MM2H for Singaporeans: Tiers, Deposits and What It Means for a JB Condo

What MM2H is

Malaysia My Second Home is a long-stay visa for foreigners who park a fixed deposit in a Malaysian bank and buy a Malaysian home. The current version came out of a review that froze the programme in 2020. New rules announced in June 2024 set three tiers, a minimum age of 25, a 90-day yearly stay and, for the first time, no path to permanent residence for new participants.

For a Singaporean who already spends weekends in JB, MM2H is mostly a way to stay longer without visa runs and to bring family members on the same pass. It is not a shortcut to cheaper property near the RTS, for reasons covered below.

The tiers in 2026

The three main tiers differ by deposit, property minimum and visa length. A fourth tier applies only to Forest City.

Deposit amounts come from Bernama’s report of the 2024 rules; the other figures are from MISHU, a licensed MM2H agent, as updated in October 2026, and Forest City’s own May 2026 guidance. Agent fees are extra, and MISHU lists its own from RM40,000 for Silver. Up to half of the deposit can be withdrawn after approval for housing, education, medical costs or tourism in Malaysia.

All tiers require you to buy within a set time (12 months for the main tiers, three months for the SEZ tier) and to hold the property for 10 years. You can sell earlier only if you buy a higher-value property first.

Does Silver lower the price floor near the RTS?

This is the question most Singaporeans ask, and the honest answer is that sources disagree. The New Straits Times reported in April 2026 that under the Silver tier “foreigners can buy properties from RM600,000, subject to a 10-year holding period”, in an article about Johor. That would let a Silver participant buy below Johor’s usual RM1 million floor.

MISHU’s guides say the opposite for most of Johor. They state that when MM2H and the state both set a minimum, the higher one applies, and list Johor’s minimum for MM2H participants buying strata property outside Medini as RM1 million. On that reading, RM600,000 works only in Medini, Iskandar Puteri, where the state floor doesn’t apply, and a Silver participant buying a condo in JB city near Bukit Chagar still needs to spend RM1 million.

We have not found a Johor state notice that settles it. Until you have written confirmation from the developer, your lawyer and the state land office for the exact unit, plan on RM1 million. If the RM600,000 route does apply to you, remember the trade: you are locked in for 10 years, and a sub-RM1m unit can generally only be resold to a Malaysian afterwards. Our page on the RM1m resale wall explains why that matters.

Is there a Johor or SEZ version?

We found no Johor-only MM2H programme. The nearest thing is the SEZ tier, which applies to the Forest City Special Financial Zone in western Johor. It has a lower deposit and a lower age limit, but you must buy a new unit directly from the Forest City developer; subsale units don’t qualify. Forest City sits on the far west of Johor near the Second Link, so it isn’t an RTS commuter play.

The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone signed in January 2025 is a separate thing. Its incentives are for companies and some employees, and it gives no residency or property concession to individual buyers.

What it costs on top of the property

MM2H doesn’t change the taxes on the purchase. You still pay the 8% stamp duty for non-citizens, the Johor levy of 3% (minimum RM30,000, or RM50,000 for serviced apartments under RM1m) and legal fees. Our cost calculator adds these up.

The visa also doesn’t make you a Malaysian tax resident. That depends on days spent in Malaysia, usually 182 or more in a year, so if you rent the unit out while living in Singapore, the 30% non-resident rate on net rental income still applies.

Who MM2H suits

MM2H fits a Singaporean who plans to spend a lot of time in Malaysia over a decade, has cash for the deposit, and wants a home rather than a trade. Retirees and semi-retirees fit best, especially those 50 or older who are exempt from the 90-day rule. It fits poorly if you want to buy, rent out and sell within five years, if you need the deposit money back soon, or if you hope it will let you buy cheaply near the RTS and resell to another foreigner.

Rules have changed several times since 2020. Check the current terms with a licensed MM2H agent and the Immigration Department before you commit, and read our guide to buying property in JB as a Singaporean for the rules that apply with or without MM2H.

Read next

Guide

Can Singaporeans Buy Property in JB? The 2026 Rules, Costs and Resale Limits

Yes, with limits. The RM1m foreign floor, 8% stamp duty, Johor's 3% levy, state consent, CPF and HDB rules, RPGT and the resale wall, explained for Singaporeans.

Guide

Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) Explained for Property Buyers

What the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone is, its nine flagship zones, the 5% and 15% tax incentives, and what it does and doesn't change for JB condo buyers.

Guide

The RM1m Resale Wall: Options for Foreign Owners of JB Condos

Bought a JB condo under RM1m as a Singaporean? You can generally only sell to Malaysians. Your four options, RPGT at 30% or 10%, and the 7% retention.

Tool

JB Property Cost Calculator for Singaporeans

Work out the full upfront cost of a Johor Bahru condo as a Singaporean: 8% stamp duty, Johor's 3% levy, legal fees and loan costs, in ringgit and Singapore dollars.