MM2H Visa - Reference Number

Hello everyone

My apology if this topic has been covered before.

I've directly (not through agent) mailed in my MM2H visa application to Putrajaya about 5 weeks ago.
I am eagerly waiting for a "Ref. No." to be assigned to my application so that I can check the status going forward.

My question to our fellow members:

I. I hear that the application is being handled differently by a newly formed task force and etc.
When can I expect to be notified of the 'Ref. No.'?
Do they notify you by email, or regular mail, or how do you find out if you have been assigned one?
Or do you have to check the status on their website using your name and passport number?

2. How long did it take you to get the "Ref. No."?
I've traveled many countries in the past including Russia, Brazil, China, Australia, and more which US citizens must get visa. None of them took more than a month at the longest.
After 5 weeks I don't even have the Reference Number assigned to check the status.
I wonder how much longer I have to wait...

3. Should I have used their agents, instead of mailing the package directly to the Putrajaya center?
Do you recommend me to start over re-sending the application using their agency?

4. With the newly formed "Task Force" starting to launch tomorrow (March 19th) in the Home Ministry, do you expect the application visa process time to be 'drastically' reduced?

Thank you all
Kenny

http://mm2h.gov.my/index.php/en/apply-n … s-to-apply

Check Pre-submission if not already completed.

Until supposedly July the Committee will be clearing the backlog of just under 4k applications some of which are almost a year old.

After that it's not clear if the normal processing time will apply ie 3-4 months from being accepted (this could explain why no new reference numbers are being issued). No doubt further announcements will follow in due course.

Check the 2019 Announcement regarding new requirements, also at the above government website.

Do you have a tracking number to confirm safe receipt of your mailed documents. It might come in handy in relation to the new requirements.

Even after Committee approval it takes about one month to receive the Conditional Approval Letter via snail mail.

There are lots of agents (good and bad) and some people prefer to save money and others like the convenience of the agent as communication is quicker and no visit to immigration is required in some cases. They also ensure the application is correctly formulated and documents are attested according to prevailing rules. If you want to switch to an agent PM for suggestions

I filed mine with an agent back in January I only received a message that Has my name, passport number and message RECEIVED For Verification.

That's it still waiting. I see they a website up now can check the status if you have a MM2H number. I don't have one of those either.

Thanks for the good info.

May I ask how you were informed that your paperwork was received?
Was it your agent or the mm2h center?
I am trying to get some idea when I'll be notified of the status.
With their new Tadk Force I am hoping they speed up the process.
Since I've submitted it myself(mailed), I have no way of knowing what's going on.

Thanks
Kenny

The checker on the mm2h government website indicates you can check by inserting your Name OR Mm2h Reference Number (I seem to recall if using your name there is a second stage asking for Passport Number - presumably to eliminate confusion where there are people with the same name)

How long after your Agent submitted the application did the Agent or Mm2h Centre inform you of the message "Received for Verification"?

There was a courtesy letter sent to applicants or their Agent (depending on which route was being used) by the mm2h Centre to confirm receipt of an application

As of today I have not received any messages like “Received for Verification”.
I do not have an agent working for me so the only source to check the status is from the mm2h website as you mentioned using my name and passport number.
Probably it's premature to check the status yet but I do check it everyday to see if I am the lucky one.
It's been a calendar month since they received my application. (Post Office receipt shows they received it on Feb 22, 2019).
Once I get the provisional visa, I got so much things to do to prepare myself to move for obvious reasons.

Thanks for your input
Kenny

I would say be grateful you are not in the huge batch expected to be processed by end of July.....

I read in an article that quite a large number have already been removed from that batch (two-thirds of applications are never approved).

As you know you get 6 months to finalise the stamping of the visa (but it is actually from the date of the letter so adding on posting delay it is slightly less than 6 months)

A rolling guess would be December 2018-January 2019 received applications will reach Committee stage by July. Applications received from February to July will probably be processed from August and before end of 2019. Some are more straightforward than others so they probably only need one Committee meeting to be finalised. Financial checks can delay approvals (it is the Committee that is responsible to organise them if deemed necessary and not an Agent)

As you can see from the Checklist, as long as you have sufficient primary income (or  an acceptable level which is not disclosed) approval is more likely.

Thanks for the more realistic and factual view of the current mm2h visa approval situation. 
I see that the process can take as much as one year.. unfortunately. 
I should plan accordingly, not rushing myself into a false hope.

Regards
Kenny

Put our application in late February and got a letter of confirmation on the 11th of March. Now to see how long it takes.

I received my letter for Verification about the same time. I applied first week of January.

Wow.. you got your reference number within two weeks after your paperwork submission. 
I wonder whatever happened to mine. It's been six weeks and I have not heard a word from them. 
Do you have an agent working for you?
Maybe I should not have nailed it out directly myself after all. 
Thanks

We used an agent...Alter Domus. I was surprised this happened as quickly as it did. Mind you, we're not in any hurry to get the visa.

I've read elsewhere where people did the application without an agent and they got their visa within 4-6 months

Thanks for your good info.
I just hope to get a ref # at least to be assumed they received mine.
Good luck to you.

I used an agent in KL.
Charged a little more than joy stay but was right on top of everything.

When I submitted mine without much knowledge of the agent concept, I wondered why would people submit their application through agent when they could do it themselves. 
Now I kind of regret it.
I am in the total darkness without any hint of what's happening. 
If I don't hear any news in another month, I consider re-submitting it with an agent.
Hope that's not the case.

Ok, since you all are chatting about it, I looked up my last few emails from Alter Domus and sure enough I did get what appears to be the verification letter.  It has the ref no:  41XXX!!!!  Geez, sounds like a big bump in applications no????  Submission date was mid March.

It may mean nothing, but in remarks box of the letter, it does say so and so already refer so and so to receive this application.  Let's see if it means anything (quicker, etc).  Now, technically, we are waiting for renewed US passport info for my wife so that is the hang up for now.  Alter Domus did say that generally speaking, silence is golden, to some degree (of course, as long as they got the app, etc).

That's another great piece of info since I do not have an agent.
Now I see that people who submitted their applications in February and March have already received the Ref No through their agents.
I've submitted mine in mid February and yet to receive the ref #.
Hope ‘silence is golden' still applies to me.
Thanks

I had a REF# 40XXX checked it today.  Status PENDING COMMITTEE APPROVAL.
Wonder how far they are through the 3800 applications?

cflat11 wrote:

That's another great piece of info since I do not have an agent.
Now I see that people who submitted their applications in February and March have already received the Ref No through their agents.
I've submitted mine in mid February and yet to receive the ref #.
Hope ‘silence is golden' still applies to me.
Thanks


My agent submitted my application in person to the MM2H office and got the reference no. right away.  Since you have mailed your application several weeks already and yet to get any communication from the office, lost in mail could be a reason.

Try to call the office if you can get an answer, if no positive answer, resubmit the doc might not be a better option as I assume you didn't pay anything yet.

Hi Gravitas, I intend to go for Direct Application right from Dhaka soon. Can you please tell me

a) who can sign as witness on p.7 (C. DECLARATION BY INDIVIDUAL DIRECT APPLICATION) of the 22-page MM2H form generated on completion of filling out the Direct Application online. Can my wife, my son or a local friend sign as witness under "Signed and executed by the above named in my presence:"?

b) about C. MAKLUMAT PENGANJUR DI MALAYSIA (PARTICULARS OF SPONSOR IN MALAYSIA) on p.3. Would it remain vacant at the time of the submission of application?

c) whether or not I can open a savings account in KL before or soon after I apply so that I can transfer/remit to my account the money required for the FD in a number of small amount over the next 4/5 months. The reason is that from my country I cannot transfer/remit a big amount at a time.

Many thanks for your kind reply.

You can't open a bank account until you get your conditional approval letter

Thanks, Gravitas, for the reply. I am now seeking answers to the other queries, especially the first one.

Obaydullah wrote:

Thanks, Gravitas, for the reply. I am now seeking answers to the other queries, especially the first one.


Can someone kindly answer the questions about filling in the online application form

Gravitas wrote:

You can't open a bank account until you get your conditional approval letter


If you had an account in Dhaka with an international bank represented in Malaysia (eg Al Rajhi, HSBC, Standard Chartered, Citibank etc) you might be able to open a currency account (usd, gbp, swi, euro etc) in Malaysia before approval and then exchange into a MYR designated account if you get approval.

Also check The City Bank in Dhaka as they have an outlet in KL at Kotaraya Complex (https://www.facebook.com/cblkotaraya/) I don't know exactly what services they offer in Malaysia.

Hi Obaydullah,

I am going to apply directly (not through agent).
What is the answer of your question for vacant the field of "Particulars of Sponsor"?
i don't have sponsor also.
thanks.

Hi GweGwe1,
I have no idea. Can any one please answer the question?
Thanks.

Good news for us!

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019 … nces-local

Oops, I essentially posted the same on the other MM2H active thread...

Obviously all MM2H need to buy health Insurance. Does anyone have experience with using the health insurance. Which companies are better?
Progressive seems very reasonable? I looked at Tokio marine too many exclusions.
Wondering if there any more local carriers that I can look into.

Not everyone needs to obtain Health Insurance...the waive the requirement for older applicants that cannot obtain it because of age or pre-existing conditions. But then you have to assure them that you have enough money to cover up front payments.

Here's a very good article about Health Care for expats.

https://www.expatden.com/malaysia/health-insurance/

There's a comment in the article about those on MM2H being able to receive "subsidized health care". Anyone know what she is referring to?

Also, if you already have Health Insurance you should,d check your current coverage to see if you might have travel/residence abroad coverage already included.

Medicare (I notice that you are an American) doesn't cover anything abroad- though some Medicare supplements do have travel coverage (for limited time) as an add on. But I'm on a union-backed Retirement Health Care plan that links me in with a BlueCross/Blue Shield GeoBlue Card Program. This covers up to 80-90% of my costs through reimbursement provided I LIVE abroad (must have overseas address and fall out of US zip code area). I'm ineligible to receive Medicare since I have no US address...although I could continue to pay $134/mo premiums for Plan B coverage...to avoid the penalty when and if I move back. [I won't go into my tirade about how Medicare is stupid ad fiscally irresponsible for not allowing OPTIONAL international portability to cheaper countries (health tourism)].

I've decided to forgo paying the Medicare monthly premium and just use the BC/BC Geo Blue. It also covers me in the USA.

That's pretty good deal for GEO blue I am on a state pension. They too would save a fortune if they offered insurance for out of the country. NOPE they don't now they are in the hole $23 billion because in their infinite wisdom since until 2013 gave out health care with 90% coverage to both the retiree and their spouse. They then eliminated the spousal coverage. Dropped the retiree to 75% now it's going to 60%. I retired so i would lock in the 3% cola per year. They changed that now to CPI for anyone who retired after 2013 will get CPI 2013 and before still get 3%. And they just passed no cola for 2022 and 2023 and 2020 is %1.4% CPI. This my last year for the 3%. Lucky I am even getting that. so I got 5 colas at 3% next years will amount to $54 a month increase. Their self governing investments lead them to steep losses in 2008. And their goal is 8% per year. My mutual's are up 28% this year. Of course they manage billions and can't put it all in stocks.

So even if I retire here health insurance is too costly can't do it. So I am stuck working. This wasn't my plan at all. I can get it for me, but the wife and daughter it's not feasible. At least through the states retirement plan. I'd rather pay $2k a year there for all 3 of us for the best plan. Than pay that here for 1 month.
I'll be checking into some other plans too. Get some quotes on line. AIA for one. Dental don't even need it as it's so affordable to pay out of pocket.

Hi,
@1openmind

Have you gotten your visa approved... or is it still at pending for committee approval?

Did you get your Visa already 1openminded ?

No I haven't been contacted yet. Last I heard they are still working on 2018's. Per the MOTAC

Anyone know of MM2H finalizing requirements are being extended due to Covid/Corona?

Mine is up in April will be coming in July. Wondering if the gov't will grant extensions?

They took 11 months to approve it. We should get the same length of time to finish it.

I am sure you are following it as well but considering how slow the Malaysian government has been in addressing the spread of the coronavirus tells me we ain't going there any time soon.  Their case count is still ramping up and so is unfortunately the death count.  The stupidity to allow that 1,600 religious outing to continue was like throwing a match on a pile of dynamite.  Without mandatory testing and sheltering in place, I don't see the situation improving soon over there. 

My agent there is obviously monitoring the situation and would tell me if some actual extension policy came out but again I have a feeling that the government has enough on its plate to be thinking about MM2H extension policies at this point.

1openmind wrote:

Anyone know of MM2H finalizing requirements are being extended due to Covid/Corona?

Mine is up in April will be coming in July. Wondering if the gov't will grant extensions?

They took 11 months to approve it. We should get the same length of time to finish it.


Hi 1openmind!  Here is what the MM2H office responded with when I asked about an extension awhile ago.  We should be ok.


Hi,

Greetings from MM2H.

Please be informed that all services counters at the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) Center (Level 1 and Level 10) are closed with immediate effect until 30th April 2020.

All endorsements of new applications are suspended.

Please be informed that we will reconsider the deadline of the Conditional Approval Letter. The MM2H Centre will give the extension for the endorsement in due course.

Thank you.

NURZAHIRAH BINTI MOHD RASHID
Malaysia My Second Home Centre (MM2H)
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia
Level 1, No. 2, Tower 1,
Jalan P5/6, Precinct 5,
62200 PUTRAJAYA
MALAYSIA

Hi VWC,

Yeah I am sure they will be granting them as mine expires on April 30. We had to cance
Our trip for  March. Rescheduled for July.
Hopefully by then this thing will end?

thanks for that info.