This is a "how-to" post. I don't usually do these, but there's not actually a lot out there on the Sarawak version of this process, so here's our small contribution.

I'm charting this in real time. So Week 2 will be posted one week hence. And of course, the actual outcome is a long way off. The purple balloons at the top may turn out to be way premature.

Everything is E&OE, of course.

Quick background: We'd lived and worked for a quite a while in Malaysia. Having decided to stop the working bit of this equation, we still wanted to carry on the living bit. A Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) visa seemed a good way to make this possible. And having spent some time in Kuching last year, we thought this lovely city would be ideal for our purpose.

Right now, we're here in Sarawak sorting this out. It's the end of Week 1. To replicate our experience so far, this is what you would need to do:

1. Sarawak's Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth, and Sports (MTACYS) is the body that oversees the MM2H application process. It is the Immigration Department that makes the decision. So before you even arrive in Kuching, make contact with someone at MTACYS who can help with your initial queries. The website is here. Phone the general line, and they'll give you the specific number of the person who looks after all this.

You'll also need to identify a Sarawakian sponsor, and make sure he/she is willing to support you.

Day 1
2. Arrive. Drink to your hope of success at one of Kuching's many happy-hour arrangements.

Day 2
3. Don't be instantly demoralized by a conversation with an old acquaintance, who is rather pessimistic about your chances. But do allow it to remind you that you may need a Plan B. There are no certainties here...

4. Ask MTACYS for a letter authorizing you to open a special Term Deposit, in which you lodge the sum of money that you are required to demonstrate you possess upfront. Even if you already have a Malaysian bank account, you still need this letter. (The alternative to the Term Deposit route is to show proof of a regular income.)

5. Take a break to watch Superstar Rajinikanth scythe his way through a nest of baddies.


6. Wait for the green light to collect your letter.

Day 3
7. Go and collect said letter from the rather impressive Baitul Makmur building.



8. Walk back into town, visiting the beautiful Orchid Garden en route.

9. Make colour photocopies of your entire passport, and print out the forms you need to fill in (there's a lovely friendly place on Jalan Court House, where they will be happy to do this for you, and will send you off with good wishes for your success).

10. Take your letter to the bank, and open up your Fixed Deposit.

11. Email your Sarawakian sponsor, recalling that you will need him/her to submit a letter of support for your application, a form filled in with personal details, a statement of commitment to pay a stipulated sum if you commit any misdemenours ("affixed with MYR 10.00 stamp duty by Inland Revenue"), and a certified copy of a piece of ID. (You're going to feel embarrassed about all this, because it is undeniably hassly for the poor sponsor.)

Day 4
12. Go and get your medical. You can get this done at the public hospital in Kuching (Klinik Kesihatan) but we were warned there would likely be a lengthy wait. Recent experience having made me particularly averse to spending more time in hospitals than is strictly necessary, we opted for the private route.

We chose Timberland Medical Centre. Other options are Kuching Specialist Hospital, Normah Medical Specialist Centre, or Borneo Medical Centre .

At Timberland, they charged MYR 478 for the two of us, and the process took less than 30 minutes. The price includes an X-ray, a blood test, a urine test, and an interview and some basic checks with the doctor.

13. Wait, with baited breath, for the result of your medical. You really don't want to be in that last category...


14. Buy a smart folder (purple) to keep your rapidly increasing pile of documents in.

Day 5
15. Go back to the hospital to get your results (all OK -- phew).

16. Enter into a long online conversation with your sponsor and the person at MTACYS whom you've been liaising with about how to complete the decidedly opaque "personal bond" form. It turns out the respective blanks are filled in like this: (Para 1) 1. Type of pass; 2. Applicant's name; 3. Applicant's address; 4. Applicant's name; 5. Amount of bond; 6. Applicant's name; 7. Type of pass. (Para 2) 8. Name of sponsor/bond provider; 9. Sponsor's ID number; 10. Sponsor's address; 11. Applicant's name; 12. Type of pass. (Para 3) 13. Applicant's name; 14. Amount of bond; 15. Day; 16; Month; 17. Year; 18. Town; 19. State.

17. Go to the Klinik Kesihatan on Jalan Masjid to have the results of your medical endorsed by a government doctor. This cost MYR 80 for the two of us, and took about an hour.

18. Look forward to the weekend, when you can rest in the knowledge that you can do no more until Monday...

You could probably make this all go quicker. You don't necessarily have to stop off for movies or orchids (for example). But then again, you do want to stay sane...

I need to note, however, that everyone we have encountered so far has been exceptionally helpful and supportive.

To be continued... May it all keep going in this promisingly purple direction.