This is a follow up to my posts on getting my spouse visa and getting that visa endorsed to allow me to work. I recently went back to the immigration office at Jalan Duta to renew the visa and endorsement at the same time. This had to be done within one month of expiration, but not after, so I went about 3 weeks before. As before, this is purely for information, not legal advice etc etc.
This time, what I needed was:
Surat Akuan. Similar to before, this declaration of our continuing marital status needed passport photos and stamping by a Commissioner of Oaths. This time we went to the one located by the canteen on the ground floor of the office. It cost RM4.
IMM55 form. This is the one for extension of the visa. We put that we would like to have 12 months, praying in aid our soon-to-be-born child, which was ignored. We had taken a letter from the doctor about the pregnancy, but didn’t get to use it. Instead, we were told that the period was fixed based on the number of successful applications and re-applications. Next time, if we were successful, we would get 12 months. For now, just 6 months. Come back in July to see if this was right!
Passport of applicant plus new copies of all the relevant pages. Presumably so they can check it’s the same. Somehow, I was missing pages, but there is a photocopy shop at the back of the room.
I/C of spouse plus a photocopy. This time the photocopy didn’t need to be a certified true copy (CTC), which I guess is because they already have one on file. Really not sure why they need another copy – perhaps the five year life span means one or more in ten applicants’ spouses’ cards have changed.
Original of Malaysian marriage registration document plus photocopy. We weren’t told we needed to have this, but I had taken it just in case, luckily. Again, it didn’t need to be a CTC.
In order to renew the work endorsement, all I needed was a letter from my work to say I was still employed by them, stamped and signed.
The cost of the visa extension was RM90; the cost of the work extension was zero. In total, the time taken was about 90 minutes, with the longest wait being after I had paid the charge (during which time I noticed the interrogation rooms are labelled ‘aspiration room’ 1 and 2). After that I was given my passport back with a new visa glued in. This time it is red and blue with a picture of an LRT train on.
As before, the work endorsement is stamped on another page, with details written in.
I guess that’s it on the administrative front for a little while. I really must get around to the overseas marriage registration post soon; maybe I will do a post on registering a birth! As before, all comments and questions very welcome.
oh wow so you actually can’t chose to renew it for longer than 6 months?
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Not this time, anyway. Would have been nice to have some guaranteed stability with a baby on the way, but sadly no.
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Thanks for the information.Yesterday we’ve been to Jalan Duta for my renewal but the officer seated at number counter said “the system break down”and we have to go back by next week only.My pass expires on the 31th.Hope,we are not affected from married issues of Kelantan.
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That’s worrying – hopefully just a coincidence. Good luck next week.
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hi! Your blog is awesome!! Very informative and helpful. Can you do a post on how you registered your marriage here in Malaysia ? Thanks!
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Hi – you’re too kind, thank you for the compliment.
I have actually had my marriage registration on a list of ‘to be written’ posts for a while, but not done it. I will try!
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Hi..you received your new Visa within the same day?
I understand that immigration office in Shah Alam requires minimum 3 days for renewal of visa. That’s too long.
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Hi, for the renewal it was the same day. For the original visa it took three weeks. That’s at Jalan Duta.
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Hello. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Could you please help me on this?
I married on April 2017 with Malaysian Wife and registered and applied my spouse visa in JB.
1.I got my first spouse visa for only 6 months on September 2017 after 5 months of my marriage (because my marriage certificate did not issue till that time).
2. I got my second spouse visa for one year on Feb 2018 till Feb 2019.
3. Today i got my third second spouse visa again ONLY for one year till Feb 2020.
Today I expected to get my Long Term Social Visit Pass for up to 3 or 5 years. Last year the immigration officer asked me to come back this year with 5 years passport validity.
When i asked them why one year again they replied me “our boss has decided to gave you one year again”. Then I asked them beaded on what criteria he made this decision? but they did not have any answer to my question.
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Sorry to hear your experience – it’s a shame not to get as long a visa as you expect. Honestly I can’t really help as I am in no position to do so, I’m afraid.
It quite often seems to be that immigration will make a decision without transparency, and there isn’t any way to appeal. I guess the response would be that we want to live here and we have to put up with the system.
I can definitely sympathise with you – on our previous visit it was implied that my wife being pregnant would mean I got more than 6 months, but in the end I didn’t. This time they implied that having a child will get me more than 6 months next time, but we’ll see!
You might like to check out the Foreign Spouse Support Group on FB, if you haven’t already. They are campaigning with MPs and have some template letters which might help.
Try not to get too disheartened and good luck when you go back next year!
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To renew endorsement for work immigration just need this letter only (letter from my work to say I was still employed by them, stamped and signed)?
No need income tax from LHDN?
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I didn’t need an income tax form. However I do advise checking with the immigration people in case that has changed. If it has, please tell me and I will update this.
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In your case, did the effective date of renewal start from the day the last day of the previous visa or from the date of the application?
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They ‘cancelled’ the previous visa and gave me a new one, so I suppose from the date of application, but it runs until the end of the calendar month anyway so I guess it’s academic.
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Thank you for sharing.
Do you know if China spouse also can get the Endorsement to work at the Jalan Duta office?
A bit background for me and my wife, I’m a China citizen, my wife is Malaysian. We got married last year July in Canada, then we moved back to Malaysia last year Oct. I straight away applied for work pass after we came back, and my work pass is expiring in Oct. I’m not sure if I apply for the spouse visa I will still be able to work or has to stop for 6 months? And my employer is will to extend my work contract. Do you know is possible to get the spouse visa and immediately can work? or is that possible to have work pass and spouse visa overlap?
Hope my question didn’t confuse you.
Thank you
Rudy
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I think I understand the questions, but I don’t know much about employment pass. Starting with the first question, I don’t know if PRC citizens with spouse visa can get endorsement to work at Jalan Duta – I thought they had to get the spouse visa from Putrajaya, so maybe the work stamp would be the same.
My understanding is that work and spouse visas can’t overlap. Also, when I got my work endorsement it was less than six months after my spouse visa, but later I saw that Jalan Duta had added a requirement to wait six months. I don’t know if that still applies – but I need to go there soon to renew my visa so I will check and report back.
Sorry I haven’t been of much help; if you let me know how you get on it might help others. Good luck with what you decide to do.
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Thank you for your reply. I’ll do more reach and go ask the officer. Will share my experience once I sort out everything
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Thanks for sharing your experience.
My LTSVP is up for renewal soon. I managed to download the required forms from imm website, but I couldn’t find the “Surat Akuan”. May I know where you got this from? Can I get it from the Commissioner of Oaths office?
peace
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I got this from the immigration office, but the Commissioner of Oaths might have some. I took an extra copy, which I will try to scan tomorrow. Leave your email and I will send it on. That would be for Jalan Duta. Not sure if other offices have different forms.
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Thanks for a quick reply.
I’m applying for extension at Jln Duta. Appreciate your help in scanning the document. Please send it to my email at cheneel243@gmail.com.
Also I would like your help with the list of documents you submitted for the renewal.
peace
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Would you know whether Jalan Duta Immigration department has changed their policy of two 6-month LTSVP before finally issuing a 1-year LTSVP?
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As far as I know, no. My pattern was 6m, 6m, 1y as you predict. I need to update the post with the result of my latest extension!
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Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s been helpful with my husband’s visa application. We are going to extend his spouse visa this week for another 6 months and i have a question. you wrote in order to renew the work endorsement, all you needed was a letter from your work to say you were still employed by them, stamped and signed. This letter should be from the company he works for to the immigration dept?
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Hi Angela, the letter was from my company to me, actually. But I think a letter to the immigration office would also make sense.
Please note that the second time I renewed my work endorsement, I had to get that letter stamped by LHDN as well – it was a real pain!
Good luck!
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Hi! Thanks for your blog post, it has been a very useful resource for me as I also had to apply for the work endorsement for my husband (and happy to say he also managed to get it even while on a 6-month LTSVP). We have to renew it next week. Are you saying a letter confirming employment also has to be stamped at LHDN? That’s just silly, and a huge waste of time, sigh. Looks like it’ll be a full day at Duta again.
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That’s what happened to me! I next have to go in July so will see if I need to waste another day…
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Hello,
Thank you for the sharing, it was really helpful for us applying the visa.
Now my husband just received a job offer. We will proceed to apply for the endorsement. Can you help us to clarify if 1) Offer letter and 2) Work contract is the same document?
Thank you
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I think usually the offer letter comes first, then you get a contract with all your terms and conditions in. However my employer did only do one letter so I asked them to separate it for the application process. Hopefully your husband’s will accommodate this just in case. Good luck.
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Hello Jackson,
May I know what is your latest extension process with Imigration at Duta?
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Hi there – could you clarify the question? I’m not due to extend again for another couple of months, assuming I am able to with all the Covid stuff. Last July, the process was as above.
I understand that the Jalan Duta office has reopened, but I’m not able to confirm that first hand, I’m afraid.
If I have misunderstood, then please do explain.
Thanks!
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Hi just to share an update, my husband visa is expiring in June and we are just looking at the immigration website to make appointment for extension (we thought we still have time) but the only available appointment now in KL Jalan Duta office is in August 😦
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Hi there – that’s really unfortunate. I went on this morning and it looks like some slots have opened up in July (after 13th). It’s not perfect for you but maybe it will help. Good luck to you both.
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I tried again today and managed to get June even though it was in red. Thanks!
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Hi there – could you clarify the question? I’m not due to extend for another couple of months.
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Hi, did you manage to get 12 months extension in July last year? Just asking as we are going next week to extend my husband’s visa and this would be his 3rd time and we’ve had 2 x 6 months so far.
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Hi Angela. I did get 12 months last year on my 3rd attempt (2 renewals), and I was hoping to get 24 months this time. However, having just renewed in July 2020, I only got 12 months again. This is new policy, I was told. Even people who have had 3 year extensions in the past are only getting 12 months at the moment. Good luck with yours – let me know how it goes if you get the chance.
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Hi there. So we went in this morning to get my husband’s spousal visa extended with permission to work. Got all the forms and documents as per your info above plus a few as per the immigration website. But it seems we were still not fully prepared as they have a checklist for the ‘permission to work for spouse’ extension. The checklist includes a permission to work letter from me again and income tax statement (if you’re still working for the same company). The income tax statement was on the list but the officer that checked our documents at the first stage ( there were 4 stages) didn’t say we needed it. We went downstairs and paid RM20 and got the permission to work letter typed by a helpful lady that sits in a room next to the commissioner of oaths room. She helps people fill out forms and stuff for a fee. When that was done, My husband had to go on to the next stage without me as I was asked to wait outside. He went through 3 more stages but didn’t get through to payment as he was informed that he to come back on Monday because of a printing problem. Throughout it all, the officers were very helpful and polite. Here’s hoping we’ll get it done on Monday : )
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Hi Angie! I hope it worked out on that Monday – sorry my reply is so late.
Thanks so much for the extra information. I will try to absorb it when I update with my experience. I have now managed to get hold of the checklist which I hadn’t seen either, and will include it when I get time.
Cheers again!
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It was all smooth sailing that Monday : ) he got 12 months extension.
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Excellent news. I’ll have my fingers crossed for both of us that next year they are back to giving out 2 year visas!
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Hi Angie, for future reference, there is also a printing shop that charges I think rm5/print. It’s near the parking entrance. You can quickly type it up on your phone and email/WhatsApp the document to them. I had forgotten to print that permission letter also last time and had to pay the rm5.
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Hi gyppo (like it), was/is there ever an option to apply for a spouse visa remotely or online? We just ended our work assignment in Indonesia and need to get home once the restrictions are lifted.
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Hi gyppo (like it), was/is there ever an option to apply for a spouse visa remotely or online? We just finished our work assignment in Indonesia and need to get home. Thanks for your sharing.. what will we do if we only have the official channels.
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Hi AW,
Sadly, there isn’t any way to apply for a spouse visa remotely – you have to be in Malaysia as far as I know. At the moment it’s really hard to get in from Indonesia after new Covid restrictions were imposed recently. Even people with existing spouse visas are being blocked, unless there is an emergency situation to deal with.
Sorry I don’t have better news. Good luck.
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Hi Could you please give any advice which part of LHDN building I actually need to go to get a stamp? Is it on G floor ? How long does it usually take? Thank you.
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