shuff27

My visa expires in March 2018 so I'm considering whether or not to renew. I currently live in the UK but I'm planning to spend 2-3 months overseas every winter once I retire next year. My wife has family in the USA & Indonesia and we'll be visiting them regularly so I'm erring on the side of deciding that we won't really need MM2H status any longer.

My query is, if I just let my MM2H visa expire naturally do I need to do anything at the MM2H office in order to withdraw my HSBC fixed deposit?

This eventuality doesn't appear to be covered on the MM2H gov website so I'm hoping someone here has experienced it.

skates81

Interesting question. I will also be in the same boat as you. Would love to know the answers.

SushiFan

You may want to read the letter which your bank (HSBC) wrote to the MM2H department as confirmation that you placed the MM2H fixed deposit. The bank where I have placed the fixed deposit wrote in the letter that "... withdrawal shall be eligible to a "Letter of Approval" issued by the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia addressed to the Bank ...".

shuff27

Hi sushifan, thanks for your reply.

I can't find my original HSBC deposit letter but what you say makes sense while your MM2H visa is still current. However, once it has expired & you're no longer part of the scheme I can't believe that you (& your deposit) would be still be subject to any of its conditions.

I stand to be corrected by anyone else who has been through the process of MM2H expiring at the natural end of its term.

skates81

Technically you stand corrected that once the original visa expires, you should be able to withdraw your deposit without any confirmation letter from the ministry. However, this is Malaysia and I 99.99 % assume that you'd need letter from ministry anyways to get your deposit back.

Davita

I have no clue on what happens when you let the MM2H expire but I'd be a little concerned, if still in Malaysia when it did expire, as you would no longer have a visa to be in the country.
I cancelled mine a year ago and they gave me a stamp to stay for another week. Also, I'd be very surprised if the bank will release the funds automatically. I'm sure they will need the release document signed by the Minister of Tourism.

Here is a long...and somewhat boring story (Post #27) I wrote about terminating the visa. I think I'd advise them of your intent to let it expire and ask about the process.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/retir...-871701/page2/

shuff27

Thanks Davita, I'd already seen your termination post which is useful. As I'm unsure whether my next trip to Malaysia will be before or after my MM2H expires I'm trying to find out what would happen if it's the latter.

I'm also following your occasional posts on the Indonesia forum as my wife is Indonesian (although living in the UK since the age of 17) & we're looking forward to spending some of the UK winter there.

Davita

I think if your MM2H expires before you arrive you will need to arrive on some other visa/method of entry. If you have UK passports then not much of an issue.
I still think the bank will not release the FD until they get the letter from the Ministry of Tourism...I'm looking at my copy right now and item 4 says....
"Your co-operation is appreciated and please inform the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia immediately before the transaction has been completed. Kindly contact ....."
I feel sure you'll still need to go to Putrajaya to get the letter...other than the journey it's not a biggie!

If you are only visiting Indonesia it's no problem but, if you read the ExpatIndo forum you will see that a retiree visa is not as easy to get, or as useful, as an MM2H.

eCdD

Hmm, I got only one letter from the bank and that i brought to Putrajaya. I guess I have read it, but do not really remember.