Sarawak MM2H Reprise (2022)
Jun 11th 2022, 9:51 am
#1
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2017
Location: Kuching, Sarawak
Posts: 674
Sarawak MM2H Reprise (2022)
Despite all the grief and bile spilled over the Federal MM2H program since the onerous new restrictions/requirements were but in last October...Sarawak MM2H is doing gang-busters.
The SMM2H Program never really shut down for business, although travel restrictions made in hard to submit a new application unless one was already residing in the Sarawak. Some expats in the Peninsula did make it across to apply.
But the bad news for MM2H has been a boon for S-MM2H Even though travel restriction were only dropped for fully vaccinated individuals on May 1, there has been a flood of applications and what looks to be at least an order of magnitude increase of accepted applications. Part of that is because one can now submit your application through an agent rather than a local sponsor (which required knowing someone local willing to do so). So the change in that rule has increased the numbers extraordinarily. The only changes from back in September 2020 were quite minor. For over a decade SMM2H was principally a retirement visa (over 50). They made a change for parents 35-50 years old with children attending Sarawak school at that time. In 2020 they opened new category those over 40 without kid in local schools can now apply, but they must purchase residential property of over RM600K.
The program still allows people to live in the Peninsula (or anywhere else) though obviously only those over 50 might be able to do so. The only newish residency requirement is that one has to stay 15/days/annum in Sarawak. There is no required external proof of liquid assets and one can still prove financial competency by showing income/pension OR Fixed Deposit. Yes, OR...not "and". The former option has remained the same: 7000RM/mo -single; RM10,000/mo- couple. The FD has doubled and is now still under what the OLD MM2H used to have RM 150K for a single RM 300,000 for couple. Visa Fee is still RM90/year, no processing fee. Health Insurance may be required up to age 60.
Compare that to MM2H at RM40,000/month income/pension AND a FD of RM1 million (+50K/dependent) AND a proof of external liquid assets of RM1.5 million. RM500/year visa fee; RM5000 Processing (+2500/ dependent); a 90 Day Residency Requirement, etc. etc.
https://mtcp.sarawak.gov.my look in "For Public" and Scroll down to the Sarawak MM2H option to get more information.
I have a moderated FB site called "Sarawak My Second Home Group" for chat/updates/news.
https://smm2h.sarawaktourism.com
The SMM2H Program never really shut down for business, although travel restrictions made in hard to submit a new application unless one was already residing in the Sarawak. Some expats in the Peninsula did make it across to apply.
But the bad news for MM2H has been a boon for S-MM2H Even though travel restriction were only dropped for fully vaccinated individuals on May 1, there has been a flood of applications and what looks to be at least an order of magnitude increase of accepted applications. Part of that is because one can now submit your application through an agent rather than a local sponsor (which required knowing someone local willing to do so). So the change in that rule has increased the numbers extraordinarily. The only changes from back in September 2020 were quite minor. For over a decade SMM2H was principally a retirement visa (over 50). They made a change for parents 35-50 years old with children attending Sarawak school at that time. In 2020 they opened new category those over 40 without kid in local schools can now apply, but they must purchase residential property of over RM600K.
The program still allows people to live in the Peninsula (or anywhere else) though obviously only those over 50 might be able to do so. The only newish residency requirement is that one has to stay 15/days/annum in Sarawak. There is no required external proof of liquid assets and one can still prove financial competency by showing income/pension OR Fixed Deposit. Yes, OR...not "and". The former option has remained the same: 7000RM/mo -single; RM10,000/mo- couple. The FD has doubled and is now still under what the OLD MM2H used to have RM 150K for a single RM 300,000 for couple. Visa Fee is still RM90/year, no processing fee. Health Insurance may be required up to age 60.
Compare that to MM2H at RM40,000/month income/pension AND a FD of RM1 million (+50K/dependent) AND a proof of external liquid assets of RM1.5 million. RM500/year visa fee; RM5000 Processing (+2500/ dependent); a 90 Day Residency Requirement, etc. etc.
https://mtcp.sarawak.gov.my look in "For Public" and Scroll down to the Sarawak MM2H option to get more information.
I have a moderated FB site called "Sarawak My Second Home Group" for chat/updates/news.
https://smm2h.sarawaktourism.com
Jun 11th 2022, 4:08 pm
#2
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 21
Re: Sarawak MM2H Reprise (2022)
I'm glad that SMM2H is a good alternative to the MM2H. I still look at this forum now and then to see how the program is doing, and looking at your occasional posts helps. I'm not on Facebook where I think most comments are made.
I still sometimes wonder "what if". I was in Singapore for 25 years and got into the MM2H program in 2014. I opted instead to return to the States, since I had not lived here for 40 years. I'm comfortable of course, but that's because of not having to worry about healthcare, since Medicare guarantees that. At 75 years of age, getting healthcare where you are would be quite difficult, but the urge is still there. I think perhaps I've passed the time to do something like that.
Anyway, glad the SMM2H is alive and well!
Rob
I still sometimes wonder "what if". I was in Singapore for 25 years and got into the MM2H program in 2014. I opted instead to return to the States, since I had not lived here for 40 years. I'm comfortable of course, but that's because of not having to worry about healthcare, since Medicare guarantees that. At 75 years of age, getting healthcare where you are would be quite difficult, but the urge is still there. I think perhaps I've passed the time to do something like that.
Anyway, glad the SMM2H is alive and well!
Rob
