Southeast Asia is expanding its residence and investment migration options, with Malaysia preparing a new business visa and Vietnam proposing a long-term golden visa. The broader trend is that Asian countries are competing for investors, entrepreneurs, remote workers and wealthy residents by offering tax-friendly living, passive investment routes and stronger access to the region.
Vietnam is the most notable change. The country’s tourism advisory board has proposed new long-term visa options designed to compete with Thailand, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian destinations. Vietnam has historically been more difficult as a residence destination because investor visas usually required active business involvement rather than passive investment.
The proposed Vietnam program could include three routes:
- A 10-year golden visa for investors.
- A 10-year investor visa with a possible path to permanent residence if the investment is maintained.
- A five-year talent visa with simplified renewal procedures.
The proposal is intended to help Vietnam compete with neighboring countries that already offer longer-term residence options. Vietnam’s tourism sector is described as recovering toward pre-pandemic levels, but the country is seen as at risk of falling behind Thailand and Malaysia unless it offers clearer long-term options for foreign residents.
Vietnam’s current investor visa framework is different from a passive golden visa. Existing DT-class investor visas require capital commitments from 3 billion to 100 billion Vietnamese dong, roughly $120,000 to $4 million, for a renewable five-year visa. These visas generally require active business involvement in Vietnam.
The proposed golden visa would be different because it could allow passive investment. That matters for investors who want residence access to Vietnam without moving their main business there.
Possible pilot locations mentioned include:
- Ho Chi Minh City
- Hanoi
- Da Nang
Da Nang is described as a fast-growing destination in central Vietnam. Hanoi is described as more chaotic but appealing, while Ho Chi Minh City is described as calmer and more open to business.
Vietnam is not described as the most tax-friendly country in Southeast Asia. The Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore are placed in a higher category for tax friendliness. Thailand is described as relatively tax friendly depending on how income is earned and spent, similar in concept to non-dom regimes in Europe. Indonesia and Vietnam are described as less tax friendly.
The main attraction of Southeast Asia is not necessarily citizenship. In most Asian countries, citizenship is difficult or unrealistic for foreign residents. The practical strategy presented is to use Southeast Asia for residence, lifestyle, tax flexibility and regional access, while obtaining a second passport elsewhere.
The article’s preferred structure is:
- Live or hold residence in Southeast Asia.
- Keep the business based somewhere else if that is more efficient.
- Obtain citizenship from another jurisdiction, such as a European golden visa route where citizenship may eventually be possible.
- Keep banking and wealth custody in stronger financial centers where appropriate.
Malaysia is also preparing a new business visa that could allow a stay of up to one year. Malaysia is already known for residence options such as MM2H, though permanent residence is described as difficult to obtain. Current Malaysian residence options are described as involving a passive bank deposit and, in some cases, a real estate requirement. The estimated requirement mentioned is about $150,000 plus a real estate commitment, with lower requirements in the Malaysian Borneo states.
Other Southeast Asian options are also compared:
- Cambodia: the only Southeast Asian country described as having a citizenship-by-investment program. The stated cost is about $250,000 donation plus fees. Cambodian citizenship can allow land ownership and certain business opportunities.
- Thailand: an option involving about $290,000 deposited in a bank or bonds. It may require only limited physical presence, potentially as little as one day per year.
- Malaysia: low six-figure requirements, estimated around $150,000 plus real estate, with lower requirements in Borneo.
- Indonesia: “My Second Home” program requiring about $129,000 in a government bank, maintained for as long as the permit is renewed.
- Philippines: a $75,000 option.
- Singapore: possible residence through business formation or high-value investment, but the country has become much more expensive and difficult. Permanent residence is harder than before, and citizenship does not allow dual nationality.
- Hong Kong: has brought back an investment migration scheme after about a decade, but the price has reportedly tripled.
Singapore is described as increasingly difficult for ordinary investors. Earlier easy routes to start a business and obtain residence are said to have become harder. Permanent residence now generally requires larger investments or stronger justification. Some wealthy individuals may still use Singapore for banking or wealth custody rather than residence.
Vietnam’s potential golden visa is presented as useful even for people not ready to move immediately. The argument is that investors can “collect” residence permits in Southeast Asia as optionality. Some programs may allow holders to maintain residence with minimal time on the ground.
The broader strategy is not to move all assets into the country that issues the residence permit. For example, someone could hold a Vietnam golden visa, invest in Cambodia, and keep money in Singapore. The goal is to take the best part of each jurisdiction rather than rely on one country for residence, banking, business, investment and citizenship.
This approach is especially relevant for people from high-tax or increasingly restrictive countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. These legacy destinations are described as expensive, slow and less competitive, while emerging Asian countries are actively trying to attract wealth and talent.
Vietnam’s proposal also fits a wider trend: countries that want to become wealthier are using residence programs to attract foreign money, visitors and skilled people. The country has also extended visa exemptions for citizens of several countries until 2028, which supports the broader goal of bringing more people into the country.
The practical takeaway is that Southeast Asia is becoming a more competitive residence-planning region. Vietnam’s proposed golden visa could add a missing passive-investment option in a country that previously required active business involvement. For investors, entrepreneurs and remote workers, the best use of these programs may be as part of a wider plan: residence in one country, banking in another, business elsewhere, and citizenship strategy in a jurisdiction where naturalization is realistic.
