The MM2H SEZ/SFZ category asks for the smallest fixed deposit of the four categories: USD 65,000 for ages 21 to 49 and USD 32,000 for 50 and above. In exchange, a property purchase in Forest City, Johor, from the developer, is compulsory. You cannot sell that property for 10 years.
The category is named for the Special Economic Zone and Special Financial Zone in Johor. The conditions come from the MOTAC special conditions document (certified correct at 14 June 2024), the mm2h.gov.my SEZ page and the MOTAC announcement of 28 May 2025. Every figure below comes from those files as captured on 16 October 2026.
The deposit by age
The MOTAC conditions set the deposit in two bands. Applicants aged 21 to 49 place USD 65,000. Applicants aged 50 and above place USD 32,000. The mm2h.gov.my overview shows the two bands as two columns, and labels the second column "minimum age 50". That label is a band, not a separate category.
| Age of principal | Fixed deposit |
|---|---|
| 21 to 49 | USD 65,000 |
| 50 and above | USD 32,000 |
The deposit sits in a Malaysian financial institution licensed under the Financial Services Act 2013 (Act 758) or the Islamic Financial Services Act 2013 (Act 759). The MOTAC endorsement checklist records the certificate as "FD (tagged LIEN)". The 28 May 2025 announcement encourages the deposit in Malaysian Ringgit at the USD equivalent for the category.
Up to 50% of the principal FD can be withdrawn for a house purchase, education, health or tourism activities in Malaysia. The timing differs between sources: the category page says after approval, and the MOTAC guide says from the second year onwards. The fixed deposit guide sets out the conflict.
No official page publishes a monthly income test for this category, and the MOTAC conditions of 14 June 2024 state that the offshore income condition is dropped for all categories.
The compulsory Forest City purchase
This is the condition that separates SEZ/SFZ from the other categories. The mm2h.gov.my SEZ page states: "Compulsory to purchase and own a property/house in Forest City, Johor after obtaining the approval as MM2H participant." The floor price is subject to Johor state property acquisition policy. No official page states that floor price as a number.
The 28 May 2025 announcement adds three rules after engagement with the Johor State Authority:
- The location for the house purchase under SEZ/SFZ is Forest City, Johor only.
- The purchase must be from the Forest City developer company only, not from a third party. The 2024 conditions say the same: direct from the developer, not through property agents or existing owners.
- The MM2H operator company must report the sale transaction to the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre Johor (IMFC-J).
The timing of the purchase also differs between documents. The 2024 conditions and the category page say the purchase comes after approval. The 2025 announcement says the participant must own or buy the house before the pass endorsement. The same announcement sets a separate rule for the 50% fixed deposit withdrawal towards the house: a house bought within six months before the endorsement date qualifies if its value meets the minimum for the category. Ask your licensed company which reading the One Stop Centre applies to your file.
Pass, fees and renewal
| Item | SEZ/SFZ figure |
|---|---|
| Pass term | 10 years with a multiple entry visa, for the principal and dependants |
| Participating fee (one-off, principal only) | RM1,000; no participating fee for dependants |
| Processing fee | RM5,000 for the principal and RM2,500 for each dependant |
| Renewal after the maximum term | Every 5 years, renewal fee RM300 |
| Renewal before the term ends | Sticker renewed every five years or by passport validity; pass fee RM500 a year plus visa fee RM0 to RM50 |
The two sources word the renewal fee differently. The MOTAC guide table says RM300 "for every principal and each dependant"; the conditions document says RM300 "for principal and dependants" without the word each. The renewal after the term needs a valid passport, the latest medical report and health insurance.
The pass is transferable to the next-of-kin among the registered dependants if the principal dies.
The 10-year no-sale rule and the upgrade exception
The MOTAC conditions state that the property bought cannot be resold within 10 years. The mm2h.gov.my SEZ page repeats the rule and adds the one exception: the house can be upgraded through the purchase of a new residence of higher value than the current property.
No official page states a penalty for a sale inside the period, and no official page states a release.
Stay, dependants and work
Stay. Participants aged below 50 must be present in Malaysia for 90 days (cumulative) in a year. The MOTAC conditions and guide say that for participants aged 21 to 49 the days can be met by the principal or the dependants; the mm2h.gov.my SEZ page states the band as 25 to 49. Participants aged 50 and above have no minimum stay.
Dependants. The conditions list the same dependants as the other categories:
- Spouse (wife or husband)
- Biological, step or adopted children below 21
- Children aged 21 to 34 who are unemployed and single while in Malaysia (the MOTAC insights PDF prints 35; the conditions and the mm2h.gov.my overview print 34)
- Medically certified children with disabilities, with no age limit
- Parents and parents-in-law
Children may study up to tertiary level at a Government-recognised institution on the existing pass or on a Student Pass. Long-term medical treatment in Malaysia is allowed.
Work and business. The conditions list career opportunities and business or investment activities as not allowed. The participant must apply for the relevant pass instead. Only Platinum lists business and investment activities as permissible.
Insurance and medical check-up. Health insurance with worldwide coverage is required for participants 60 and below on the MOTAC checklist and guide; the MOTAC booklet and the Immigration Department page say below 60. The medical check-up at a MOTAC panel clinic is compulsory after approval.
SEZ/SFZ against Silver
Silver is the nearest category by fee. The deposit, the property rule and the pass term differ.
| Condition | SEZ/SFZ | Silver |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed deposit | USD 65,000 (age 21 to 49) or USD 32,000 (age 50 and above) | USD 150,000 |
| Participating fee (one-off) | RM1,000 | RM1,000 |
| Residence floor | Forest City, Johor only, from the developer, at the Johor floor price | RM600,000 or above, anywhere the state rules allow |
| Pass term | 10 years | 5 years |
| Renewal fee after the term | RM300 | RM1,500 |
| Minimum age | 21 | 25 |
| No-sale period | 10 years | 10 years |
The processing fee, the 90-day stay rule for under-50s, the dependant list and the work restrictions are the same in both categories.
Who the category is for
The official text gives one purpose. The MOTAC conditions state that the applicant is aged 21 and above "mainly to encourage foreign investment". The conditions imply a reader who accepts three things:
- A property in Forest City, Johor, bought from the developer, as the only residence that meets the rule
- A 10-year no-sale rule on that property, with an upgrade to a residence of higher value as the stated exception
- A deposit that is lower than Silver, in exchange for the fixed location
A reader who wants a residence outside Forest City, or who wants to choose a resale property, does not fit the conditions. Silver allows a residence anywhere the state rules permit at RM600,000 or above. The property guide covers the state rules that still apply to every category.
Related MM2H guides
- MM2H Malaysia 2026: requirements, fees and how to apply
- MM2H application process 2026
- MM2H fixed deposit rules
- MM2H property investment guide
Sources
- MM2H SEZ/SFZ category page (mm2h.gov.my)
- MM2H Silver category page (mm2h.gov.my)
- MM2H category overview (mm2h.gov.my)
- MM2H requirements and regulations (mm2h.gov.my)
- MOTAC special conditions for SEZ/SFZ participants, 14 June 2024 (PDF)
- MOTAC programme announcement, 28 May 2025 (PDF)
- MOTAC Guide: Malaysia My Second Home (PDF)
- MOTAC insights on the categories (PDF)
- MOTAC endorsement checklist (PDF)
Figures captured on 16 October 2026.
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