Residency by Investment Programs in Asia
Asia's residency by investment landscape spans the full spectrum from accessible retirement-style programs to ultra-high-net-worth thresholds. Malaysia's MM2H offers three tiers starting at approximately $150,000 in fixed deposits. Thailand's Long-Term Resident visa targets wealthy individuals and remote workers with a $500,000 threshold. Cambodia provides one of the region's most accessible entry points at $100,000. At the other end, Singapore's Global Investor Programme requires a $10 million commitment, and Hong Kong's Capital Investment Entrant Scheme sets the bar at $30 million. None of the Asian programs listed here offer a direct path to citizenship, but several provide indefinite renewal rights and, in some cases, permanent residency eligibility after sustained residence.
Countries
6
Programs
9
Program Types
RBI
From
$100,000
Key Takeaways
- ✓ No programs in this region offer direct citizenship by investment
- ✓ Investment range: $100K (Cambodia) to $30M (Hong Kong)
- ✓ Malaysia MM2H offers the most tiered structure (Silver/Gold/Platinum)
- ✓ Most programs require minimum annual stay of 90+ days
All Asia Programs at a Glance
Sorted by minimum investment. Click any country to explore in detail.
Explore Each Program
Detailed cards with investment requirements, timelines, and key benefits.
Cambodia My Second Home (CM2H)
$100,000
$100K+ in approved real estate project (government-approved developments only, including residential and mixed-use in Phnom Penh). Includes KHCA membership fee. Total cost typically $50K–$100K depending on chosen project. Work rights included from day one.
4-6 months
Minimal
10 years
Yes
5 years (by naturalization under 1996 Nationality Law)
54
- ✓ USD de facto currency — eliminates exchange rate risk for dollar investors
- ✓ Citizenship eligible after 5 years — fastest path to SE Asian passport
- ✓ Work rights included — unlike some competing programs
Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES)
HKD 30,000,000
HKD 30M (~$3.8M USD) in permissible financial assets. No property.
6-12 months
Must ordinarily reside in HK
2 years (renewable, leads to PR at 7 years)
Yes
7 years (permanent residency)
171
- ✓ No capital gains tax, no dividend tax, no estate duty — territorial tax system
- ✓ HKD 30M threshold (up from HKD 10M) — property excluded, financial assets only
- ✓ Relaunched 2024 after 9-year suspension (2015–2024)
Golden Visa
$350,000
Passive investor (individual): $350K for 5-year visa or $700K+ for 10-year visa in government bonds, public company shares, or bank deposits. Entrepreneur (establishing company): $2.5M (5-year) or $5M (10-year). No property purchase option — financial instruments only.
1-3 months
No physical presence requirement
5-10 years
Yes
No direct path
78
- ✓ No residency requirement — full 5 or 10-year validity without presence
- ✓ Entry-level passive investor route starts at $350K (5-year)
- ✓ 5-year visa upgradeable to 10-year by meeting higher threshold
MM2H Silver
$150,000
USD 150,000 fixed deposit in Malaysian bank + mandatory property purchase RM 600K+. No income or liquid asset requirements (removed under June 2024 reform). Up to 50% FD withdrawal allowed after 1 year for property, healthcare, or education.
2-3 months
90 days/year
5 years (renewable)
No
No direct path
180
- ✓ Property purchase mandatory — minimum RM 600K
- ✓ Cannot work or do business in Malaysia
- ✓ No monthly income or liquid asset requirements
MM2H Gold
$500,000
USD 500,000 fixed deposit in Malaysian bank + mandatory property purchase RM 1M+. No income or liquid asset requirements (removed under June 2024 reform). Up to 50% FD withdrawal allowed after 1 year for approved purposes.
3 months
90 days/year
15 years (5-year renewal cycles)
No
No direct path
180
- ✓ 15-year visa — longest among MM2H tiers after Platinum
- ✓ Property purchase mandatory — minimum RM 1M
- ✓ No monthly income or liquid asset requirements
MM2H Platinum
$1,000,000
USD 1,000,000 fixed deposit in Malaysian bank (approx. RM 4.4M-4.7M depending on exchange rate) + mandatory property purchase RM 2M+ + participation fee RM 200K. No income or liquid asset requirements (removed under June 2024 reform). Work and business rights included.
3 months
90 days/year
20 years (5-year renewal cycles)
Yes
No direct path
180
- ✓ Full work and business rights (only MM2H tier with this)
- ✓ 20-year visa, longest of all MM2H tiers
- ✓ USD 1M fixed deposit + RM 2M property + RM 200K participation fee
Premium Visa Programme (PVIP)
$215,000
RM 1,000,000 fixed deposit in Malaysian bank (approx. USD 215K; up to 50% withdrawable after 6 months for approved uses). Requires RM 40K/month offshore income and proof of RM 10M+ in global assets. No property purchase required.
4-6 weeks
None specified
20 years (5-year renewal cycles)
Yes
No direct path
180
- ✓ No property purchase required — only Malaysia program with this
- ✓ Full work, business, and directorship rights
- ✓ 20-year renewable visa with 4-6 week processing
Global Investor Programme (GIP)
SGD 10,000,000
Option A: SGD 10M into new/existing Singapore business (30+ employees, 50%+ Singaporean). Option B: SGD 25M into EDB-approved fund investing in Singapore companies. Option C: Single Family Office with SGD 200M AUM, SGD 50M deployed locally. Application fee SGD 20,000 (from May 2025).
6-12 months
Must be based in Singapore
Permanent Residence
Yes
2 years (eligible to apply after PR)
195
- ✓ World's strongest passport by visa-free access (195 countries)
- ✓ Grants PR directly — no provisional period
- ✓ Citizenship eligible after just 2 years of PR
Long-Term Resident Visa (LTR)
$500,000
Wealthy Global Citizen: $1M+ in assets with $500K invested in Thai government bonds, real estate, or FDI. Income requirement removed for this category since Feb 2025. Wealthy Pensioner: $1M assets or $80K/year income. Work-from-Thailand professional: $80K/year income, 5 years experience.
2-3 months
Annual reporting (vs 90-day reporting for standard visas)
10 years
Yes
No direct path
79
- ✓ Four distinct categories — wealthy global citizen, pensioner, remote worker, skilled professional
- ✓ Flat 17% income tax rate for qualifying work-from-Thailand holders
- ✓ Foreign income brought into Thailand exempt from Thai personal income tax
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