be secured within six months of conditional approval.

Every applicant — and each adult dependent — must also provide a Certificate/Letter of Good Conduct (police clearance) from their country of origin, and from any country they have lived in for over a year. It must be in English or translated into English and certified by the Malaysian Embassy or Consulate.

Is PVIP a path to permanent residence or citizenship?

No. PVIP is a long-term visa, not permanent residence and not citizenship. It grants renewable residency of up to 20 years with multiple entry, but it does not by itself confer PR status or a Malaysian passport. It should be read as a stable, long-horizon residence-and-investment vehicle rather than a naturalisation route.

What’s next

If you are weighing PVIP against MM2H, read our companion guide on the four MM2H tiers — the deposit sizes and property rules differ sharply, and MM2H may suit retirees who do not need work rights. Anyone whose main goal is employment rather than investment should compare the cost and commitment against a standard Employment Pass. Because PVIP terms have already been adjusted since launch (for example the shorter dependent option and the six-month deposit-withdrawal window), always confirm the current figures and the list of authorised agents on the Immigration Department’s own PVIP materials before committing any money.