The goal posts have moved

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Many thanks for your invaluable advice - I have just emailed Yvonne, since she seems to have helped many on here and has long experience.

I'm sure you are right:  "what is written, is written"......

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I can assure you that you need to show RM10,000 per month INCOME, regardless of source.

My experience recently with http://www.minth.sarawak.gov.my/ was very different

Rentals abroad are NOT CONSIDERED fulfilling the financial requirement for this programme. However, you can include the rental statements with your application as supporting document only to support your application (evidence that you have extra income and is financially capable to support yourself throughout your stay in Malaysia).

OK, understood

Off-shore income here means applicant receiving pension from government approved funds of RM 10,000 per month (Rental in Australia is an income from abroad only; not government approved pension fund).

Thats unfortunate as the rent is what I currently live off.   As I am under the Australian retirement age I am not eligible for a govt. pension

If applicant does not have government approved pension fund, the only option is open fixed deposit account of RM 150,000.00.

Again, unfortunate as I am not inclined to re-draw monies from my investment properties (at a cost) to deposit them into an under performing bank account.

I does appear that there are different rules from different agencies, so It would seem I need to try your contact as well.

Bummer

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I does appear that there are different rules from different agencies, so It would seem I need to try your contact as well.

I think has to do with the fact that Sarawak has it's own program and it's own ruling.
The MM2H program has as far as I know the same rules for all agents.

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hi,

It depends on which option you use when you apply. The MoTour site no longer makes it so clear that folks over 50 can have an FD option, or a Pension option.

There are 2 types of RM10,000 income depending on the application option i.e. either a pension or an FD.

The first is that all FD option applicants need at least an income of RM10,000 per month to support themselves in Malaysia. On this site it is called "the support income" to avoid confusion.

The second is that for folks over 50 a government pension of RM10,000 per month is the alternative application option vs the FD. This is "the pension income."

Currently, the MoTour site says that all applicants using the FD option need a support income of RM10,000. If MoTour no longer requires a support income for over 50 FD applications that's a very big thing, and I think that it would need to be carefully checked.

Sarawak is different. Please refer to the Sarawak and Sabah topic.

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Currently, the MoTour site says that all applicants using the FD option need a support income of RM10,000. If MoTour no longer requires a support income for over 50 FD applications that's a very big thing, and I think that it would need to be carefully checked.

Hi Scott

That is what I am trying to get to the botttom of. As I was clearly told that the support income for over 50s on the FD route would not be a requirement. So was TD by all accounts and one agent also told me the same thing....

Conversely, Yvonne and many of our fellow forumers are adamant that the requirement is still in place.

Thanks for a great forum!

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''ii. Applicants aged 50 and above may comply with the financial proof of RM350,000 in liquid assets and off shore income of RM10,000 per month.   For those who have retired, they are required to show proof of receiving pension from government approved funds of RM 10,000 per month.''

By lumping these two categories together -- they are not the same although they could be --the programme muddies the waters considerably.

When I arrive in Penang in October, my wife and I will be in receipt of monthly pensions well in excess of the RM10,000 threshhold, but we don't have anything like liquid assets of RM350,000. This has put me off applying for MM2H as I believed we were not qualified.

It's now clear that we may be -- which contradicts an email we received from an agent to whom we made an inquiry. Hmm! I think I'll check it out for six months or so and then decide. See you all soon. Sunglasses packed! 

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As you will be receiving your pension by then, do make sure you bring your bank statement proof etc, as you say its very obscure the wording, as I understand the selection / approvable is done by a committee ? so the more you show the better the chances. As it was explained to us the 10k pension is meant to be in some form of Government pension, i.e. something thats not going to crash like property rental or stocks, unless you have a bank paying over 10.k pension on these petty interest rates ! good luck.

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hi,

The RM10,000 pension option didn't used to be a government pension as it is now. It was originally any pension so I guess that some folks asked friends running some sort of business to confirm some sort of pension and that's why it got changed to a government pension.

Check with all agents as to fees regarding putting in an application that is then refused. Refusal fees (administrative charges) of RM800 ++ are an attractive option for easy money earners.

According to the Sarawak mm2h site, a support income for those over 50 isn't required. But that's Sarawak.

It's great that you folks are checking on all of this. Keep us all posted and let's hope we can get something definitive.   

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Rae M/Scott,

Thanks for the replies. Does ''Government-approved'' pensions only mean government pensions, eg, public service pension, I wonder. Or do you know if an established private-sector company pension would be considered?

If only the former, then I imagine only retired public servants would qualify.

Is this perhaps why we have a ''Boring Penang'' thread?   

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Still waiting for a reply to my query on the income requirment for over 50s from PWTC. Good news from Scott on Sarawak though. If they are not requiring proof of support income for over 50's maybe - what I was told down at the MM2H Centre may be right....

That would make a huge difference to many people I suspect.

TBH what I worry about is that the MM2H people are saying one thing but when you actually apply you still need the proof of support income. The reason I say this is that Yen Yen has to meet her "KPI's" - one of which is increasing the number of MM2H applicants.

Note: Applicants - not approvals.....

Hmmmm......

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hi,

This is what it says on the Sarawak mm2h site :

Applicants must be not less than 50 years old, while spouse (if any) has no age limit. Applicants who are 30 years old and above may apply if there is evidence that they have children pursuing further education or undergoing long term medical treatment in Sarawak)

Show proof of monthly off-shore income / government approved pension funds of RM10,000.00 for married couple or RM7,000 for single applicant;

OR

Open a fixed deposit account of RM150,000.00 in bank / financial institution for married couple or RM100,000.00 for single applicant.

The site also says that can also buy property at a minimum  of RM300,000 in designated areas of Kuching, Sibu and Miri.

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So - confusion still rules
I am assuming that they want to see at least 10K per month and will proceed on that basis....
Will post on my progress here in the hope my experiences will help other forum members.....

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hi,

Sarawak's requirements are more in line with those of the Peninsula prior to the great change in 2006.

Sabah's requirements now pretty much mirror those of KL except that it's difficult to find out what they are from Sabah tourism. Sabah tourism seems to have off-loaded the job of any form of explanation to the 4 odd local agents And these agents won't tell you much unless you confirm that you'll use them. And only 2 of them bother to reply anyway.

It's worth noting that the lack of clarity in the requirement descriptions on the MoTour site for (a) FD option, and (b) Pension option may be a way of downplaying the pension option. This always seemed to be a left-over from the 2006 changes and it's less easy to police than via the lien letter on the FD option. Just a theory.

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" The support income of RM10,000 per month is now GBP 2130 "

Is the £2130 Gross or (god help us if it is) Nett of UK Income Tax.  I have always assumed Gross (for MMH2 Applications) - have I been wrong?     

Best wishes

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In think it's Nett, it was at least when I did my application in September 2008.