Considering a move to Malaysia

If you are planning to stay in Malaysia for more than 3 months. I don't know if you are coming Malaysia to work or retire. Visa will be the first thing you need to investigate. Long term visa is not easy here.

Hey Digitarius,

Feel free to ask your questions about any topic to make it easier for members of the Malaysia forum to assist you.

I also invite you to browse the Living in Malaysia guide for expats. I am sure you will have some questions after reading it.

All the best,

Cheryl

Expat.com team

Yes, the MM2H program has been butchered and much harder now.  Hopefully, the new PM and his administration will see that the old program was good and just adjust the requirements down.

My understanding is that there is a new digital nomad visa program.  That may work for you.

Good luck!

If you are planning to stay here for more than 3 months, you could definitely look at MM2H or PVIP programme, These two programmes are long-term visa program. However, MM2H doesn't allowed you to work in Malaysia while PVIP allowed you to do so. However, both visas are hard to apply, the qualifications and requirements are high. Bascially you need MONEY.

Good Luck!

@mibu mibu I did and you are right you need money hahaha.  I still will consider it because I like Malaysia.

Digitarius,

Its not like the old days when one could just come because they liked it, wanted a change, wanted to hang out. Thats all gone, now you need a concrete reason and one that the govt agrees with.

If you are retiring and have money, MM2H is the basic option. If for work, getting on with a local company is going to be tough so explore potential employers from Indo and if you can get hired, they would apply for a visa for you. You can also check out digital nomad requirements and see if that fits.  If you want to come and hang out and start living, with no firm purpose, you have the time allowed by the tourist visa with little hope of turning that around many times to stay longer.

the bottom line is...contribution ( work) & money ($$$) or the combination of both.

otherwise...keep looking for countries that don't mind about these two. which is ...none (?)

the bottom line is...contribution ( work) & money ($$$) or the combination of both.
otherwise...keep looking for countries that don't mind about these two. which is ...none (?)
-@mypat

It wasnt very long ago that everything was wide open everywhere. Between 2015 and 2020, there was such huge migration worldwide that instead of countries being happy to pick up new residents, they closed the doors in steps. Fiji, Ecuador, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines all became difficult and problematic, if not more or less closed. Portugal will be next. My plans to leave Malaysia all got squashed because of this. New ideas are great and wonderful when only a few people do it. Try it with many, the doors shut. Too, Malaysia, in my view so undeserving of the huge capital needed to come in, will also get backlash when people dont come or move on so what was gained?

@cvco

u got points. but ...if the door shut (metaphorically) ...we open it (with game plan)...how?

pls read: https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 36#5632145

MM2H vs PR. Not sure which to select both are very hard