Sabah and Sarawak

[scott]

It has always been that if you wanted to stay in Sarawak you needed to apply directly to Sarawak Immigration.

The my2home visa stamp allows for staying in West Malaysia and Sabah only, it's the same sort of limit that you get with a normal social visit pass.

On the new motour website if you're over 50 and want to stay in Sabah you can now also apply directly to Sabah Immigration. I don't get this one? Any ideas?

Why bother to get Sabah only?

By the way, in Sarawak you'll get a 1-year social visit pass under the Sarawak Property Programme. I don't know much about this as I've never bothered to contact them. Maybe someone in Sarawak can help out here?

regards, Scott

[Col]

Until yesterday, I had not heard of the Sarawak Property Programme, there was a article in yesterdays STAR  http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/6/20/nation/18072495&sec=nation regarding a Aussie couple who were having some hassle getting a renewal for their permit.

[scott]

hi, Col,

Thanks for posting the link.

Buying a property with just a 1-year social visit pass seems risky. From the article it seems that the pass is initially linked to a specific property, and is not independently on auto-renewal.

When I worked in Singapore I had a 3-year contract, and I bought an apartment. During the 3rd year it was a bit harrowing not knowing if the contract would be renewed (no employment pass meant I was not allowed to stay in Singapore beyond 4 weeks), or if I would have to sell the apartment at short notice, and get a fire-sale price for it. Or be in and out of Singapore on short visit visas whilst applying for a new job. Talk about stress.

regards, Scott

 

[scott]

There is certainly some confusion on MM2H in Sarawak and Sabah.

I understand that the new Motour site directs applicants who wish to stay in Sarawak or Sabah to apply directly to immigration in the respective states. This is a new ruling. I also understand (from a thread I'm posting on the alloexpat site) that although you've got "West Malaysia and Sabah" stamped on your MM2H visa, the Sabah bit doesn't apply. Amazing.

Also, the new MoTour site only refers to "above 50" for those wishing to apply to Sarawak or Sabah.

We've emailed MoTour's MM2H section to ask what it all meant but so far there's no reply.

The fact that in the Agents Survey, there was no email response from the sole agent in Sarawak doesn't help. Two out of the 5 Sabah agents responded so I'll contact them to see if they know anything.

regards, Scott

[scott]

A mm2h mate of mine who is in Penang also wanted to know the state of play for Sarawak and Sabah so he's helped with the Sabah bit. He thought that, one day, maybe he'd want to re-locate to Kota Kinabalu, or Sipandan.

I've been emailing for the Sarawak side but no clear guidelines yet, except that it seems you can't withdraw any part of your FD towards a property purchase.  I'll keep on this as Kuching is a really nice place, and, for me, a good potential alternative to Peninsula Malaysia.

Back to Sabah. It seems that even if it says on your mm2h passport visa, "permitted to enter and remain in West Malaysia and Sabah until Date/Month/Year" you won't be allowed to do so for Sabah if the visa was issued at Immigration, KL. With the mm2h visa you'll only get the normal 3 months social visit pass if you enter Sabah.

Basically the "and Sabah" in your passport is null and void. So why is it on the visa?

If you already have an mm2h visa, and wish to re-locate to Sabah you'll have to employ an agent and make another mm2h application. However, you won't need to make another FD deposit, but you'll have to pay RM90 per year for a new mm2h visa.

We haven't gotten as far as working out if you can stay in West Malaysia if you apply in Sabah. Maybe someone on this site has done this and knows. And we also haven't worked out what happens if you're keen on moving between a 2nd home in Penang and a 3rd home in Kota Kinabalu.

I'll post here if there's any further clarification.

regards, Scott

[rmyu]

Can MM2Hers live in Labuan?  Some say  living cost is lower there.  Are there significant differences between East and West Malaysia ?

[scott]

hi, rmyu,

Don't know about Labuan. It's not on the MM2H charts. Next time I'm on the MoTour site I'll check out for any references. It's interesting though. Let's hope that another member is familiar with this and can post.

regards, Scott.

[hyperborean]

Reference Labuan I was told unofficially, (some time back by a member of Labuan.net), that application can be made through Labuan FT Immigration, but that the paperwork still has to be done through KL and can take longer than the extent of the 3-months' visa ... which means of course that one would have to break their stay by taking a trip to Brunei for a few days !   

I believe there is probably some truth in this since I once visited their Offices at Financial Park and received an mm2h application form at the price of 1 ringgit !

[scott]

hi, hyperborean

Many thanks for the post. I'll check-out Labuan.net and see if there's more info.

As you can see, we're slowly building-up some clarity for mm2h in Labuan, Sabah and Sarawak.

regards, Scott

[scott]

Sarawak

You have to apply to Sarawak immigration and it seems that if you want to stay in Sarawak you'll need to be over 50. Younger folk not permitted.

A single person also needs RM7,000 in off-shore income AND a FD of RM100,000.

A couple needs RM10,000 in off-shore income AND a FD of RM150,000.

The FD cannot be withdrawn for any purpose.

Guess not many people are applying to Sarawak.

(01/01/08 : These conditions have now been changed, see later post)

Sabah

You have to apply to Sabah immigration. The rules are the same as applying in KL, except you get a visa to stay in Sabah plus West Malaysia.

As posted above, MoTour have stated (in a very roundabout way) that if you apply in KL then you're only allowed to stay in West Malaysia. Even if the mm2h visa is stamped "permitted to remain in West Malaysia and Sabah" the Sabah bit doesn't apply.

So if you already have a mm2h visa and decide to move to Sabah then you'll need to apply again, and you'll end up with 2 visas in your passport. Both, I assume, saying the same thing.

Amazing.

regards, Scott

[hyperborean]

 ....... and to confuse the issue a little further :

Labuan

you have to apply to Labuan immigration ... who will send the paperwork to KL, who, if approval is granted, will issue a third visa which will say ..... er, Labuan, West Malaysia and Sabah ?   

Bernie

[scott]

hi,

Thanks Bernie. Seems like MoTour and the various immigration departments need to meet and work it out.

regards, Scott

[scott]

hi,

Well, it seems that Motour and the various immigration departments have met, and they're working out some form of common ground. Refer: Foreign Wives can now Apply

The latest email to MoTour about this anomaly pointed out that a passport could have one MM2H visa saying "permitted to enter West Malaysia and Sabah" with the Sabah bit null and void. And a second MM2H visa saying "permitted to enter Sabah and West Malaysia" with both bits being valid.

A reply was received a couple of days ago. It said that yes, you'd end up with 2 MM2H visas. The email also explained the anomaly as "what is essential is the language that the relevant authorities understand at the moment." Basically, it seems that Sabah Immigration won't OK what KL Immigration has stamped in your passport.

My mate (who is doing the emails) thinks that it's pointless to pursue the anomaly any further now that it seems to have been noticed, well maybe. He says he'll wait to see what happens before making a decision to move to KK.

regards, Scott

[hyperborean]

hi Scott,

It has been my opinion for some time that the anomaly is purely a case of "professional jealousy" on the part of East Malaysian states, who seem to object somewhat to taking their orders from KL, hence the "including Sabah" piece being regarded as null and void by the Sabah authorities.   Sarawak take the point a bit further by making it as difficult as possible for any foreigner to gain entry into their state at all.

Labuan, however, since being awarded Federal Territory status in 1982, are much less obstinate in this, I think, although they do still like to feel that they are in charge of their own affairs when it comes to mm2h.

Regards,
Bernie

[scott]

hi, Bernie,

Yep, I think that you're right on the ball. When I first checked out the MM2H programme, the boss of Perak immigration had his own onerous interpretation of the rules. No doubt other immigration bosses also had their own versions.

So KL sets up a One-Stop Centre for the Peninsula which solves the problem.

Sabah and Sarawak are interpreting the rules as they see fit, "the language that the relevant authorities understand at the moment.". So the Deputy Tourism Minister is proposing a further One-Stop Centre for all applicants.

I take it that in Malaysia One-Stop Centres stop a lot more than I ever imagined.

regards, Scott