Foreign Wives can now Apply

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hi,

Here's a re-type of the article in today's Star Newspaper:

Star 30th September 2007
Foreign Wives can now Apply for MM2H

Foreign married women can now apply directly for the Malaysia My Second Home programme, Deputy Tourism minister Datuk Donald lim said.

Before only foreign men could apply for the programme on behalf of their spouses. "There are instances where the wife is earning more than her husband and this move will make it easier for the couple to meet the basic requirements," he told reporters after opening the inaugural Expat Expo at the KL Convention Centre yesterday.

Lim said applicants were required to have a fixed deposit of RM150,000 (for those aged 50 and above) or RM300,000 (for those below 50) and that this move would help a couple meet the figure. This was among several issues that were discussed during a policy meeting between the ministry, the Immigration Department and the Home Affairs ministry recently.

"We have also proposed a one-stop centre for MM2H applications, particularily because those who apply to stay in Sabah and Sarawak have to go through the immigration Department there," Lim said.

On property investments for expartiates, Lim said the government was considering a uniform price of RM250,000 for all states. Most states have already agreed in principle to standardise it but final details have yet to be ironed out.

Wow, maybe the government is going to try and get Sabah and Sarawak to fall in line with West Malaysia. And I suppose that the Deputy Minister knows that there is already a One-Stop Centre so maybe he means a One-Stop Centre for all states.

Maybe they've decided to do something about the anomalies in the MM2H programme which means that, if you applied in KL, and your visa says, "permitted to enter and remain in West Malaysia and Sabah" then Sabah Immigration will not currently allow the "and Sabah" bit. They'll only give you 3 months.

As well as this, maybe the West Malaysian agents are upset that they will lose all their business to the 4 or 5 Sabah agents. So they've spoken up (the Expat Expo is being run by an agency). Cos, at the moment, if you apply in Sabah then you'll get a visa that allows you to stay in Sabah and West Malaysia, and it actually means it.

Also, Sarawak is currently out-in-the-cold. There's only 1 agent who doesn't respond to emails. And the MM2H programme in Sarawak does not allow any FD monies to be withdrawn for anything.

If you're interested you'll need to refer to: Sabah and Sarawak

regards, Scott

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Yes I attended the ExPat Expo, and it was stated during a presentation that the MoT wishes to standardize the rules for East & West Malaysia so there will be no differentiation.