Sarawak MM2H vs Thai retirement visa
Sarawak-Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H) is the Sarawak state government's own long-stay pass, run by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) in Kuching rather than by federal MOTAC, and valid for residence in Sarawak only. Since 1 January 2025 it requires a RM500,000 fixed deposit at a Sarawak panel bank in the main applicant's name plus proof of RM10,000 a month in pension or offshore income (RM15,000 with a dependent), or RM100,000/RM200,000 in savings if you have neither, with a one-time non-refundable RM5,000 processing fee, a minimum age of 30, and Malaysian-valid medical insurance. The pass runs 5 + 5 years, obliges you to spend at least 30 days a year in Sarawak, and requires RM250,000 to stay in the fixed deposit for as long as you hold it. Thailand's O-A retirement visa is open from age 50 and carries the strictest insurance rule in Southeast Asia: health cover of at least USD 100,000 (3,000,000 THB), from a Thai insurer on the TGIA long-stay list or a foreign insurer able to issue the official certificate.
| Sarawak MM2H | Thai retirement visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | malaysia | thailand |
| Stay per entry | Multiple-entry social visit pass with no per-entry day cap — you come and go for the life of the pass. The binding number runs the other way: you must spend at least 30 days a year in Sarawak, and MTCP treats that as a condition for extension and renewal. | 1 year |
| Total validity | Ten years in practice, issued as 5 + 5: an initial five-year multiple-entry social visit pass, then an extension covering years 6–10 granted on passport validity and a fresh RB II medical report. Continuing beyond ten years means filing a new application, submitted six months before expiry. | 1 year, renewable in-country |
| Government fee | RM5,000 — One-time, non-refundable processing fee paid to MTCP Sarawak, introduced 1 January 2025. Charged on acknowledgement of the application, before any decision. Excludes the personal/security bond (RM200–RM2,000 depending on nationality, RM2,000 for US and Canadian citizens), agent fees, and the Sarawak medical examination. | None |
| Income required | RM10,000 — Per month. RM10,000 for a single applicant, RM15,000 for an applicant with a dependent. Accepted as either a government-approved pension (pension letter plus three months of payments) or offshore employment income (employment confirmation plus three months of payslips and bank statements). This is required in addition to the RM500,000 fixed deposit, not as an alternative to it. | None |
| Savings required | RM100,000 — Closing balance over the latest three months: RM100,000 for a single applicant, RM200,000 with a dependent. Open only to applicants who have no offshore income or pension, and explicitly 'Subject on Panel Approval' — a discretionary fallback rather than a guaranteed route. Held separately from and in addition to the RM500,000 fixed deposit. | ฿800,000 — or an income certificate showing a monthly pension of not less than 65,000 THB |
| Deposit required | RM500,000 — RM500,000 fixed deposit in the main applicant's name at an S-MM2H panel bank in Sarawak (Affin, Maybank, Alliance, Hong Leong, UOB, HSBC). One deposit covers the family — it is not doubled for a spouse. After one year you may withdraw up to 50%, and only for a house, a car, medical expenses or children's education in Sarawak; RM250,000 must stay in the account for the life of the pass. | None |
| Minimum age | 30 | 50 |
| Health insurance | Required | Required — ฿3,000,000 |
| Processing time | Around three months from submission to approval when the file is complete, per licensed agents. MTCP publishes no service standard, and the clock only starts once the RM5,000 processing fee is paid and every document is in. | 3–6 weeks |
| Apply from | Inside Sarawak, through the S-MM2H Management and Online Application System (MOAS) at service.sarawak.gov.my, submitted by a Sarawak-based personal sponsor or an S-MM2H licensed agent. The medical report must be done at a Sarawak facility and endorsed by a Sarawak government doctor, so an in-person trip is unavoidable. | Outside Thailand, at the Thai embassy or consulate for your country of residence |
Choose the Sarawak MM2H if
- The presence requirement is 30 days a year in Sarawak, against 90 cumulative days a year for the federal MM2H tiers — the lightest stay obligation of any Malaysian long-stay programme.
- No compulsory property purchase. Federal MM2H Silver forces a RM600,000 buy within a year of endorsement; Sarawak leaves it optional.
- One RM500,000 deposit covers the family unit rather than scaling per person, so a couple pays the same as a single applicant on the deposit line.
- Parents can be brought in as dependants, not just a spouse and children under 21 — and disabled children have no age limit.
- Half the deposit can be recycled into a Sarawak house, car, medical care or school fees after year one, so it is not entirely dead capital.
- Limited part-time work is permitted — up to 20 hours a week in education, banking/securities, manufacturing or medical, with State Authority approval — plus minority (up to 49%) partnership in a joint venture with a local partner.
- Cost of living in Kuching and Miri sits well below Kuala Lumpur, Penang or Johor Bahru.
Choose the Thai retirement visa if
- Renewable indefinitely in-country once established, with no exit requirement beyond 90-day reporting.
- Permits a Thai bank account and long-term lease without the friction tourist stamps create.
- Dependants can be included.
Sarawak MM2H last checked 11 September 2026; Thai retirement visa last checked 10 September 2026. Sources are listed on each visa page.