A data processing system has a processor and a memory coupled to the processor and an asynchronous memory mover coupled to the processor. The asynchronous memory mover has registers for receiving a set of parameters from the processor, which parameters are associated with an asynchronous memory move (AMM) operation initiated by the processor in virtual address space, utilizing a source effective address and a destination effective address. The asynchronous memory mover performs the AMM operation to move the data from a first physical memory location having a source real address corresponding to the source effective address to a second physical memory location having a destination real address corresponding to the destination effective address. The asynchronous memory mover has an associated off-chip translation mechanism. The AMM operation thus occurs independent of the processor, and the processor continues processing other operations independent of the AMM operation.