MM2H: how long did it take for you?

expat000 wrote:

How long was your process from the day of accepting all of your documents by the office to issuing the letter of approval? Could you please state month and year in your reply. Many thanks!

Very helpful. Thanks!

Can I have the Facebook IDs please? Thanks.

Obaydullah wrote:

Can I have the Facebook IDs please? Thanks.

Search “MM2H Facebook” online. Very easy. Should get several returns for groups.

VWC wrote:

Hi Carsten,

I could be wrong, but even though I am using an agent I sent in paper printed versions of the PDF files of our bank statements and pay stubs from here in the US and the agent didn't balk at them. 

Good luck!!!

Thanks for this information. For confirmation I called the contact number on website of government mm2h, the agent said that they also need certification of the pdf. At least pdf is accepted which was my major concern, although it sounds ridiculous to certify it. Now I'm curious if a notary here in Germany will do this task.

bounder wrote:

We applied directly without an agent.  We didn't attempt communication before hand, only after our package was sent (at which point we received a fairly prompt email response and point of contact for the person handling our application).

They provide a detailed checklist, so to avoid issues we tried to follow it to the letter.  Having said that, somehow there was a gap in the financials.  The agent emailed us and we shipped off the certified/originals necessary. So though there was no per-submission back and forth, there was post submission review and follow up.   ....

Many thanks for sharing your experience. It is relaxing to hear that they follow up after submission, so I have a chance to correct if necessary. Good luck!

www. movetomalaysia . co. uk has a good brochure and up to date detailed checklist

bounder wrote:

...
On April 1, 2019 we received an email from an employee of MM2H stating they received our application on March 15, 2019.  The email requested additional financial information (a couple months additional statements) which we sent via DHL directly to the employee's attention (per their direction).

were the "couple months additional statements" for the month following the already submitted 3 month as required according to the check list or from before? i assume it was for the bank statements and not for income proofs?

This case of having to send more financial documents after you have already submitted simply does not arise when you use a proper agent. This is also the cause of many applicant's delays in getting approval. Not saying that going through an agent is faster, but you do not have delays in requests for further documents if they are vetted properly.

carworld wrote:

bounder wrote:

We applied directly without an agent.  We didn't attempt communication before hand, only after our package was sent (at which point we received a fairly prompt email response and point of contact for the person handling our application).

They provide a detailed checklist, so to avoid issues we tried to follow it to the letter.  Having said that, somehow there was a gap in the financials.  The agent emailed us and we shipped off the certified/originals necessary. So though there was no per-submission back and forth, there was post submission review and follow up.   ....

Many thanks for sharing your experience. It is relaxing to hear that they follow up after submission, so I have a chance to correct if necessary. Good luck!

Thanks!  To you as well.  We're here in KL on our 3 month visa.  We'll see what happens!

carworld wrote:

bounder wrote:

...
On April 1, 2019 we received an email from an employee of MM2H stating they received our application on March 15, 2019.  The email requested additional financial information (a couple months additional statements) which we sent via DHL directly to the employee's attention (per their direction).

were the "couple months additional statements" for the month following the already submitted 3 month as required according to the check list or from before? i assume it was for the bank statements and not for income proofs?

Submission requires 3 months of bank statements showing your salary or pension entering that account.  Somehow only two months were received.  So not a big deal.  We popped another certified statement in a DHL pouch and problem solved.  Hope that helps.

carworld wrote:

A little bit OT: I like to apply directly w/o agent to mm2h. If anyone has gone this path, how is the procedure/communication before submitting documents? Is it possible to let them check roughly beforehand for major gaps? I meet all requirements but I struggle with certifiying of documents: all my bankstatements and payslip are in electronic format (.pdf). i.e I have no original on paper. How can these documents being certified??   
Any recommendations on other forums (which i have not found here on expat.com) related to direct application, are appreciated.

Many thanks  Carsten

I got approved w/o an agent.
For bank statement and payslips, you can submit color-printed PDFs on paper as original. You don't need to get them certified by a lawyer. I had no problem.
That forum was helpful for me.
[Link Moderated - External website]

For URL, pls remove all blank spaces " ":
britishexpats . com / forum / malaysia-148 / certification-costs-documents-903271 / page2 / #post12401420

Thank you Brandonn for sharing some information about how to get the CAL , for people who applied directly( without an agent). I applied directly, application No. 399xx but still no email for accepting. I emailed them and asked if anything's wrong but they answered no problem with your file and  it's under process!!!!....but thanks anyway.

runnerexpatmy31: Thank you very much for this information and confirmation by the link!

Which stage is more critical and important: 'Received for Verification' or 'Pending Committee Approval'? How would you explain and which takes longer?

Obaydullah wrote:

Which stage is more critical and important: 'Received for Verification' or 'Pending Committee Approval'? How would you explain and which takes longer?

I understand it as Pending Committee Approval follows Received for Verification.  So Received for Verification is “critical” to moving your application forward to the Committee. Committee Approval appears to be the hurdle you must clear to ...we'll get fully approved for MM2H by way of the official letter.  I understand them to be separate and equally important steps in the processes that must be cleared. Hope this helps.

Obaydullah wrote:

Which stage is more critical and important: 'Received for Verification' or 'Pending Committee Approval'? How would you explain and which takes longer?

It's the stuff in between. The once they notify you that they have received your application for verification .. there is the "Verification" process. That's the most critical. They look to make sure what documents are present, complete and troublesome/acceptable. They confirm the authenticity of the documents and may contact the bank, law enforcement authorities, etc. to confirm accuracy.

This can take months if they really need to check deeply. In most cases they may not be able to access account information, but simply confirm that there is, indeed, an account in that persons name. Interestingly a simple way to do this is simply sending a small sum to that account and check for clearance.

I suspect that once verified it's sent to the Committee with a recommendation. The Committee may rubber stamp most approved applications. But the Committee may only meet 1-2 times a month and not get through all the pending applications.  There may be a recommendation "for further review" and the Committee may look at individual issues and thumbs up/down. Those take longer, and may be kicked back down for further verification or documentation from the applicant. Then once supplemented back to the Committee.

Approvals then get sent back to MM2H for the drafting of the Conditional Letter. Most are "boilerplate" (e.g. don't work, amount of FD) but a few may have a recommendation by the Committee to detail a specific requirement (don't get involved in politics, don't preach) . Probably the latter takes a month to get out after being sent back from the Committee.

The recent problem has been they suspended the process until a new rule regarding the actions in the verification procedure were solidified. The applications just "sat" for much of 2018.  When the procedure was clarified they had a backlog of 4000+. Their "once or twice a month" Committee meeting (likely with long lunch breaks and a breakfast buffet) simply could handle this many. Even at 40 applications/hr (1 min 30 seconds/application) for a 10 hour day they could only get 400 done a day. I doubt they were that efficient. So they needed to add more days. That probably required a special meeting to vote upon it. In the meantime the more recent applications were backing up.

It's the typical "weak link in the assembly line" issue. The number of cars built is dependent on the slowest  procedure on the line. In fact, the backup requires pulling cars off the line or you get backup.  Same thing here.

Hi,

Need some advise, I received email from Mm2h office asking me to provide the original/copy of pension verification letter, I don't know what is that.

And I do not have government pension and that is why in the application form, I choose the FD option. But I do have the income ( which met the application requirements)

Can anyone here please give some advises,

I am self applicant. ( not thru agent)

Financial Requirements: "Applicants aged 50 and above may comply with the financial proof of RM350,000 in liquid assets and off shore income of RM10,000 per month.  For certified copy(s) of Current Account submitted as financial proof, applicants must provide the latest 3 months' statement with each month's credit balance of RM 350,000. For government pensioners, they can show proof of receiving pension of at least RM 10,000 per month."

For Peninsular MM2H t's not really an "option" anymore...everyone has to submit a Fixed Deposit.

Sounds like a mix up...if you already submitted proof of your Liquid Assets AND your other offshore income of RM10,000 a month. Is it possible you included a Social Security benefit as part of that income? If so you will have to show proof of receiving THAT.

cinnamonape wrote:

Financial Requirements: "Applicants aged 50 and above may comply with the financial proof of RM350,000 in liquid assets and off shore income of RM10,000 per month.  For certified copy(s) of Current Account submitted as financial proof, applicants must provide the latest 3 months' statement with each month's credit balance of RM 350,000. For government pensioners, they can show proof of receiving pension of at least RM 10,000 per month."

For Peninsular MM2H t's not really an "option" anymore...everyone has to submit a Fixed Deposit.

Sounds like a mix up...if you already submitted proof of your Liquid Assets AND your other offshore income of RM10,000 a month. Is it possible you included a Social Security benefit as part of that income? If so you will have to show proof of receiving THAT.

Thanks for your reply, I only have one bank in US, and I given all the  3 latest statements to them include showing the income credited to my accounts every month ( which more that rm 30k per month) and the cash had also met their requirements of rm 350k  ( every month)

But I don't understand why they want the letter of pension verification letter....

So much hustle, maybe should go for Sarawak Mm2h, is that easy to apply .
......?

Why you don't just call them for clarification?

carworld wrote:

Why you don't just call them for clarification?

They sent me the email at 6 pm just now.... anyway, I sent the email to them and to follow call tomorrow

What that is, is probably what I have gotten from my employers (past and present, didn't work for any govt bodies but fairly large private employers) a statement that illustrates the pension you will be receiving via that employer (assuming there is a pension plan that you qualified for and have vested benefits to get) at retirement age.  I included all those statements just for overkill.....

What they really do when an application is in the status: "Pending Committee Approval", and how long does it normally take to get the application to a final decision while in the status?

idiotbd wrote:

What [do] they really do when an application is in the status: "Pending Committee Approval",

Golf?

I suspect the "Committee" are not underlings that do the real investigation. These are Very Important Personages that have Datuk (the equivalent of the English Knighthood "Sir"), Tuan (Lord) and Patingghi (Warrior) before their names. Some may even be Sharifs or Sayeeds. The investigation as to your qualifications and investigation into whether you have been a bad boy or girl has been completed by staff. They send your file up to the Associate Vice Minister in charge of MM2H, as well as to 2nd Undersecretary in charge of the Portfolio of Expat Security Threats, and the Chief Junior Minister in Charge of Time-Wasting when you are up 2-0. They then have to decide when to meet to have the Committee meeting and what will be served for lunch and whose turn it is for the brother-in-laws  daughter's restaurant to cater the meal.

idiotbd wrote:

and how long does it normally take to get the application to a final decision while in the status?

Do you mean the old "normal", the new "normal" or the promised "normal"? Will "mañana" suffice for an answer? If not how about "jam karet".

Remember these are VIP's, after all, and they have a lot of important other Committee meeting and lunches to arrange, and meetings to arrange the meetings. And meetings at hole 12 about the bad luck of having a 13th hole.

Plus the long list shows them just how popular the Program actually is...if the list goes down the "not so important" or popular level rises. And it shows how important the 2nd Undersecretary is because they can tell their friends and colleagues that they have kept 600 Mat Salleh waiting in line.

Many thanks for the sarcastic, witty and interesting reply. At least I appreciate a bit of what is going on in there. Could I translate it into an ideal oriental culture?

Use and modify as you please, after all, it's the internet!

Actually I don't think anyone really understands why it takes them 2+ months to get a Committee to approve of an already vetted application in which all the "Qualified" on the worksheet have been checked off? Shouldn't they simply look at the sheet and say "pass". And for those that don't meet most of the criteria say "fail", send all those off to get letters typed up, and deal later with the "some problems" applications.

Maybe their philosophy is that they have to give each application the same amount of scrutiny and discuss each one for 10-20 minutes? Or maybe when they hit an application that is clearly not qualified they stop and discuss it at length...putting aside all the others? It's the old "assembly line" issue again...one slowdown stalls the whole process.

And then there are the ambivalent ones..."This person clearly has a large salary, twice as much as we require, but is short of the liquid assets. Should we approve?"

" What did we do in the case of the person about 100 applications ago that had a similar issue? Did we approve or send it back for more proof?" Digs around in the pile of approved applications. "I can't find it, are you sure we approved?" "Maybe not, but they were a lot lower in salary than this one." So on and so forth for twenty minutes. "Found it...yes much lower income".

"Okay let's approve".
"Which? Or both?
"The one that had the higher income."
"Oh I've mixed it up with the other applications, where is it?"

But no one is a fly on the wall at these meetings so who knows how they decide.

Many thanks, cinnamonape, for giving me a detailed idea of what are they likely to do in the "Pending Committee Approval" status. Then I should be grateful if you would you please give me an idea of what they do during the primary status "Received for Verification"?  Kind regards.

They check the completeness, legitimacy and accuracy of your documents and your background.

Why do you need to know this? Are you hoping they might overlook something?

hi All
6 months since i submitted my application through an agent.
I got the received verification right away through the agent.
Number in the 471xx.  Agent told me at least 9 months to get conditional letter of approval.  So waiting on it for now.

ez

ezfeelin wrote:

hi All
6 months since i submitted my application through an agent.
I got the received verification right away through the agent.
Number in the 471xx.  Agent told me at least 9 months to get conditional letter of approval.  So waiting on it for now.

ez

I think the last notice we got here was in July or August  for someone getting their letter. I think they were in the 40,xxx. We're in Committee for Approval now for at least two months. Number 42,xxx.

I still haven't heard anything filed first week of January. Checked with my agent said maybe by end of October. 408XX
Which I am more than happy they take their time. I need more than 6 months from end of October.
Anyway to get an extension?
I would like to come after school ends here in the USA. And plane tickets are not feasible during XMAS break.

made a mistake on my receipt number.  its NOT 47xxx but 426xx so hope to hear something in the next three months.
ez

ezfeelin wrote:

hi All
6 months since i submitted my application through an agent.
I got the received verification right away through the agent.
Number in the 471xx.  Agent told me at least 9 months to get conditional letter of approval.  So waiting on it for now.
ez

To clarify. You only received a confirmation that your file had been submitted and received by MM2H. That was what the "verification" was.
You have not YET been ACCEPTED.  If you are APPROVED the general current amount of time seems to be 9 months to 1 year.

I am not sure what the letter/form is.  It was forwarded.
to me by my agent Joy Stay.
The heading is "Category of application for Participation  aged 50 and above"
It has the date, the name of the Officer on duty and name of the sponsor company.
I tried to enter the site for mm2h to check the status but couldnt get through.
Regardless i figure i will wait until Dec when it will have been 9 months from submission to have the agent check the status for me as our plans are for moving eary part of next year.
Thanks
l

Hi,

Just to let you guys know, as of yesterday my MM2H status is "Pending Committee Approval".
My MM2H Ref No. is 43xxx and was submitted by the Agent on end of July.
So I got "Pending Committee Approval" within 60+ days.

Anyone knows how long usually from "Pending Committee Approval" to get final approval?

Yep 9-12 months from
Start date

I think they should be advised to introduce a status like "Approved" or "Not Approved" after "Pending Committee Approval".

> They check the completeness, legitimacy and accuracy of your documents and your background.

> Why do you need to know this? Are you hoping they might overlook something?

Actually, they once overlooked my marriage certificate.
So I sent another version (a marriage cert from my wife's country).

I would recommend keeping copy of each submitted doc, so that you can advise them which is which thru an email, just in case.