How To Get Long Term Visa In Malaysia

If you’re here, chances are you’re looking for information on how to get long term visa in Malaysia. It sounds simple enough, but it’s not exactly the most transparent process in the world. Everyone has different stories and experiences but this article is going to try breakdown how to go about getting a long term visa through several scenarios.

This article is going to deal with how to renew your long term visas for staying for more than one year in Malaysia. With your long term visa, you are allowed to work, study and even set up a company as well as stay in Malaysia for as long as you want. It also enables you to stay in the country with no ties to another country so that you are free to explore this diverse country of ours.

Looking for an 1 year working holiday visa in Malaysia? Not sure where to start? Find out how you can get a long term visa in Malaysia and what documents are required.

How To Get Long Term Visa In Malaysia

Before actually applying for the student pass, you would need to check and make sure whether you qualify or not. This can be done by checking on the internet. There are also guidelines provided by the government website which you can check.

A Malaysian Long Term Social Visit Pass is issued to foreign nationals who want to stay in Malaysia for a period longer than six months.

It is issued to the family members of Employment Pass holders or spouses of Malaysian citizens as well as to foreigners who need to undergo medical treatment in Malaysia.

However, the Malaysia Long Term Social Visit Pass is most commonly issued to the spouses/family members of Malaysians or Malaysian foreign residents, which is why it’s known as a Malaysia spouse visa.

This article will detail the requirements and conditions of a Malaysia spouse visa.

Who is Eligible for a Malaysia Long Term Social Visit Pass?

As the name suggests, the Malaysian Long Term Social Visit Pass (spouse visa) is available to:

• The foreign national spouse of a Malaysian citizen
• Family members of Malaysia Employment Pass holders:
  • Common-law spouse
  • Children over 21 (they must not be married)
  • Parents or parents-in-law
• Foreign nationals seeking medical treatment in Malaysia and 1 companion

Requirements for a Malaysia Long Term Social Visit Pass

When applying for a Malaysian Long Term Social Visit Pass, applicants must submit the following documents to the Immigration Department of Malaysia:

• Two copies of the visa applications forms IMM.12, IMM.55, and IMM.38
• Complete copies of the applicant’s passport, including personal information pages, previous visas, and the cover.

Documents required for the spouse of a Malaysian citizen:

• Photocopy of Marriage Certificate
• Malaysian Sponsor Statement form
• Security Bond stamped with a RM10.00 revenue stamp
• 2 passport-size pictures of both spouses
• Statutory Declaration regarding the status of marriage (proof it is still in effect)
• Photocopies of the children’s birth certificates (if applicable)
• Photocopy of birth certificate
• Photocopy of ID card
• Wedding pictures
• Address of residence of Malaysian citizen
• If Malaysian citizen is employed: Supporting letter from the employer of Malaysian citizen
• If Malaysian citizen is self-employed (one of the following):
  • Trading License
  • ROC form
  • Form J
• Income statements of the Malaysian citizen.

Documents required for the family members of Employment Pass holders:

• A supporting letter from the EP holder’s employer
• An authorization letter from the EP holder’s employer
• 2 recent passport-size pictures of the applicant/s
• Marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Birth certificates of children, or adoption papers (as applicable)
• Custody papers, if applicable
• Complete photocopies of all the applicants’ passports
• EP holder’s Letter of Approval
• For elderly parents who have no one to care for them in their home country:
  • Personal Bond stamped with a RM10.00 revenue stamp
  • A Statutory Declaration from the Malaysian citizen or permanent resident
  • The ID of the sponsor
• Security Bond stamped with a RM10.00 revenue stamp

Documents required for medical treatment:

• An official letter from the relevant Government or Specialist Hospital

Keep in mind, that this is not a complete list of required documents. Applicants/sponsors must enquire with the Malaysia Immigration Department about a full list of documents.

When submitting documents, all the photocopies have to be accompanied by the original.

Additionally, the birth/marriage certificates have to be  Certified True Copy (CTC) by an Embassy/Consulate of the specific country.

All the documents have to be in English. If they are not, they must be translated by either the relevant Embassy/Consulate or Institut Terjemahan Buku Malaysia.

How to apply the Malaysia spouse visa?

It is the Immigration Department of Malaysia who issues the Long Term Social Visit Pass.

The Malaysian citizen/EP holder has to submit the application along with the required documents (see below) to the Immigration Department or an Immigration Office in Malaysia prior to the arrival of the foreign national.

If the applicant is the spouse of a Malaysian citizen, he/she must be present along with the Malaysian when applying for the Long Term Social Visit Pass at the Immigration Department.

Malaysia Visa With Reference for a Long Term Social Visit Pass

Before the foreign national can travel to Malaysia, he/she must get a Visa With Reference (VDR) from the nearest Malaysian embassy/consulate.

To apply for a Malaysian Visa With Reference, they’ll need a Visa Approval Letter from the Immigration Department (ie. the reference) beforehand.