PVIP Malaysia: The Complete Guide to the Premium Visa Programme (2026)
Malaysia doesn't officially call it a golden visa – but that's essentially what the Premium Visa Programme (PVIP) is: a 20-year renewable residency pass with full work and business rights, no minimum stay, and no upper age limit. If you’re looking to stay in Asia long-term, PVIP is one of the region’s most flexible and attractive offers.
As an authorised PVIP application agency, here is the programme as it stands today, with the latest guidance from the Immigration Department.
What PVIP is – and isn't
The Premium Visa Programme is Malaysia's residency-by-investment route: a long-term, multiple-entry residence pass granted for 20 years and renewable for a further 20.
Unlike most long-stay visas anywhere, it carries no minimum stay requirement, no upper age limit, and full rights to work, run a business, study and invest in Malaysia.
Equally important is what PVIP isn't:
It's not permanent residency or citizenship, and it contains no built-in pathway to either.
It's not a property scheme. PVIP requires no property purchase at all – one of its cleanest differences from MM2H. You're free to buy Malaysian property under standard foreign-ownership rules, but it's entirely optional.
PVIP is best suited for…
Entrepreneurs and working professionals. If you need the right to work or operate a business in Malaysia from day one, PVIP is the direct route. Unlike the MM2H visa, which only offers work rights under the Platinum tier, PVIP offers full work rights and costs less overall.
Globally mobile HNW individuals. No minimum stay means you’re not confined to Malaysia and can return to your base anytime. This is ideal for people who find themselves travelling often.
Families planning in decades. One application covers your spouse, children, parents and parents-in-law – and even a domestic helper. A 20-year horizon, renewable, means children can grow up and study in Malaysia.
And who it doesn't suit: anyone who can't comfortably lock RM1,000,000 in a Malaysian fixed deposit and evidence the income requirement; and anyone whose real goal is property investment alone.
PVIP neither requires nor rewards a property purchase. If that’s important to you, the MM2H programme might be what you’re looking for.
Requirements in 2026
The core criteria for the principal applicant:
Fixed deposit: RM1,000,000 placed with a licensed Malaysian bank. This remains your money, in your name, earning interest. After six months, up to 50% may be withdrawn for approved purposes, such as property purchase, medical expenses, or education.
Offshore/onshore income: RM40,000 per month (RM480,000 per year). Income can derive from employment, business or investments – what matters is that it's documented and provable. Alternatively, for those who prefer not to evidence cash-based income, you may demonstrate have a financial eligibility total net worth of at least RM1 billion
Participation fee: RM200,000 for the principal applicant and RM100,000 per dependant – a one-time, non-refundable government fee, separate from the deposit. (Note: Dependents may opt for a 10-year pass at a reduced RM50,000 fee)
The standard file: A passport that’s valid for at least 24 months, proof of funds and income, letter of good conduct, medical examination in Malaysia, and health insurance valid locally.
An authorised agency. You’ll need to appoint a PVIP agency licensed by the Immigration Department (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia; JIM). You can find the official list of authorised agencies (including us!) here.
Free download: The PVIP 2026 Requirements, Costs & Document Checklist (PDF)
Need this on hand? Print out the full requirements and fee breakdown — plus the application document checklist we walk clients through at consultations.
The tax question
For many PVIP applicants, tax is the quiet centre of the decision – so here's what you need to know.
The visa does not determine your tax residency. Days do. Malaysian tax residency generally turns on spending 182 or more days in the country in a calendar year. Because PVIP has no minimum stay, a holder can decide, year by year, which side of that line to sit on – a degree of control most long-stay visas don't allow.
Malaysia taxes territorially. Foreign-sourced income is generally exempt for individuals under current treatment, while Malaysian-sourced income is taxable – and note that interest earned on your RM1,000,000 fixed deposit is Malaysian-sourced, so it can be taxable even while other income isn't.
What this means in practice depends entirely on your circumstances, your home country's rules, and treaties between them. We are not tax advisors and this is not tax advice – but we can connect you to qualified tax professionals before you commit funds.
What it all costs
Participation fee: RM200,000 (principal) + RM100,000 per dependant – one-time, non-refundable, paid to the government.
Fixed deposit: RM1,000,000. It stays your asset, in your name, earning interest, partially withdrawable for approved purposes and released if you exit the programme.
Medical & insurance: examinations for every applicant, plus locally valid health coverage.
Documentation: translation, notarisation and good-conduct certificates as required by your home country.
Agent fees: varies across the market. Our standing advice regardless of who you engage: get the complete fee in writing before committing, confirm what it covers, and treat vagueness about fees as disqualifying. We quote ours transparently at the first consultation.
How payment works
You don't pay everything up front. The structure is:
On submission, you pay 1% of the participation fee – RM 2,000 per participant – when the online application is lodged.
On approval, the remaining balance falls due: the rest of the participation fee, the pass fee, the visa fee, and the security bond.
The full fee schedule set by JIM:
How to apply
Free consultation and eligibility assessment – we assess your case against the criteria to see if the programme is a good fit, or if another programme might suit you better.
Document preparation – we work with you to prepare the correct documentations for you and your dependents.
Submission to the Immigration Department.
Approval in principle – then the conditions: place the fixed deposit, pay the participation fee.
In Malaysia: complete the medical examination, secure insurance, and attend endorsement.
Collect your pass – 20 years starts now.
Is PVIP right for you?
PVIP fits people with meaningful capital and income who want two decades of Malaysian optionality – with the right to work, build, and bring the whole family, unburdened by stay requirements or a mandatory property purchase.
If you have any questions or doubts, that's precisely what our free consultation is for. We'll give you the full picture in writing, and answer questions about your unique situation.
Book a free consultation with us here.
Objective Consultancy · PVIP applications via Success Midwest Sdn. Bhd. (955508-P), an authorised PVIP application agency · Subang Jaya, Selangor · Securing Malaysian visas since 2000.
This guide is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Figures correct as of July 2026 and updated when requirements change.