Sarawak Issues Reformed Sarawak My Second Home Package

I doubt any govt official would deliberately mislead you. Not even trump. Maybe there have not been requests for renewals since the new rules were introduced in September so she had no experience with this issue yet to reply to you.  Or maybe she did not fully comprehend the breadth of your question. I cannot know because I was not there as a witness. Everything is hearsay.

If English is not her native tongue, maybe there was some miscommunication. That happens when things are not written down in black and white. Maybe next time if you bring a friend, someone can listen to the verbal exchange and suggest more clarity if needed.  My own experience is that people who are not native English speakers don't launch into extensive conversation and / or detailed explanation when they deal with English speakers. They are limited in their capacity, just like I can only speak or recognize less than 10 words of Malay or any other language.

In any event, when you or others attempt an actual extension /renewal, we will have more clarity if and when you report back with your experiences.  The reason I like Malaysia and Asia in general is because the officials and authorities are 100% good people.  They try to do their job as best as they can.

Hi everyone. I have been re-reading stuff I read to pinpoint the source of my impression that the New SMM2H Rules are applicable to oldies applying for extension/renewal in terms of the health insurance and 15 days/year new requirements.

Please see the subject Sabah MM2H Change of Rules. This was a series of posts and discussion between Gravitas, Cinnamonape and someone named Maldives2002 in 2018 and 2019. In particular, another person Iskandarhack made a very important point. I think what Gravitas says near the end of that series of posts is also tremendously revealing and pertinent.

The September 2020 New Rules for SMM2H say on page 23 that extensions and renewals are subject to health insurance and 15 days/year.  That page 23 does NOT say only extensions/renewals by New Applicants (new participants who receive visas under the New Rules) are subject to the 15 day/year stay and health insurance.  So one would logically read page 23 as being generally applicable to ALL renewals and extensions.   Furthermore, nothing in the New Rules say anything about grandfathering. In my experience with other rules all over the world, when a new set of laws or rules are brought in, they will contain a provision or stipulation or announcement about grandfathering if grandfathering is intended.

Please note what Gravitas said (in that Sabah discussion) about these discussions being moot unless you (an applicant seeking renewal) can bring something in writing from an official source to the table.

By the way, in the above Sabah Change of Rules posts. Cinnamonape alludes that people on the Smm2H visa can get a PT job.  They can be allowed to work (according to what Cinnamonape wrote at that time.)

Page 23 of the Smm2h application guide PDF I downloaded from the Sarawak MTAC site a few days ago doesn't say anything about 15 days or health insurance.

Regarding the job issue. While I said that one could get a PT job (because that was a provision in the rules), in actuality immigration makes that difficult. This is true on the Peninsula as well.

I have never heard of anyone ever getting the "approval" to do a PT job. If one is offered a job one has to sacrifice the SMM2H visa and obtain an employment visa. One is then required to submit a new application for SMM2H, which would mean they likely would be subject to the new rules.

So while technically it is true (in the rules) in actuality it isn't practical. Perhaps if one had a skill or service that the government really, really wanted then they might find a way.

*************
The Renewal section above deals with those on the 10 Year program, as I said earlier. There is no statement about how someone on the 5 Year program is to "renew". They seem to only be able to "extend".

As I mentioned earlier there is no apparent restriction or wording that they are allowed only a one-time extension and then must change into the 10 year program.

To confuse things even more one of the old timers who came in 20 years ago on the Silver-Hair program was told earlier this year (before the revision) that he had to resubmit everything as a new application (he suspects they lost his original portfolio). He was then only given a five-year visa.  ;-)
He was not required to get insurance (he is 78).

[BTW The guy is a multi-millionaire (HK/Jersey banking) and has brought in considerable foreign assets into Sarawak...his wife is a local but because she carries a UK passport and HK PR pass she is no longer technically a Malaysian. It would be truly stupid to boot him out].

Cobolin:  It is page 23  (of 29) of this link:
[link under review]

Click on the link that is shown on that webpage:
2) APPLICATION GUIDE FOR S-MM2H (1ST SEPTEMBER 2020)

Go to page 23 (of 29). At the bottom, it says "Quick Notes page 23" and there is a photo of a roundabout with some cars and a bus.

Cinnamonape, if you had a piece of paper, you could sell it for money or a beer or a meal, I trust. There is also nothing preventing you trading your apple for my orange. The rules do not allow people to work. But if you had something worth money, whether it's your shirt or your shoes or your funny joke, people can compensate you for it, I think. No working on your part. I surmise.

Cinnamonape wrote above "There is no statement about how someone on the 5-year program is to renew."

Precisely. And yet your Conditional Letter of Approval 2.3 refers to the procedure as "renewing pass".

It is hard to imagine the authorities would want the administrative hassle of having to deal with two classes of renewals. One for oldies  grandfathered, another for post September 2020 approvals. There is no benefit to them to preserve the easier rules for the oldies if they have to deal with the new rules anyway. The creation of the new more stringent rules is an indication they want to limit qualifying applicants.  Quality not quantity.  Disappointed applicants are something they are prepared for, as well as fewer applicants.  They are prepared to shut the door in some people's faces, old and new  (it seems to me from all that's been said and done.)

They clearly want to the applicant to bring in their previous Conditional Letter. They know the dates when they introduced the new rules and have the visa dates. They are certainly capable of dealing with people who are on the old vs. new pass provisions. After all, they stipulate that "those on the 5 year visa" vs. "those on the 10 year visa" have different procedures and requirements.

As to being prepared to shut the door in someones face that have already been awarded a visa...I have never heard of it in Sarawak (not Sabah) except when that person could not qualify under their original conditions or violated some other regulation.

And there is a distinction between disappointed applicants and disappointed recipients.

Sarawak has expressly stated that they WANT an increase in applicants and recipients beyond their dismal share of 2% of the Federal numbers. While their new program may not have actually done this (they argued that they had increased prices due to inflation, and felt they did open the door for some younger applicants) it wasn't done to eliminate those already here.

Take for example the impact of requiring health insurance that would be required of those entering on the new program. Those on the old program would have been 50+ when they applied. The old program did not have an insurance requirement and people simply paid "over the counter". Many of those that would be "converted" to the new program would be 65+. Almost no Malaysian health insurance program will accept new applications  for those over 65. Premiums even for those 60-65 are prohibitive. That requirement alone would eliminate most transferred recipients from the program.

There is no mention of exemptions or waivers to obtaining health insurance (this existed for MM2H).

Cinnamonape:  I think you're not taking into account the fact that your Conditional Letter of Approval (and the language it uses in 2.3) was a template or form letter that was issued prior to this September 2020 set of New Rules.  When your Letter was given to you, nobody could have foreseen these New Rules.  So whatever your Conditional Letter said, means very little now.  They can (and they will) implement the New Rules any way they see fit.

I'm on your side, by the way.  It would be good if they stuck to whatever they had told you when dealing with you in future.  But I would not bet on it.  Because of everything that I've already re-read in that Sabah MM2H Change of Rules forum.

Maybe some of the oldies who are coming up for renewal will post here and let  us know what happens.

jjlong: "Go to page 23 (of 29). At the bottom, it says "Quick Notes page 23" and there is a photo of a roundabout with some cars and a bus."

Yes, that is page 21 of the guide going by the large red numbers, not the little notes in the footer, although the page number is not written on that one. It relates to new applicants under the new rules, not oldies.

If you look at page 15, "Terms and conditions for successful applicants" [again, under the new rules], it says:

"Successful applicants are to be issued with Ten (10) years of approved visitors pass with a Multiple Entry Visa (MEV) and extension MUST be done for the second half of the period (6-10 years) subject to ..."

Thus there are two processes under the new rules, extension and renewal, the first occurring at the end of 5 years, the latter at 10. That is why it says on page 21: "All approved participants are required to stay at least 15 days every year in Sarawak as one of the conditions for consideration of extension and renewal of MM2H visa". That is for those under the new rules.

Further, the notes on page 23 about extension are also applicable to the new rules, not necessarily to the oldies. I am now convinced that this document has no relevance to the old rules or the conditions that will apply to oldies when they seek to renew.

Ahhh...so you believe that the five year extension is the means they are using to evaluate whether people are actually abiding by the 15-day/year requirement and not simply getting the ten year visa and "riding it" for that period without even bothering to abide by the conditions.

That actually makes sense given the concerns they've had about people not spending enough time in Sarawak.

While I'm not entirely pleased with the new rules it is mainly because they seem awfully convoluted and actually more difficult and more expensive than the prior system. But it is interesting that one can get multiple interpretations out of the same document.

cinnamonape wrote:

Ahhh...so you believe that the five year extension is the means they are using to evaluate whether people are actually abiding by the 15-day/year requirement and not simply getting the ten year visa and "riding it" for that period without even bothering to abide by the conditions.

That actually makes sense given the concerns they've had about people not spending enough time in Sarawak.

While I'm not entirely pleased with the new rules it is mainly because they seem awfully convoluted and actually more difficult and more expensive than the prior system. But it is interesting that one can get multiple interpretations out of the same document.

Yes, it's a kind of mid-term check, and a checkup because the medical has to be repeated at five years also. I hadn't read the whole guide and missed that section on p15, so assumed that the only possible interpretation of five years was in the context of the old rules. Now I'm sure nothing in the guide is relevant to renewal under the old rules.

The new rules are very convoluted and much less appealing than the old ones. One agent agrees with me on that. I foresee a drastic drop in application numbers.

I am genuinely very happy for the both of you, Cobolin and Cinnamonape, if it is true as Cobolin says that (he is convinced) the 15 day/year and medical insurance only apply to visas granted post-September 2020 and have no bearing on the oldies who held S-MM2H visas prior to September 2020.

What I don't understand is what Cinnamonape says  "Ahhh...so you believe that the five year extension is the means they are using to evaluate whether people are actually abiding by the 15-day/year requirement and not simply getting the ten year visa and "riding it" for that period without even bothering to abide by the conditions."

If you believe they are going to evaluate whether people are abiding by the 15-day/year requirement, why would they not use this now to evaluate the oldies as well?

jjlong wrote:

SNIP

If you believe they are going to evaluate whether people are abiding by the 15-day/year requirement, why would they not use this now to evaluate the oldies as well?

Wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandfather_clause

A grandfather clause (or grandfather policy or grandfathering) is a provision in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations while a new rule will apply to all future cases. Those exempt from the new rule are said to have grandfather rights or acquired rights, or to have been grandfathered in.

Cobolin: 
The reason we are even talking about the possibility of the New Rules applying to "oldies" is because there is NO GRANDFATHERING CLAUSE anywhere to be found.  Look again at the Wikipedia that you copied over, above:

"A grandfather clause (or grandfather policy or grandfathering) is a provision in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations while a new rule will apply to all future cases. "

There has been NO clause, NO stated policy, NO provision.  (A "provision" is necessarily something in writing.  Something spoken is not a "provision".)  There has been nothing said about grandfathering per se other than what Cinnamonape says he was told (verbally).   A  typical native Malaysian wouldn't even know the meaning of the word "grandfathering"; this is a legal and technical term.  I highly doubt Cinnamonape asked "Is there grandfathering?" and was told "Yes, grandfathering is what we are doing."

Surely, you must remember on September 4,2020 you wrote a request to Cinnamonape to ask about grandfathering.  Cinnamonape then posted on September 8,2020 that "Everything is grandfathered" which he says is what he was told by the SMM2H Administrator.  But that is not a CLAUSE nor a POLICY nor a PROVISION. He summarized a conversation he had with someone.  That is not a grandfathering CLAUSE.

Your Wikipedia excerpt does not help.

The grandfathering that you are talking about is not a clause. It is your interpretation or hope about what the policy is.  But so far, no one has said anything about policy, much less written a clause or provision.  "Hello, Miss Administrator.  I am an oldie.  Do the New Rules apply to me?  Or do I come under the old rules?"   Miss Administrator smiles and nods her head fervently: "You come under the old rules."  Note the use of the present tense in this hypothetical conversation.  Today, as you walk around and breathe, the old rules are those that you live by.  Only because you are not asking for anything new.  You can therefore presently carry on as you are.  Probably that is what the Administrator thought Cinnamonape was asking.  Probably the entire discussion was asked and answered in the present tense.

You should ask Miss Administrator: "Will the New Rules apply to me when I come get my Renewal in 3 or 4 years?  Specifically, will I be required to buy annual health insurance when I start my Renewal?"  Now that is a question about the future.  "Will" is not the same as "is"/"are"/"do".  She will then say specifically what rules will apply to you in 3 or 4 years.

You should ask her, "What is the POLICY for the oldies; will we have to do anything new or different when we renew AND WHY?".    Because policy is all about why.

If anyone really cared, they could simply phone and ask. No need for Cinnamonape to trot over to see the Administrator.  The oldies who have a SMM2H visa can simply send an email and ask. I'm sure the Conditional Letter of Approval that you guys received must have a name and phone number and maybe email address of someone.  If you cared.

jjlong: Wow. You seem really invested in proving that Cinnamonape was lied to by both the MTAC person and the Immigration Official. Why do you care so much? Do you even have a dog in this fight?

I am content to believe Cinnamonape because he's a thorough fellow and his guidance has proved sound in the past. However, as I said before, it seems possible that the renewal rules for oldies will be subject to an element of personal interpretation by the officer that ends up dealing with my renewal - any piece of paper will not be definitive. I encountered that when I made the first application. I shall prepare accordingly.

Peace

Cobolin: I think people who are reading Expat.com (like me) would be better served having both or all sides to some interpretation when there has been nothing in writing to substantiate that interpretation. Two years ago, in the Sabah forum, Cinnamonape wrote that Mm2h visa holders could work PT.  Now he says (see above) no they cannot.

I want to remind anyone who cares that they can make a simple phone call or send a simple email to make a direct inquiry at motac or immigration or wherever they got their Smm2h.

If someone can have a real renewal post September 2020 and speak about it, that would carry some weight. Any other kind of talk could lead to dashed expectations.

Forgive me if this has been previously answered... but there is the matter of a security bond mentioned -

8) Security Bond:

“The imposition of security or personal bonds to act as a refundable security deposit in case of any breach or non-compliance to the Immigration Ordinance or Regulations or when unexpected incidents happen to S-MM2H participants and can be used for the cost of deportation if necessary”

This amounts to RM300k per couple for new applicants - does this mean depositing this refundable amount with the Sarawak Government, a proportion of RM300k or is there some other process that I'm unfamiliar with?

I cannot find any explanatory notes within any S-MM2H documentation which goes into any details relating to this.

I think you are confusing two different things here.

1) The Security Bond
and
2) The Fixed Deposit

The Security Bond is a much smaller amount ranging between RM500-RM3000 that is promised to be paid by the sponsor/agent if the recipient of a Sarawak MM2H visa violates the terms of their agreement. It is to be used for deportation if necessary. I presume if the person "self-deports" the sponsor would not have to yield it.

The amount varies because of the distance back to the home nation. Presumably the amount covers the cost of an air-ticket out. But there are oddities.Europeans have a RM3000 bond...except for Germans where it is RM200 (Is this a typo, has Merkl worked out a deal? Who knows?). Canadian have a Bond of RM2500 but USA it is RM2000 and South Americans seem to only have to have their sponsor promise RM1500. Weird.

[BTW a standard approach for those who apply using a local sponsor is simply to gift the sponsor with the bond amount]

The Fixed Deposit is an amount paid into a local bank. It is an interest bearing account that presumably exist to bring in foreign currency earned abroad into the Malaysian banking system. It assists the balance of currency and props up the Ringgit.

But you can't withdraw money from it as long as you are on the SMM2H visa (or an MM2H visa) unless you receive permission from the Ministry of Tourism to do so. Qualifying withdrawals are for property purchase, children's LOCAL education (tuition and fees in an International school), Medical Expenses, the Purchase of a Vehicle. This is usually done on a compensation basis...you show the receipts and they will allow you to withdraw money down to the baseline. You can withdraw after the first year, but I've heard that they will cover expenses accrued during that first year. If you buy property 3 months after arrival...you just submit the purchase documents after that first year and you can get compensated.

Under the new rules a couple (who has placed a RM300K Fixed Deposit) may withdraw up to RM180,000 from their Fixed Deposit. That means upon reapplication they must have RM120,000 still in their FD.

A single (who has submitted a FD of RM150,000 can withdraw up to RM90,000. They must, therefore, have RM60,000 still in their FD upon reapplication.

Banks will not allow withdrawal unless you have approval from the Ministry of Tourism or have left the program (which means that the MoT must notify them, so it is best to let the MoT know that you are withdrawing from the program in advance).

If you want to use the interest accrued in the Fixed Deposit you should set up a separate account to transfer the interest into that deposit. This may influence your rates, though if this is a FD it should not be much different TOTAL.

One more very important point. Not everyone needs to submit a Fixed Deposit in Sarawak. If you can prove that you have a pension or Personal Monthly Income of RM10,000 (couples) or RM7,000 (single applicant) you are exempt from establishing a Fixed Deposit.

I hope that clarifies the differences.

"Two years ago, in the Sabah forum, Cinnamonape wrote that Mm2h visa holders could work PT.  Now he says (see above) no they cannot."

I'd like to see what I said...in context...two years ago. I probably said that the government STATES "MM2H holders could work PT according to the rules, which required government permission".

Though practical experience and the accumulated experiences of others on MM2H I know that getting such permissions is nearly impossible.

Hi,

I appreciate your reply...

I now fully understand!  It seems the presentation has both security bond and deposit on the same slide - you are correct, I was confused!

We are in receipt of the required RM10,000+ per month via a private pension from a large multinational organisation.

I'm happy!

Just waiting for the borders to open!


Many thanks - for the extensive answer, much appreciated!!


Tony

Congratulations on your upcoming retirement! We SMM2H's are also anxiously awaiting the borders reopening. The government here has done a very good job (with some minor missteps) regarding Covid. Largely the numbers have been kept low until recently, but they have increased in certain areas (longhouses and certain kampongs - mainly in the Sibu and Miri areas). Some small clusters of infection in Kuching as well...mainly mass gatherings (weddings and funerals) where the rules were not followed.

Here in Kuching we are still however awaiting the first big PUBLIC vaccination process to begin. Frontliners have largely received their second jab. But seniors and those with comorbidities are still awaiting their appointments. I think they are still working out whether to allocate a large amount of vaccine to areas where the outbreak numbers have increased as a sort of a firewall.

We believe that SMM2H will be incorporated into the process at no fee and according to our age and comorbidity status. Fingers crossed.

BTW Tony...there is a non-commercial FB group called Sarawak My Second Home that you might wish to join that keeps updated reports on entry requirements, local tourism, etc.

Many thanks!  Yes, I have been following Malaysia's COVID track record.  We have been initially vaccinated in the UK, last month - the second jab to come in June.  I have also tracked the accommodation rates, obviously due to the lack of immigrants/tourists.  I'm hoping the economy will bounce back quickly and the people will not suffer anymore.  I will join the FB group.

Thanks.

Hi,

I do have one final question!!

Do you know...

If I die while under the SMM2H program, will my wife be allowed to stay until the visa expires, as she would be a dependent?  Yes, she would be provided for post my death.


Thanks!

Hello. This is my first post.  I'm interested in the Sarawak MM2H visa.  Compared to its manic cousin on the peninsula, the application process looks relatively uncomplicated and with some better terms.  And yet I have a few questions I was wondering if someone could answer.

1)  Ok, this may be the hardest question to answer.  I can meet the program's monthly Offshore Income requirement (and skip the Fixed Income deposit) if they allow stock dividends.  As far as I know, stock dividends qualify as offshore income as long as it is offshore.  But I guess one never really knows for sure how something will be defined.  Are stock dividends ok to meet this requirement?  I have two accounts at TD Ameritrade that I manage myself.  The dividend income fluctuates a bit month-to-month due to the timing of dividend payments but each month exceeds the monthly requirement.  Someone I know who applied for the West Peninsula visa and also uses TD Ameritrade submitted three or maybe six months of monthly statements to show assets and monthly dividend income.  He manages his own money too and there was no problem.  But I'm not sure how sophisticated (investment-wise) the people in charge of the program are - no offense intended of course.  Will they insist any stock investment be done through a mutual fund, for example?  Will they accept income only from real estate or fixed income assets?         

2)  Prior to the pandemic what was the average processing time for the application?

3)  Because I would have to fly to Sarawak before my application is processed I'm wondering what the success rate is.  What's happening with West Malaysia's program kind of worries me. 

TIA

Stock dividends aren't accepted,  I was in the same situation,
As for your second question,  in sarawak it takes 3-6 months.

3. Success, depends on the agent u use.

Usnahawk wrote:

Stock dividends aren't accepted,  I was in the same situation,
As for your second question,  in sarawak it takes 3-6 months.

3. Success, depends on the agent u use.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for your reply.  I just finished editing my post a little when I saw it.  Lol.
Well, as expected something beyond an "income fund" may be a little too much for the officials to understand.  So maybe a risky junk-bond fund that barely meets the RM7000/mo requirement is ok, but a blue-chip equity account that exceeds the requirement by nearly 3x is not.  Got it.

3-6 months during normal circumstances?  I'm a little confused about the process to be honest.  Can someone help me out with the procedure?  On page 13 of the Application Guide it shows the steps but maybe they are not in order?  For example, Item 1 and 2 talks about the FD account which I think should be near the end of the process.

Is this close to how the process works? (I plan to use an agent)...1) Gather all the necessary documents.  2) Travel to Kuching for the medical check-up.  3) While there wait for medical report.  4) Make sure everything that needs to be certified is.  5) With my agent submit the application.  6) Return home and wait (3-6 months?) for conditional approval.  7) Travel to Sarawak again to open up the FD account.  Along with the FD account show proof of medical insurance to Motac.  8)  Receive visa.  [note: If this is correct then it's too bad I have to travel twice to Sarawak.  I guess the medical report has more significance compared to West Malaysia's program as the checkup needs to be done before the application is submitted.] 

By the way, I plan to live in KL.  Therefore, my plan is to find a place to live there after I receive my approval letter but before I travel to Kuching to finish the process.  I need an address to wire transfer funds into the FD account.  [Note: If proof of medical insurance needs to be submitted along with the application, what if my application is denied?  I was planning to buy Malaysian medical insurance to submit but I guess that would be a tad foolish.]

Bro, one thing you need to be extremely careful about,  lots of deceptions going around, especially by some agents,  they may tell you,  the FD should be deposited first,  and they'll say, in order to speed up the process they'll get you an pre-approval to send the deposit,  BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL,  none of that is true, BS.

Most importantly,  once you choose an agent,  make sure its an approved agent with a valid license,  otherwise you can kiss the fees you paid goodbye.

The Application Guide is from the government.

I understand,  but u can't submit it yourself,  you have to go through an agent

My goodness.  Based on some old posts I just read on this forum maybe it is true and the fixed income account is opened near the start of the process for the Sarawak visa.  Interesting.

Can anyone answer these questions...

1)  Because (as an American) I don't need a visa to enter Malaysia, do I really need to fill out the social visit pass application form to enter Sarawak? 
2)  When making copies of my passport do I need to copy each page from front to back even if most pages are blank; or will only those pages with visa stamps suffice?
3)  This is just a comment but it looks like a Letter of Good Conduct is now needed.
4)  This is just a comment but it looks like no financial statements from the country you live in (e.g. bank, brokerage) are required if you go the FD route.  At least I didn't see such a requirement in the application procedures.

Usnahawk wrote:

Bro, one thing you need to be extremely careful about,  lots of deceptions going around, especially by some agents,  they may tell you,  the FD should be deposited first,  and they'll say, in order to speed up the process they'll get you an pre-approval to send the deposit,  BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL,  none of that is true, BS.

Most importantly,  once you choose an agent,  make sure its an approved agent with a valid license,  otherwise you can kiss the fees you paid goodbye.

I have been through the Sarawak MM2H scheme via FD (old rules, not the current rules, but I'm pretty sure the process hasn't changed). The FD has to be created before the application is submitted. You go to MoTAC in Kuching and tell them of your intention to apply. They give you a letter which you take to the bank and they will let you open FD and savings accounts. You need to submit the FD slip and a letter from the bank with your SMM2H application.

You can apply yourself, without an agent. But it can be difficult to find a local sponsor without one.

Hi,

I would like to introduce myself as Jonathan, one of the official licensed agents for MM2H and S-MM2H.

Been seeing too many misinformation here that I am compelled to write something.

First of all, you are right about having to place the FD in Sarawak at the beginning of the process of S-MM2H application. IF you choose to go for the FD option. I am sure you know about the non FD option of which you have to prove having a monthly offshore income equivalent to RM7,000 for individual application or RM10,000 for application with spouse/family.


Answers to your questions:

1) Yes, you don’t need a visa to enter Malaysia and Sarawak with an American passport. But you do need to fill up an entry form upon arriving in Sarawak. It is just a formality and applies to all non Sarawakians (referring to those born in Sarawak).

The 90 day visa-free stay starts counting from the day you arrive in Kuala Lumpur, unless you fly into Sarawak via Singapore.


2) Photocopy of all pages (including the empty pages) of the passport are required. And all pages of the passport must be certified true copy. This can be done in Kuching (Sarawak) itself.


3) Yes. A Letter of Good Conduct (LOGC) is now required for the S-MM2H application. The LOGC must be less than 1 year at the time of  S-MM2H application submission.


4) Financial and/or income statements are not required if you go for the FD route of applying for the S-MM2H.


Hope the above information helps. Best regards.

Interesting.

My apologies, the Letter of Good Conduct is valid for 6 months only.

Hi All!

I was planning to apply for the peninsular MM2H but S-MM2H now seems a more reliable option if borders start opening.

I'm hoping someone could clarify a couple of items about S-MM2H:

MM2H allows the use of salary slips and bank statements to prove regular income but S-MM2H seems to only allow verified regular pensions.
It would help a lot if I could just use my regular payslips for the application.  I plan to resign my job as soon as I have provisional approval.  It meets with the necessary income levels and is easily verifiable.

Does anyone know if Sarawak are accepting monthly salary as proof of income as an alternative to an FD?


With the change to allow Sarawak-based S-MM2H agencies, is it correct that now the only requirement to visit Sarawak for the application is the medical?  (if salary slips are accepted iso FD and the nominated agency does the face-to-face application).


Also, has anyone heard of new S-MM2H applications being processed lately and how is the processing time?  I haven't seen any recent info on the forums.

TIA!

Hi ,

I am Jonathan, licensed agent for both the Peninsular MM2H and S-MM2H.

Yes. Sarawak is accepting the regular salary slips and bank statements as proof of income.

That being said, the Immigration Department will ask to prove 3 things at the end of every 5 years as requirement for extension/renewal.

1) that the participants have passed their medical check up (for infectious diseases)

2) that the participants have fulfilled the minimum 15 days stay each year

3) the monthly income / FD in the bank

Failure of No.1 and/or No.2, very unlikely for the participants to be given the extension/renewal. For No.3, the participants will be asked to place the required FD in lieu if they are not able to prove the income.

The first visit for the application will involve the medical check up, purchasing of medical insurance and getting necessary documents certified. If you choose the non FD route.

The second visit will be after the approval to get the S-MM2H visa endorsed in the passport.

Yes. The Sarawak Immigration Department is accepting and processing S-MM2H applications. The processing time is a bit erratic due to movement controls. But safe to say approximately 3 months. 

Best regards.

Is it true that SMM2H is not available for families with children wanting to attend international school in KL? We meet all the financial criteria and are dying to move to Malaysia this summer but there seem to be no options at the moment...

Hi,

There are 3 categories of S-MM2H application.

1) 50 years old and above. No prerequisite, an applicant just need to place the required fixed deposit or show proof of monthly offshore income.

2) 40 - 49 years old. The prerequisite is an applicant must has already purchased a residential property in Sarawak.

3) 30 - 49 years old. The prerequisite is an applicant has children studying in Sarawak.

If you are 50 years old and above, you could still apply for the S-MM2H, your children will be under student pass issued in West Malaysia.

If you are below 50 years old, the only way to apply for the S-MM2H is through purchasing a residential property or by sending your children to an international school in Sarawak.

Best regards.