Asia-Pacific Residency by Investment: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and New Zealand Compared
Asia-Pacific offers a diverse range of residency-by-investment programmes spanning some of the world's most economically dynamic, culturally rich, and strategically well-connected jurisdictions. For HNW internationally mobile individuals, the region presents genuine options at different price points, lifestyle profiles, and tax environments.
This guide compares five of the most relevant programmes: Singapore's Global Investor Programme, Malaysia's My Second Home (MM2H), Thailand's Long-Term Resident visa, the Philippines Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV), and New Zealand's Active Investor Plus visa. Each programme is assessed on investment requirements, residency obligations, tax implications, and practical lifestyle considerations.
Investment migration rules across Asia-Pacific are subject to significant and sometimes rapid change — Malaysia's MM2H programme has been revised multiple times since 2020; Thailand's tax rules changed in 2024. Always verify current requirements with authorised advisers before proceeding.
Singapore: Global Investor Programme (GIP)
Singapore's Global Investor Programme is one of the most prestigious and demanding investment residency pathways in Asia. It is not a standalone visa but a fast-track route to Singapore Permanent Residency (PR) for qualifying investors, managed by the Economic Development Board.
Investment options: Following the March 2023 threshold increase, applicants must choose between investing at least SGD 10 million in a new Singapore business or expanding an existing business; investing at least SGD 25 million in a GIP-select fund that invests in Singapore-based businesses; or establishing a Singapore-based single family office with at least SGD 200 million in assets under management (AUM), of which at least SGD 50 million must be deployed in qualifying local investments.
Eligibility: Applicants must have at least three years of entrepreneurial experience with a company generating annual revenue of at least SGD 200 million, or be a significant stakeholder in a company that meets equivalent criteria.
Tax: Singapore does not tax foreign-source income remitted to Singapore in most cases under the territorial tax system (though recent tightening of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance provisions and MAS scrutiny of family offices should be noted). Capital gains are generally not taxed. Personal income tax rates are relatively low by OECD standards (maximum 24%).
Naturalisation: PR status leads to citizenship eligibility in principle, but naturalisation in Singapore is discretionary and not automatic. Singapore does not encourage multiple citizenship — applicants for Singapore citizenship who hold other citizenships are generally expected to renounce them. In practice, citizenship through GIP is achievable but requires genuine commitment to Singapore as a primary base.
Lifestyle: Singapore is a world-class city-state — arguably the finest in Asia for HNW families in terms of schools, healthcare, safety, rule of law, and connectivity. It is also expensive. For those for whom Asia-Pacific is a genuine long-term base, Singapore is the premium option.
Malaysia: My Second Home (MM2H)
Malaysia's My Second Home programme has had a turbulent recent history. The original MM2H was one of Asia's most popular long-stay schemes for decades, offering accessible financial thresholds and a relatively easy application process. The Malaysian government introduced significant new conditions in 2021 — higher income thresholds, substantially larger fixed deposits, and new restrictions on working and staying in Malaysia — causing applications to collapse.
The programme has been revised further since. A restructuring announced in December 2023 and launched in June 2024 replaced the previous single scheme with a tiered system — Silver, Gold, and Platinum (plus a separate Special Economic Zone tier) — and notably removed the monthly offshore income and liquid asset requirements that had applied since 2021. The fixed-deposit thresholds are now set in US dollars. As of 2026 the headline tiers are: Silver, from a USD 150,000 fixed deposit with a property purchase of at least RM 600,000 (5-year visa); Gold, from USD 500,000 with a property purchase of at least RM 1 million (15-year visa); and Platinum, from USD 1,000,000 with a property purchase of at least RM 2 million (20-year visa).
Property purchase is now mandatory under every tier. The Platinum tier is the only one to permit active work and business consultancy in Malaysia and to offer a potential pathway towards permanent residency consideration.
Tax: Malaysia operates a territorial tax system for individuals and does not tax foreign-source income. Personal income tax applies to Malaysian-source income. This makes Malaysia potentially attractive from a tax perspective for individuals whose income is generated entirely outside Malaysia, subject to the specific structure of their affairs.
Residency obligation: MM2H holders must spend at least 60 days per year in Malaysia to maintain the visa.
Lifestyle: Malaysia offers excellent quality of life at lower cost than Singapore. Kuala Lumpur in particular has strong international schools, high-quality healthcare, and a sophisticated urban environment. The country is Anglophone in its business culture and English is widely used.
Naturalisation: Long-term permanent residency is technically available after ten or more years, but naturalisation to citizenship is not a realistic expectation for most foreign investors and is not a feature of the MM2H programme in practice.
Thailand: Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa
Thailand's Long-Term Resident visa, launched in 2022, is the country's most serious attempt to compete for HNW international residents. It operates four categories, of which two are most relevant to HNW individuals.
The Wealthy Global Citizen category requires assets of at least $1 million and an investment of at least $500,000 in Thai government bonds, Thai real estate, or Thai-listed equities. The previous personal income test of at least $80,000 per year was removed by BOI announcement in February 2025, so qualification now rests on the asset and Thailand-investment tests. Applicants must also hold health insurance with at least $50,000 cover (or an equivalent Thai bank deposit).
The Work from Thailand Professional category requires an employment contract with an overseas company paying at least $80,000 per year, evidence of the past two years' income, and professional experience.
Tax: Thailand's tax rules changed from 1 January 2024. Previously, foreign-source income was only taxable in Thailand if remitted in the same tax year it was earned. From 2024, foreign income remitted to Thailand — whenever earned — may be subject to Thai income tax for tax residents. LTR visa holders under certain categories may benefit from a flat 17% personal income tax rate on assessable income, providing they register correctly with Thai tax authorities.
Residency obligation: LTR is granted for five years, renewable, with no mandatory minimum stay requirement.
Naturalisation: Thailand does not offer a naturalisation pathway through the LTR visa. This is a lifestyle and tax optimisation instrument, not a citizenship pathway.
Lifestyle: Thailand offers extraordinary quality of life at comparatively low cost, excellent healthcare (particularly in Bangkok), and a very high standard of high-end residential, dining, and recreational infrastructure. For individuals comfortable with the cultural environment, it is one of the world's most attractive long-term bases at the cost level.
Philippines: Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV)
The Philippines SRRV is one of the longest-established Asia-Pacific investment residency programmes, administered by the Philippine Retirement Authority. A restructuring effective 1 September 2025 split the programme into two categories (Classic and Courtesy), lowered the minimum age from 50 to 40, and revised the deposit tiers. The deposit is placed with a Philippine Retirement Authority accredited bank.
Under the SRRV Classic category, applicants aged 50 and over deposit $15,000 if they receive a qualifying monthly pension (or $30,000 if they do not). Applicants aged 40–49 deposit $25,000 with a pension, or $50,000 without. The lower-cost Courtesy category (for retired diplomats, military personnel, and certain "high achievers") carries deposits from $1,500. The deposit must be maintained, and in certain cases can be converted into qualifying property or business investments.
Tax: The Philippines does not tax foreign-source income of resident individuals. This can be advantageous for individuals with substantial offshore portfolios, but the application of this exemption to specific structures requires verification with Philippine tax advisers.
Limitations: The Philippines is less frequently chosen as a primary residency base by HNW individuals than Singapore, Thailand, or Malaysia. The infrastructure, rule of law, and business environment are less consistent than the region's premium options. The programme is best suited to individuals with genuine lifestyle reasons to be in the Philippines — retirees, those with family connections, or investors with specific business interests in the country.
New Zealand: Active Investor Plus Visa
New Zealand's Active Investor Plus visa, introduced in 2022 and significantly overhauled in April 2025, targets genuinely high-value investors. The 2025 reforms lowered the thresholds and created two distinct categories.
The Growth category requires a minimum investment of NZD 5 million (approximately $3 million) over three years in higher-risk assets — managed funds and direct investments in New Zealand businesses pre-approved by Invest New Zealand. The Balanced category requires a minimum investment of NZD 10 million (approximately $6 million) over five years in a wider mix that may include listed equities, bonds, property development, and the Growth-eligible assets.
Residency obligation: The Growth category requires a minimum of just 21 days in New Zealand over the three-year investment period. The Balanced category requires a minimum of 105 days over the five-year period, reducible by investing above the minimum threshold.
Tax: New Zealand taxes residents on worldwide income. This is a critical distinction from the territorial systems of Southeast Asian options. New Zealand does operate a transitional residency regime for the first four years of tax residency for new migrants, during which certain foreign income is exempt, but permanent residents are subject to full worldwide income tax.
Naturalisation: New Zealand offers permanent residency and, after five years, citizenship. New Zealand allows dual nationality. New Zealand citizenship provides access to Australia's labour market and residency under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement, which is a meaningful additional benefit.
Passport strength: A New Zealand passport provides visa-free access to approximately 185 destinations — one of the world's strongest — and is typically the primary reason investors consider this programme as a citizenship-building route.
Choosing the Right Asia-Pacific Programme
For HNW individuals focused on tax efficiency, Singapore and Malaysia offer territorial tax systems where foreign-source income is broadly not taxed. Singapore is the premium option; Malaysia is significantly more accessible in cost terms. Thailand's LTR offers the lowest effective investment threshold for genuine lifestyle residence. The Philippines suits specific personal circumstances. New Zealand suits those who want an English-speaking OECD country with a pathway to a high-quality citizenship — and who can accept worldwide income tax exposure.
Physical presence requirements interact critically with home-country tax obligations. For UK-domiciled individuals, the UK Statutory Residence Test requires careful application to ensure that time spent in Asia does not inadvertently trigger or preserve UK tax residence.
How Global Investments Can Help
Global Investments advises HNW clients on Asia-Pacific residency and property investment across Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. We can assess which programme aligns with your financial profile, family needs, and long-term objectives — and structure the investment component appropriately.
We work with specialist local advisers in each jurisdiction to ensure that residency arrangements are tax-efficient, compliant, and sustainable over the long term. Contact Global Investments to arrange a confidential discussion.
This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal, financial or immigration advice. Programme details change; verify current requirements with a qualified immigration lawyer before making any investment or application. Investment values can fall as well as rise.