Renewal Requirements

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This week I visited Putrajaya to obtain the second five years of my MM2H 10 year visa. This was originally approved in 2004, when the program was relatively new.

I had checked the MoT website and had the documents listed, together with copies. These were passport, evidence of medical insurance and fixed deposit certificate.

At the MM2H counter I was told I also needed a covering letter. This was no problem as I was given a blank piece of paper and simply wrote that I wished to apply for the second five years of my permit. However, I was also told to contact my bank and obtain a letter from them stating that they were holding a fixed deposit in my name as part of the program. I told the officer that this was not mentioned on the website but she said that the website is not up to date.

My original fixed deposit certificate was established at Maybank when the banks were not really sure of the program and had no MM2H notation on it - this was "rectified" by the immigration officer who stamped Malaysia My Second Home Programme in red ink across the front. I was given a receipt for the application and told I would receive an approval letter in 7 days, subject to me providing the bank letter and could then return to Putrajaya for the visa.

Today I visited the bank and obtained the letter. The banks are now very aware of the requirements and the letter basically states that they have placed a lien on the fixed deposit and will not allow a withdrawal without authority from immigation. The bank officer told me that any change in the deposit which would require it cancelling - these include withdrawing capitalised interest, changing the terms or even the branch of domicile - would lead to the MM2H permit being cancelled.

I believe this measure has been introduced as I know of quite a few early applicants who placed a fixed deposit and then withdrew it after approval expecting to reestablish it prior to renewal of the visa.

All in all the process was quite easy and would not have been faster had I had the bank letter with me. I feel that this requirement is only for applicants who received an initial 5 year permit with an automatic renewal (and, obviously, placed a fixed deposit.) What would have happened had I not maintained the deposit for the full 5 year period I don't know.

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hi, MikeH,

Many thanks for the post, and the update. Pleased to hear that everything went well for you. Your experience is very interesting, and pertinent for me as I'll be renewing shortly.

The bank officer told me that any change in the deposit which would require it cancelling - these include withdrawing capitalised interest, changing the terms or even the branch of domicile - would lead to the MM2H permit being cancelled.

IMHO the bank officer may, or may not, be right. This needs looking into. If the interest is capitalised, and the FD can never be "reissued" then interest can never be withdrawn. I thought that banks had MM2H stamps for this use.

On taking out an FD it can be stated that the interest will be withdrawn or deposited elsewhere. The Motour site has the following on it's "Opening a Fixed Deposit in Malaysia" page :

Interest earned on the FD can be withdrawn by the participant after the one-year period.

Also, for a 12 monthly deposit, the terms (i.e. interest) are automatically changed on renewal if there is a change in the interest rate.

Cancellation, or non-renewal, of MM2H because of change of branch of domicile? So if I move from Penang to Johor Bahru I've got to stick with the Georgetown branch of Maybank? I think that some clarification is needed.

On the Letter of Intent, these are the requirements taken today off the MoTour site. This is what it states if you look under the Applications heading (on the left-hand side of the How to Apply Page) then click on Renewal :
 

1 Letter of Intent to continue stay in Malaysia under this programme
2 IM 55 Form
3 Copy of the old and new passport.
4 Copy of the fixed deposit certificate
5. Copy of the valid medical insurance.

I last checked this early last year. Since then Item (1) has been added. It was discussed in May 2007 at :
Renewal Requirements

However, if you look at the bottom of the How to Apply page it states :

For participants who joined the programe before 1 April 2006 , renewal can either be submitted directly by the individual participant or through licensed company to Immigration Department , Putrajaya or the State Immigration Office which issued the initial Social Visit Pass.

The following documents are required for the renewal :

1 IM 55 Form
2 Copy of the old and new passport.
3 Copy of the fixed deposit certificate
4 Copy of the valid medical insurance.

No letter on this one. So, you've discovered another anomaly. Well done.

As you have posted, the need for a Bank letter regarding the FD is not on the MoTour site. Why is a letter needed if you have a valid FD certificate?

Maybe it's some confusion by the officer with the bank letter needed by new applicants when they collect the visa. Check out : About Fixed Deposits

Or maybe it is a new requirement. Has anyone else experienced this?

Anyway, thanks for the heads up. I'll get a letter just in case.

regards, Scott

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hi,

As I understand it, the Letter of Intent is addressed to :

Director,
Visa, Pass and Permit Division
Department of Immigration Malaysia
Level 3, Block 2G4 (PODIUM) Precint 2,
Federal Government Administrative Centre
62550 Putrajaya
Federal Territory
Malaysia.

regards, Scott

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Hi Scott

What I should have said is that the FD cannot be changed without approval from Immigration. Unfortunately, when I first joined the programme, I opted for interest capitalisation. This means that interest earned todate (on annual renewals) is now part of the principal and cannot be withdrawn without cancelling the FD and opening a new one. Similarly, moving the FD from one branch to another involves cancelling it and opening a new one - at least at Maybank.

I think that writing to Immigration for permission to change is the way to go and I intend to do this once the visa is finalised. Will let you know the outcome.

By the way, the bank did have a standard letter on file for the FD confirmation to Immigration so it really is a pretty easy process, although it does involve an additional trip.

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hi,

Many thanks, and please post the outcome.

I sent an email to MoTour about the RENEWAL anomaly on the mm2h.gov.my site. Got a reply today, and the anomaly has been corrected on the site. Both items where RENEWAL is mentioned now state that a Letter of Intent is required. That's nice.

Out of interest, and totally out of relevance, this is an extract from a current post by a moderator on a UK site dealing with queries from the UK Border Agency (Immigration/Visas) :

The solicitor has spoken to a senior caseworker at the PEO who said that the application CAN still be done using the premium service, so you were misinformed. The rules are so complex, and the government changes them so often, it is understandable how the civil servants get confused. At least you are now prepared in the event that you do turn up to extend your FLR and the person you are dealing with is also misinformed.

It's worldwide.

regards, Scott

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I recently "extended" my mm2h visa. i.e. got stamp in new passport. I'm on the current 10 year visa; and I checked posts on this site before venturing to KL to pick up my new passport and trek out to Putrajaya. Information gleaned here was helpful. I checked the mm2h website and printed the page listing the documents required.
The only departure was that I was asked for a covering letter. I happened to have brought one with me; but when, before producing it, I mentioned that it was not on the website's list, the request was withdrawn.
Whole procedure was quick and painless.

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hi, bazzaman,

Congrats on the stamp in the new passport, and many thanks for the update. With feedback like yours we can keep this site pretty up-to-date. If you have all bases covered, as you did, then what or how an individual officer sees things doesn't matter too much.

I imagine that the world bureaucratic standard, for anything, is 3 visits.

Visit 1 =  Find out what's missing or wrong.
Visit 2 =  Hand in what's right. Unless it's changed from Visit 1.
Visit 3 =  Collect.

So all done in one visit is indeed quick and painless.   

regards, Scott

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I agree. Three trips would seem to be standard.....but hopefully with the help of this site and applicant feedback we can get the 'Standard' closer to two trips.