After a long period of preparations and sometimes frustrations, yesterday I successfully renewed on Income for a period of 10 years.
For those who are interested, now follows the long version of my experiences:
Despite few similar cases on this board, the only puzzling condition was "Bring documents of Current proof of Monthly Offshore Income". Which is pretty vague, in fact clear as mud (as FCS experienced). Whatever it means, I was facing some complications:
1. My Approval letter from 2004 did not mention Income but a Fixed Deposit(??).
2. My current monthly offshore income < RM 10,000
3. I could not confirm original source of income, because in 2007 I retired and my income is from 3 different sources now.
4. Incomplete set of documents to support offshore income and all of them in Dutch.
As I am living in Penang and Penang Immi was out of the question, a trial-and-error run was not one of my favorites.
Assuming an agent could handle this I contacted one. But their requirements were too strict (a.o. certified true copies of original documents) and cost that high, that I decided for DIY as in 2004.
Ad 1. Fired emails to Motour, but no answer. As I don't want to lock up 150k I assumed a typo and went for income.
Ad 2. My interpretation: offshore income refers to employment/pension income and all interest can be seen as offshore, as capital can flow freely. This way I cranked up my income and to cross the 10k barrier I assumed a slightly rising Euro.
Ad 3. Nowhere is mentioned on Motour site that the source of income could not change. So I ignored it.
Ad 4. I had annual income statements of FY2009, bank statements printed from the internet and just one (out of 3) monthly pension statement for 2010. The whole set was ""circumstantial evidence" and in Dutch. To take it to a higher level I contacted an authorized translator (ITNM), which delivered me certified translations of my Pension and Bank statements.
Having worked around the problems, I compiled all documents and Pos Laju-ed the package to PWTC:
a. Letter of Intent to Renew
b. Form IMM55
c. Copy of Passport data and MM2H Visa page
d. Copy of Health Insurance
e. Copy of Conditional Approval Letter
f. Income status report, including attachments (not certified, unauthorized copies)
After 4 working days I called Immigration on 03-2696 3325. The officer told me my visa expired in 2009 because issued in 2004 (I forgot that point). I told him my visa clearly states 12 DEC 2010. He then advised me to call again after 2 days.
So I did and then I was informed my application was sent to the wrong address, level 23 (as advised by MM2H centre!). It should be level 6. That's why they just discovered my documents. So one week lost. The good news is, one hour later I was called by a very helpful Immigration officer, who told me everything looked alright, but I'd better come down to sort things out might there be any problems. And I had to bring form RBII.
So the next morning I jumped in the car and drove all the way to level 6 of PWTC, where the desk officer was apparently expecting me. While waiting I did my thing with klinik Salma and on return I got my valuable visa and a nice hallo from the high-ranking officer, who approved my case.
I arrived at 9:00 and left the building at 11:30, so in total 2,5 hours including 1 hour at Starbucks, is quite good. And if I had done the RBII form in Penang, I could have left after one hour.
QEC
Lessons learned:
1. Renewals are thru Immigration Unit on level 6 only. MM2H centre on level 23 got nothing to do with it.
2. Despite what a well respected agent wrote me, certified true copies of original documents are not required (in line with other experiences on this board). I've couried only copies of not certified, unauthorized financial documents and my renewal was approved. They did not even ask for the originals.
3. Get the medical form RBII done somewhere else, unless you are early and have no problems supplying the fluid for the urinetest. I had, so I came back to the klinik after one hour, drinking a lot of coffee at Starbucks, but then the waiting room was loaded.
4. Immigration appears to be very client orientated and efficient. They help you where they can, the downside is you have to be there.
5. In my opinion it is more important to show extensively you got external sources for financial support. Producing a copy of 3 months bank statements showing income might be necessary but is not sufficient.
6. Klinik Salma is in fact doing a medical check-up. Eyes, ears, bloodpressure, urinetest, etc. Cost RM40. So I crossed out that one my to-do-list.
7. However still on Motours site, it was NOT REQUIRED to produce a security bond or any other bond.
Danny
Topic: A Renewal on Income case (Read 678 times)
June 14, 2011, 10:23:30 PM