Malaysia Approves 22,000 Residency Applications Over Past Decade
Chinese applicants dominated MM2H approvals, followed by South Koreans, Japanese, Bangladeshis and Britons.
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Asia-Pacific
Vanuatu Investigates Four CIIP Agents for Receipt Forgery
An Indian agent fled Vanuatu before raids as police investigate four CIIP agents for forging payment receipts.
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Malaysia Approves Nearly 6,000 MM2H Applicants as Gov’t Announces Due Diligence Reforms
New security protocols require international background checks and intelligence screening for all MM2H applicants.
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Samoa Considers Halving CBI Threshold as Gov’t Bans Applicants with Foreign Government Ties
Chamber proposes SAT$2M threshold tied to creating 15 skilled jobs or 50 total positions depending on sector.
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Indonesia’s Golden Visa Draws Nearly US$3 Billion in Just Over a Year
Since July 2024, Indonesia has issued over 1,000 golden visa permits to investors from 61 countries, with corporate investors spearheading demand.
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Hong Kong Revises Investor Visa: Lower Residential Threshold, Higher Non-Res Cap
Hong Kong slashes HK$20 million (US$2.6 million) from the residential property threshold; Stephen Barnes calls it “tinkering at the edges.”
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Hong Kong Investment Program Registers 1,900 Applications Worth HK$58 Billion
CIES applications jumped 51% in three months, reaching 1,900 by August with HK$58B in the pipeline, tracking toward 2,400-2,800 annually.
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Foreign Residents Pump RM84.2 Billion Into Malaysia’s Economy Amid MM2H Fraud Case
Malaysia roundup: MM2H fraud case, Sabah opens streamlined processing center, and government highlights billions from foreign residents.
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New Zealand Lifts Ban on Property Purchases for Investor Visa Holders
While some experts see the policy correcting a “fundamental flaw,” others argue it’s “no game changer” that won’t significantly boost demand.
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New Zealand Launches NZ$1M Investor Visa, Retires Struggling Entrepreneur Program
The new Business Investor Visa has two investment options, one of which provides a fast track to permanent residency within 12 months.
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South Korea Imposes Conditional Ban on Foreign Property Purchases
Korea introduces residency rules for foreign buyers, reflecting a wider trend of nations tightening property access.
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Hong Kong CIES Registers Over 1,700 Applications, HK$52B in Pipeline
Hong Kong’s CIES hits HK$52B pipeline, but Stephen Barnes calls it “optics, not economics” for the city’s real economy.
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New Zealand Considers Relaxing Foreign Home Buyer Ban
New Zealand may relax its foreign buyer ban, in place since 2018, but experts doubt it will significantly boost demand for investor visas.
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Japan to Hike Business Manager Visa Threshold Sixfold Amid Abuse Allegations
Japan plans to hike the visa’s financial requirement to 30 million yen following the recent arrest of a visa holder accused of facilitating fraudulent applications.
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Malaysia’s Revamped MM2H Attracts 1,300 Approvals and US$200 Million in Under a Year
Following its 2024 overhaul, MM2H posted an 84% boost in inflows, including RM237 million in property and RM597 million in deposits.
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Nauru Approves First CIP Application, 20 More in Pipeline
Nauru CIU CEO Edward Clark confirmed that 20 applications are already in the pipeline, while agents have 20 more approaching submission.
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Vietnam Mulls 5-Year Visa Exemption for Influencers with 1M+ Followers
The exemption card, akin to a digital nomad visa, will allow holders to stay up to 90 days and multiple re-entries, and appears to open a direct pathway to residency.
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Revamped New Zealand Investor Visa Eyes Record Year as Gov’t Limits Bank Deposits
Under the new rules, 75% of investor visa funds must be in liquid and market assets, rather than “sitting idle in deposit accounts,” says James Hall.
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Maldives to Launch Investor Visa Program
Applicants receive five-year renewable residencies with no physical presence requirements, but the program appears to offer no path to citizenship for non-Muslims as per existing laws.
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Million-Dollar Question: Can Thaksin’s Proposed Golden Visa Turbocharge Thailand’s Economy?
Thailand’s influential ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra claims a $1 million golden visa could attract $600 billion in investments, but modest uptake of existing pathways tells a different story.
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