Visiting KL, Malaysia with hopes to becoming a permanent resident

You cant get PR.

You can get a ten year visa subject to many conditions (basically money) that allows you to reside here but cannot work/run a business.

Google MM2H

Thank you for the info Nemo, already looked into the MM2H Visa but there is another way.  I intend to Marry the woman that I have met for one, and the ltsvp visa is fairly easy to obtain.  Since i don't need to work but maybe later become self employed or be a silent partner with my wife to be, then later down the road I will qualify for longer term or a renewed ltsvp if my status here remains in good standing.  Being 62 don't think I will need to think beyond 30 years and that would be a plus if I do, lol.

Hi the LTSVP is usually issued only  for 6 months and they dont like to give permission to work as so many marriage scams.

Beware of silent partners often in malaysia it dont work out. I met many a man who regretted that (including me). You can register own business and i suggest you keep business and personal life apart!

you probably need to refresh your data on the ltsvp as it is now being granted for up to 5 years http://www.expatypus.com/wiki/long-term … s-malaysia  and I am not wary of the one I am interested in as her convictions are strong, backed by many here that know her (i.e. business clients, family, etc) and she has no history of scams or the likes.  She is Chinese but born and raised in Malaysia.  Thanks for your input anyway, I'll just consider the source, no offense, as your info is outdated.

@Stanof53...

Glad that you are enjoying Malaysia and that you have found someone here that you can enjoy it with. Malaysia is a wonderful country that can provide a great quality of life to those willing to overlook the country's shortcomings and accept a few trade-offs (like anywhere else). BTW, I'm a Canadian, married to a Malay, and I've been living in Malaysia for the past 6-1/2 years.

One of the shortcomings is that rules and regulations here in Malaysia

1) are often not made publicly available
2) change constantly with no notice (and no updating of information on government websites either)
3) are all too often applied differently from state to state, between different offices of the same department, or between employees at the same office
4) are all too often applied differently depending on who you are ethnically and religiously
5) can be waived or enforced at the discretion of the officer you happen to be dealing with

This is why you will see differences between the official answers on the government website, and the answers of folks like Nemo and others -- including me -- in this forum whose experiences may differ quite dramatically from what various websites may lead you to expect.

The LTSVP application process is quick and fairly straight forward, especially at the main Immigration office in KL. A suggestion when applying for your LTSVP is to ask for the maximum duration possible on the application form. If you get less time than you asked for or need, then ask to speak to a senior officer and make your argument for a longer duration. Some things are open to negotiation, particularly if one goes in with a humble attitude instead of demanding rights that they don't have. If you get a shorter duration, ask for the reason behind it. You may be able to mitigate specific concerns that they may have. And although I've never experienced anyone at Immigration or anywhere else in government with their "hand out" to expedite things or bend the rules, DON'T EVER, EVER GO THAT ROUTE! The government has been clamping down on that kind of corruption and you can end up with a long prison stay as a result of greasing palms, regardless of whether the suggestion comes from you or the official that you're dealing with.

With respect to your question about long term residency in Malaysia, the Long Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP) is the route to go for expat spouses of Malaysians. While it provides for an extended stay in Malaysia for up to 5 years at a time (subject to how much time you have left on your passport), it does NOT make you a Permanent Resident (PR). There is a separate process for applying to become a PR but, as the spouse of a Malaysian, you can generally only apply to become a PR after living here with your spouse for a minimum of 5 years. Even then, some expats will get their PR easily after 5 years, while others never get it no matter how long they've been living here, or how many times they apply. The LTSVP gives you just about all of the benefits that get as a PR and is far easier to get.

Regardless of whether you are living here in Malaysia under an LTSVP or as a PR, your status as a US citizen WILL NOT CHANGE, unless you renounce your US citizenship voluntarily.

One final word of advice is to seek the advice of a good US tax attorney who can advise you of the US income tax implications associated with living outside of the US, and those for your spouse of being married to an American. Many Malaysians married to Americans will be puzzled at being roped into the US income tax system despite not having been born in the US or not ever having lived there.

Hope this helps. Best wishes for a successful outcome for you and your partner.

Stanof53 wrote:

you probably need to refresh your data on the ltsvp as it is now being granted for up to 5 years http://www.expatypus.com/wiki/long-term … s-malaysia  and I am not wary of the one I am interested in as her convictions are strong, backed by many here that know her (i.e. business clients, family, etc) and she has no history of scams or the likes.  She is Chinese but born and raised in Malaysia.  Thanks for your input anyway, I'll just consider the source, no offense, as your info is outdated.

No.It is issued upto 5 years but usually for 6 months first round. Has always been 5 years and only issued that long to those married already for a long while, have work and with kids etc. Does depend on immi officer but if you turn up with a youngish wife you will get 6 months.

Thanks for your encouraging words Kmart, I believe the LTSVP is my best option as it is fitting with what I have intended from the start, to live in Malaysia with a woman I love dearly.  Honesty and being upfront has always been my policy and it has never failed me (except when I tried to get into real estate, lol) and frankly, if that's not enough then I probably should not be associated with it.

Trust me Nemo, and I know what you and many people are thinking, a young Chinese woman looking for a sugar daddy.  I assure you that is not the case.  I am 62 and she is 53 and our relationship flourished from friendship first.  I never even considered her as a likely person that I would consider moving half way around the world for until I came to know her and her many wonderful virtues that I never expected one woman to have.  As I looked into life in Malaysia through various websites and various Expat.com sites, I saw the practicality of spending my retired life in Malaysia.

In spite of all of the cynicism and scams out there, it IS possible to find true love online. People just have to ditch their rose tinted glasses and quit leaving their brains at the door out of desperation to be with someone. And they need to trust the bullshit detectors (the gut instincts) that God gave them. They need to be SMART about it, that's all. You do your due diligence and confirm what the other person tells you about who they are, and what they believe and want. You ask to see proof of what you're being told (about divorces, jobs, health and financial status, education, accomplishments, assets, etc). You protect your interests with a pre-nup. People will tell you it's not romantic. No, it isn't. Neither are the misery of a broken heart, an empty bank account, and sitting across from. your spouse in divorce court arguing about who gets the kid(s) and what not. It's PRACTICAL, is what it is. And at any time in the process, if you don't like what you hear, your intended balks at a pre-nup -- or your bullshit detector goes off -- you BAIL. Those of a certain vintage who have been around the block a few times know that LIFE IS TOO SHORT for any more nonsense. You don't invest a single moment more of your precious time into something that you know is wrong for you and that will do you harm.

Good for you, Stanof53, for finding what you've found. Sounds like you've done or are doing your homework to ensure that "goods are as advertised". Jump into things with both eyes open and you'll be fine. AND you'll get to enjoy the great quality of life that Malaysia has to offer with a great woman at your side. It doesn't get better than that!

Yes indeed Kmart, and it's not her that came after me, nor did she try to coerce me into a relationship.  It was I, after some time of getting to know about her, her faith, her likes and dislikes.  I never felt like she was telling me what I wanted to hear because at first she was telling me what I didn't want to hear.  She wasn't looking for anyone.  She is a freelance accountant and has her own business of 10 years.  She has 4 children from a previous marriage, and after meeting them and seeing what wonderful kids they are (youngest is 15) it gave even more credibility to how wonderful and what a great Mother she has been.  Everything added up, her demeanor, my desires and how we have both seem to fall into place with each other.  She constantly told me that she wondered how I (being white) would fit in with her temple people, immediate family and extended family.  So far, it has been nothing short of a miracle how exceedingly well it has all fallen into place.  I've looked for a woman like her all my life and settled twice for less.  Since women like her come once in a lifetime (if at all), I did jump at the opportunity once I discovered there was one, and I will be so proud to be her husband.