Sabah MM2H change of rules?
- Visas for Malaysia - Guide
- New MM2H rules September 2021 - 41 Replies
- Job change in Malaysia - 4 Replies
- Change employer - 1 Reply
- Virus & Gov Change Means No To MM2H And Malaysia? - 14 Replies
- Change of employment - 7 Replies
- Sabah MM2H still going whilst Peninsular suspended - 2 Replies
I did come across this wording on an Agent's website, however.
"All applications for people who want to live in West (Peninsular) Malaysia are submitted to the Second Home Centre in the Ministry of Tourism which has information about the programme. Applications to live in Sabah or Sarawak have to be submitted to the respective State Immigration Office. We can assist with application for Peninsular Malaysia and if you need to find an agent in Sabah we can help you with that as well. If you wish to live in Sarawak you will have to contact the authorities in that state, as they do not permit agents to assist with submissions of applications."
Hopefully your reapplication will go smoothly.
Thanks for raising this issue.
The OP apparently has already obtained property on his Sabah MM2H Pass so I'm doubtful he will lose it...after all they approved it when he purchased the property. I'm curious if Sabah also allowed him to withdraw from his fixed account at the time? He simply needs to return to KK and submit again, and continue on as before.
But how does this apply to PT jobs? Could a Sarawak visa holder apply to the one stop center for a PT position on the Peninsula? If they get healthcare/treatment on the PeninsulaÌý can they apply to have the Fixed Account remitted for that amount?
"I have been going to Sabah everytime I renew my passport. "Ìý I'm not sure what he means by this. Has he applied for renewal before?
Ìý "However , when I applied to renew my visa (as 10 years is almost over)Ìý THROUGH AN AGENT THEY were informed that I cannot renew it, as I am not living in Sabah, and my property is in KL.Ìý It was total devastation for me, as I was not told before that this will happen to me. "
The problem appears to be what the agentÌý is saying, and notÌý necessarily what immigration in Sabah will allow. IF this is an agent in the Peninsula they may not be allowed to operate in Sabah or have the people to submit the paperwork there. This is simply laziness on their part and an unwillingness to be honest with the client. $$$$.
A Sabah agent may resolve the problem. Or he may have to go there himself. If the visa states he can live "anywhere in Sabah or Peninsula Malaysia" and his original Conditional Letter doesn't state that he can ONLY purchase property in Sabah, then they should renew it. They would do so if he was renting, after all.
If anything the issue would be with purchasing property on the Peninsula "under the MM2H program". But they have already allowed this, presumably looking at the visa and documents at the time of purchase.Ìý There is no document that states that a house purchased at a normal price can be taken away even if one leaves the program entirely. And it's not like the tax-free car (where you actually pay a lower amount) where they have specific rules about selling the vehicle and the procedures of paying back the excise tax.Ìý There is just a lower floor for house purchase for MM2H recipients.
I think it is simply a greedy, lazy or ignorant agent (perhaps all three)Ìý providing erroneous information.
Presumably it's Sabah immigration that has declined to renew. If not direct contact with them is advisable. Everybody knows that Appeals are possible.
Because of State immigration policies it probably explains why free movement to peninsular Malaysia is mentioned. But that perhaps doesn't include residency. No stamp in passport is required for foreigners entering KL from Sabah or Sarawak because of the Federal rules. However the same is not the case for entering from peninsular Malaysia to East Malaysia.
It makes no sense that Sabah would not allow someone to purchase property or live in the peninsula when you don't have to purchase property in Sabah. I agree, appeal. But likely there has never been a formal rejection. After all, wouldn't one receive a letter from Sabah MM2H that the visa was being rescinded if he violated the terms?
1) you didn't purchase property in Sabah (what about renters, or those not permanently staying in Sabah)?
2) you were not living in Sabah (but the peninsula)?
3)Ìý That you were using a peninsula agent rather than reapplying personally in Sabah?
1. I do not have property in Sabah
2. I was not living in Sabah.
I visited Sabah immigration everytime my passport was renewed to stamp my mm2h visa, they never asked me and never told me this will happen.
For example, in appeal you could have shown them you Conditional Letter and pointed out that the letter makes no reference to buying property in Sabah. Or you may have been able to hunt down the former immigration director or staff who signed the letter and asked if they would affirm that they had no "property purchase" requirement when you renewed.
The fact that they would not grant a waiver, even for a year, until you had either fulfilled the new requirements or until you had obtained a MM2H seems odd.
Sorry to pummel you with questions but for most of us the Sabah program is a bit of an enigma? There is nothing about it specifically on the internet.
Can I ask how many times you had renewed? You say "every time" that implies at least two times of renewal and/or transfer to a new passport.
Were you given a 10 year visa?
Did you ever live/rent in Sabah?
Did you have a Fixed Deposit in a Sabah branch bank? Or were you under a pension option?
Did they mention what the new requirements were regarding income/fixed deposit amount/ etc. for those applying NOW?
Are you withdrawing from the program (this might be better than having the visa denied...as the latter may interfere with reapplication under MM2H). Also it's important you get formal documentation od some sort so that you can establish that the reason you cannot continue with Sabah MM2H is because of the rule against not being a resident/property owner in Sabah. That could then be shown, if necessary to the MM2H authorities. Maybe tell the Sabah Immigration that you need a letter explaining the situation as to why you no longer qualified for the Sabah program so that you can apply to the MM2H.
The implication of your problems is that even renting property in Sabah may not be sufficient to qualify for their program. Otherwise you could rent a low range property for awhile and show the payments.
In any case, this actually is not beneficial to their recruitment of applicants to their program. The certainly need more transparency about what they require and that this should be on the Conditional Letter.
If the rules are the same as the Peninsula MM2H then why is residency in Sabah (or Malaysia) even an issue?
I did ask them for a letter. But they will not. My visa was terminated. And that letter was given to me. I dont know maybe this is the result of beign honest. I did mention in my cover letter that it has been 10 years Im living in this beautiful country. Bought a property in Kuala Lumpur, my son studied from Junior school to High School etc.Ìý Maybe I should not have mentioned about the property etc. It was the agent suggestion to make the renewal attractive. Which I think was good.
It seems your agent was not aware when advising you.
"MM2H visa holders can stay anywhere in Malaysia except Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo where they need to convert to the Sabah/ Sarawak version. Conversion not an easy process and it requires a fresh MM2H visa application. Therefore, you need to decide if you want to stay in Peninsular Malaysia or Sabah/Sarawak."
Gravitas wrote:This is the directive from one of the very first agents appointed to assist with peninsular Mm2h applications.
It seems your agent was not aware when advising you.
"MM2H visa holders can stay anywhere in Malaysia except Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo where they need to convert to the Sabah/ Sarawak version. Conversion not an easy process and it requires a fresh MM2H visa application. Therefore, you need to decide if you want to stay in Peninsular Malaysia or Sabah/Sarawak."
Maldives HAD the Sabah MM2H and was allowed to stay in the Peninsula. He did not have a Peninsular MM2H and wanted to live in Sarawak or Sabah.
If the rule above prevented Sarawak/Sabah MM2H recipients from living in the Peninsula it should have said
"MM2H holders can live anywhere in Peninsular Malaysia. Sabah and Sarawak MM2H holders are not allowed to reside in Peninsular Malaysia."
Why doesn't the agent state "Peninsula Malaysia" in the first line?
The OFFICIAL Sarawak government website states that "The visa issued to Participants of the MM2H Sarawak programme allows the participant to reside anywhere in Malaysia." Clearly that is in direct contradiction to what the agent stated in the last line above.
It appears that Sabah (which doesn't publish its policies anywhere, on any document or website), have "moved the goalposts" by requiring residency IN Sabah. Even stranger is the possibility that one could have a permanent residence in Australia or Thailand or the UK (and rent in Sabah, or just visit sporadically) andÌý have no issue with immigration.
Also, since the actual income/FD requirements are the same...Sabah vs. Peninsular Malaysia was there any issue in transferring your Sabah MM2H to Peninsula MM2H? I can see there being an issue with the "temporary" suspension of the program and long wait...but maybe one could make the transfer more easily (in terms of getting approvals) than starting the process entirely anew. After all you have local police clearance (good behavior) have a FD already in Malaysia, etc.
Can't live in Peninsular Malaysia full time on Sabah mm2h. Its quite clear. Trying to justify with property bought in KL is shooting oneself in the foot.
Perhaps choice of international schooling may just have worked.
Remember Sarawak has its own immigration policies. They are different from West Malaysia and Sabah.
Inventing scenarios is very misleading and unhelpful. There is no transfer as no Mm2h is any longer held. Quite clear to apply where one intends to live.
The policy proof lies in the refusal to nenew. Full stop.
Mm2h is a visa-free entry pass which is expressed on the passport sticker.
"Participants under the Sabah MM2H programme are allowed to stay in any other states in Malaysia except for Sarawak. However, the MM2H participants are allowed to visit Sarawak on the normal visitor’s visa granted by Immigration Sarawak. As for the participants under the West Malaysia MM2H, they are only allowed to stay in the states in West Malaysia. They can visit both Sabah and Sarawak under the normal visitor’s visa issued by the respective states.
This is why I believe that the policies in Sabah have changed over the decade since you originally applied. The agent may have been honestly telling you what they understood was the regulation/policy at the time. But the application of those regulations/policy have changed."
Ìý
"Buying a home is not a prerequisite...under this program, you may purchase any number of residential properties in Malaysia, subject to the minimumprice established for foreignors by the different States."
This discussion is moot.
Gravitas wrote:Getting 'proof' from websites is not useful. Bring something to the table from official sources.
So why did you quote an agents website from the Peninsula as authoritative in #20 above?
Maldives applied in Sabah, not the Peninsula, a decade ago. Agents in Sabah informed him at THAT time (and as are indicated on their websites) that he could apply in Sabah and reside in the Peninsula.
It's clear that the directive that is cited on the was, at one point the regulation allowing residency in the Peninsula wasÌý in force.
The independant Immigration policies of the States of Sabah and Sarawak regarding the movements of people into their States dateÌý back toÌý MA63 long before the development of MM2H or it's predecessor Silver-Haired Program. Each Bornean state was allowed to establish their own policies. There is no doubt about that. The Peninsula has not restricted Sarawak M2H or Sabah M2H access to living in the Peninsula. The question is whether Sabah had restrictions even tighter than Sarawak. Sarawak allows restricts residency in Sarawak to SarawakM2H recipients. But it allows them to live in the Peninsula or even outside Malaysia.Ìý
You seem to be arguing that Sabah hadÌý even more restrictive regulations when it established the program - that they not only require those living in Sabah to have the Sabah M2H but also that they mandate residency in Sabah.
Since you KNOW this I would ask...how long is residency established. How does immigration establish this? Does one have to regularly check in with immigration and show entry/exit stamps and these are counted up? Can one maintain a residence in Sabah and the Peninsula? Can one live outside Malaysia?
Government websites are useful to determine Mm2h rules.
It's clear from stamps in passport copy always requested by immigration where people have been these days. Various databases are also in use.
I'm sure other people have or will be caught out by not doing sufficient research. I mentioned that Maldives had kindly raised an alert to a couple I know on Sabah mm2h but living elsewhere. They seemed disinterested.
I guess it's impossible to know how many people have been caught out by false commercially sourced information.
Very clear that it depends where you want to live which one you apply to.
End of story in the case ofÌý unfortunate Maldives
I seem to recall you wrote at some point that you are aware of this in conjunction with the Sarawak programme which you are on.
There would be no need for a separate Sabah mm2h if it was to be viewed as the same as the West Malaysia one.
The devil is always in the detail.
MM2H OFFICIAL PORTAL
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý
STEPS TO APPLY
VIEWED: 63397 TIMES
LAST UPDATED ON 16 JANUARY 2014
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Important Note
Submission Address
SUBMISSION ADDRESS
I
Individual direct applications for Peninsular Malaysia are to be submitted to:
MALAYSIA MY SECOND HOME CENTRE (MM2H)
Ministry of Tourism Malaysia,
Level 1, No. 2, Tower 1, Jalan P5/6,
Presint 5, 62200 W.P. Putrajaya,
MALAYSIA
Phone : +603 8891 7424/+603 8891 7427/+603 8891 7434/+603 8891 7439
Fax : +603 8891 7415
email : mm2h@motac.gov.my
SABAH
Department of Immigration, Sabah
Aras 1-4, Block B,
Kompleks Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan Sabah,
Jalan UMS,
88300 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Tel : +6088–488700
Fax : +6088–488800
SARAWAK
ONE STOP AGENCY
Public Relations,
ICT Unit and Sarawak / Malaysia My Second Home Programme "One Stop Agency"
Ministry of Urban Development & Tourism
Level 2, Bangunan Baitulmakmur,
Medan Raya, Petra Jaya,
93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Tel : +6082 319313 / 309
Fax : +6082 441277 / 5311
Email : carolcty@sarawaknet.gov.my
Switch to Desktop Version
Powered by Warp Theme Framework
But one thing I've discovered in 20+ years of being around Malaysia (only living here about 7 total) is that rules can change and dramatically and quickly. The rational for the changes aren't always clear, visible or remotely fair. The changes (or even the current rules) in the rules aren't always communicated well and there often policies that are NEVER disclosed. You get a reject and end up not having a clue to what changed. Some thing as simple as a new director just announces in a staff meeting that they won't be approving any new ......
So living here on a long term basis is a bit of gamble at times. I love it here, but lose a lot of sleep at times thinking about having to pack up and find another home. In my case moving back to US is not really an option, left my career, sold my houses/cars,Ìý shipped everything I own and started a new life here. I had a minor stroke about 15 months ago and not really keen to try to go back to work anywhere anyway. Will probably apply for social security in the next year or two and wind down into retirement.
For now I'm just teaching on-line for a US based university and that pays enough to get by. Not sure they would have renewed my contract anyway after the stroke. Which is something else to think about for those that are planning a career here, something like a stroke or heart attach - you're pretty much done regardless of well you recover. You will always be considered damaged.
I know this is off topic, but it drives to the heart of the matter. Rules aren't always communicated clearly, they change arbitrarily, aren't necessarily applied fairly and as such one must be prepared to have a back up plan or two or three.
Just my two cents, as an insurance, have you thought of Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, just in case things get sour with MM2H
It might be something worth looking at
caesar1956 wrote:Iskandarhack
Just my two cents, as an insurance, have you thought of Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, just in case things get sour with MM2H
It might be something worth looking at
All excellent choices, actually Vietnam is on the list as well.
Im planing to apply for mm2h in kuala lumpur, will my previous visa will help in this new application. Do I need to write them that my visa renewal was rejected by Sabah for the said reason?
I am currently in UK, going back in few days. Can I extend my visit visa after 90 days or do I need to go back to Maldives and come back?
Make your relocation easier with the Malaysia expat guide

Work permit in Malaysia
Malaysia is a growing financial, technological and commercial hub in Southeast Asia. Kuala Lumpur, its historic ...

Business license in Malaysia
Malaysia is a country full of opportunities. It is an essential economic platform in Southeast Asia. Therefore, ...

Expat death in Malaysia
The loss of a loved one is always a painful ordeal, but also often complicated for those left behind, especially ...

Kuala Lumpur's neighbourhoods
Kuala Lumpur is a real megalopolis, surrounded by suburbs and neighborhoods so different from each other that they ...

The healthcare system in Malaysia
If you are moving to Malaysia alone or with your family, you will be happy to learn that this country has one of ...

Accommodation in Johor Baharu
Johor Bahru is located in the southernmost region of Peninsular Malaysia, just across the border with Singapore. ...

Accommodation in Seremban
Living in Seremban allows you to enjoy the best of two worlds. On one side while living in this city, you can take ...

Accommodation in Subang Jaya
Formerly a district of Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya is one of the largest cities in the Klang Valley. It has seen ...
Forum topics on visas in Malaysia
´ó¿§¸£ÀûÓ°Ôº for your expat journey



