covdave

Acropolis contacted me saying they are submitting a group application on December 10 and would I be interested. Email them and see what they say.

obaydullah

Can you please tell me the Contact Name and his/her personal email address? I have got a number of email from one Bangladeshi origin person saying he is working with Acropolis based in Cyberjaya and is doing all S-MM2H related work. However, I want to be sure what he says is genuine. Many thanks.

covdave

Migration To Malaysia <[email protected]> The person I am in contact with is Nabil Hasan

obaydullah

The same person contacted me. Excuse me, which country are you from? However, are you currently located in Malaysia or elsewhere, planning to apply for S-MM2H? Their charge seems a bit high with a non-refundable amount of MYR2,500. However, I am also planning to apply if everything goes well. I would be happy to have more communications with you if you have no problem. Thank you so much.

RedApe

I'd be very careful with agents that demand a non-refundable "down-payment" for the Sarawak MM2H. As I have repeatedly stated...the Sarawak Immigration Ministry quite explicitly "does not allow agents, intermediaries, or middlemen" to act as the sponsor.

"An applicant must be sponsored by a Malaysian originating from Sarawak or a Sarawak Permanent Resident.
The use of agents and middle men is prohibited."

So what the agent is "promising" violates the rules. If caught you and the agent might be subject to fines, and for you, losing a visa and "red-stamped". And if they cannot supply the promise? They keep your money.

You are the purchaser. You have every right to ask questions and demand that even the application fee be refundable given that it is stated that they cannot legally perform this work. Such questions include:
1) How do they obtain a Sarawakian sponsor?
2) How do they prepare the sponsor for the interview?
3) Does the sponsor make false statements to the Immigration Department about how they met and how long they have known the applicant? {If not how can they attest to their "good knowledge of the applicant"]
4) How can they perform the service when the application materials explicitly states the use of Middleman or Agents is forbidden.
5) Do they have an office or person in Sarawak that you can contact?
6) What time frame is the visa obtained within?
7) What requirements exist for the applicant within Sarawak? [They should tell you that you need to do the health check locally, the details of the health check (including TB X-Ray, blood and urine test); also establish a fixed account IN SARAWAK (requiring physical presence); and the Immigration Interview; and picking up the VISA.]
8) Do they provide an on-the-group assistant to take care of these issues? Air-port pickup.
9) Are additional services more money? Assistance in finding accommodation? Orientation tours of Kuching? Transport to immigration? Meet with sponsor?
10) Can they provide a clear statement of where fees to the agent are allocated? [Sarawak does not require payment to the Ministry of Immigration the Personal bond-it is promissary only and thus the bond should be fully refundable, even if paid; ask for specifics]. Is there any "service" that can pulled out as unwanted or unnecessary?
11) Ask specifically for the amount of bond for your nationality? If they attempt to charge you more how honest can these people be.
12) Can they provide the numbers of successful applications, failed applications and names of "satisfied customers" to the Sarawak M2H program for you to contact? Not fake contacts, real people.
11) Do they undertake other immigration procedures with Sarawak...work visas, educational visas,

Don't fall for "pressure techniques" like..."we have a group of applicants that are just being submitted...get in NOW, or you may have to wait a year."
Any authentic agent would do the service year 'round and be happy. They'd have a permanent staff person in Kuching.

I think that it would be much smarter and cheaper to visit Sarawak and ask whether a condo owner would serve as sponsor in exchange for a slightly higher refundable deposit. After two years you could move from the condo if you don't like it, and by then have shaken the thicket enough to find another sponsor. Change the sponsor at that time, get your money back, and transfer it to the new sponsor (if they demand it).

obaydullah

Thank you, RedApe. I am desperately in search of a sponsor and I contacted MoT officers asking if Acropolis can help me find a sponsor as they promise but got no reply. I also wrote to the MoT Minister and Permanent Secretary quite some time ago but have got no reply as yet. Because you are living there for long and have considerable expertise in this field, can you please advise me how easily I can find a sponsor given that it would be a while for me to be living there permanently?

RedApe

Quickly...no. You are trying to do short-cuts and that cannot be done.

At least not legally and with substantial risks - both financially, and to your hope to stay for the term of the visa.

You must come to Sarawak for at least one visit and meet people, speak with people, and make the necessary contacts. Once you have a local sponsor then the rest can be arranged. But Sarawak doesn't have a process where an agent can find or act as a substitute for a sponsor.

Since you aren't going to be living here "permanently" (by which, I presume you mean on repeated visa applications) for some time it would seem you'd have time for a visit. I really don't understand the rush. Why the desperation?

obaydullah

Thanks, RedApe. I am in a hurry as I wonder if MoT or Immigration changes rules.

RedApe

I'd suggest you do it legitimately...by the rules. If you get caught violating the rules the consequences will be FAR more serious. Don't cut corners.

If you can't do that then the Sarawak MM2H is not the program that you want to enter into. Look elsewhere.

Oh, and since you have asked the MoT (I am assuming Sarawak MoT...not the Peninsular MoT) about Acropolis, then they likely are aware of Acropolis trying to act as an agent illicitly. That would increase the probability that any application submitted through them will be rejected. Bye-Bye the RM2500 non-refundable deposit.

obaydullah

Thanks, RedApe.I appreciate that's indeed a very good advice.

obaydullah

The contact person at Acropolis has asked me to pay 50% upfront so that they can commence preparing my file/papers, and informs me that last week they have got a couple of approval for SMM2H that took only 3 to 4 weeks.

RedApe

So now they want 50% upfront? Not just 25%? Did they provide any of the answers to the questions I asked?

I am also puzzled by the term "group application". This is not like a work visa for a project where a contractor that hires people from outside Malaysia submits all the documents in a group. For MM2H and Sarawak M2H each application is separate? There is no single "employer". Are they saying everyone is all under the same "sponsor"? That would be a "Red Flag" to Sarawak Immigration that this is an "agent".

I remind you "No agents or middlemen are allowed under the Sarawak My Second Home Program". That's in all the documents regarding the Program. Once again, how is Acropolis not acting as an agent or middlemen? These people are offering a service that they cannot legally provide. You know that. How does this protect you from fraud? Or subsequent revocation of your visa?

And Sarawak Immigration may look at your application and ask..."Why is this person not willing to apply under the program legitimately?"

Again, I'd highly suggest that you come first to visit Sarawak (a good idea in any case...one would want to visit and see the place you are going to retire to for - presumably- a good part of your senior years). Check out the condos available and locations. Talk to landlords...and residents (maybe they can refer you to their rental landlord who may be different than the people selling units). Often time the local management of the property (housekeeping, etc.) know who own and are subletting units. The landlord may be willing to sponsor a renter in return for an extra refundable deposit fee (either at the end of the visa term or the term of the rental agreement), and perhaps some payment to cover expenses.

Alternatively you may meet someone that will be willing to sponsor you without any fee at all. Be careful in the selection of the sponsor as one wants to avoid a situation where a disagreement or additional demands from the sponsor might occur or "I will cancel your sponsorship".

Epicurious

All of the concerns raised by RedApe are valid, but I urge potential applicants to consider his last paragraph in particular. Do you want your future stay in Malaysia to be under control of someone you hardly know, who is unaccountable to anyone, with no legal recourse? If a sponsor revokes his/her sponsorship then you may be forced to leave the country at short notice, or find a new sponsor PDQ. They have far too much power and for that reason I have pretty much given up on this scheme.

obaydullah

Strange! So powerful, the sponsor seems to have got omnipotent power! I did not know that previously. Thanks for the information.

RedApe

I am not sure that applies to Peninsular Malaysia with "personal application". But it might apply to agents who act as sponsors. It certainly does seem to be the case in Sarawak.