Malaysian state approving 10-year visas at rapid clip

By Hoang Phong June 3, 2023 | 06:15 pm PT

Tourists pass by Malaysia's Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya, Malaysia, January 28, 2020. Photo by Reuters

Authorities in Sarawak, the largest state in Malaysia, have approved 231 10-year visa program applications so far this year, more than half the number approved last year.

Datuk Sebastian Ting, deputy minister of tourism, creative industry and performing arts, said applications for the Malaysia My Second Home program, which allows foreigners to stay up to 10 years, are now available online for the first time, MalayMail reported.

The digitization is now allowing for applications to be handled more efficiently, he added.

Sarawak last year approved 411 applications for the program, with the highest number of applicants coming from Hong Kong, followed by the U.S. and the U.K.

Despite setbacks caused by the Covid pandemic, 2020 and 2021 still saw 66 and 27 approvals, respectively.

Sarawak adopted the Malaysia My Second Home visa program in January 2007, with its own conditions.

The state requires participants to have fixed deposits in local banks of at least RM150,000 for individuals to RM300,000 for couples.

Applicants who are between 40 and 50 years old are required to invest in real properties specifically for residential purposes worth a total amount of at least RM600,000.

Applicants above 30-years of age may also be considered if they are accompanying their children who are studying in Sarawak, or seeking long term medical treatment.

Approved applicants are required to stay in Sarawak for at least 30 days each year.