A Swiss couple were detained at Penang International Airport and placed in a “Not to Land” room because they had apparently made several quick exits from and returns to the country. They spent two nights sleeping on the floor before the Director of Immigration ordered their release. This was ostensibly due to their plight being highlighted in the New Straits Times; however, they were only given a one-week visa and not the usual three months that Europeans enjoy.
There are quite a number of expats who choose to live and even work in Malaysia and travel out of the country every three months to get another 90-day visa. However, it seems that the immigration department may be starting to clamp down on this practice if the passport shows more than three exit and returns within a short period of time.
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For the life of me, I don’t understand people who see just black or white without seeing the gray in anything. I read comments on here by individuals saying things like, do it the legal way. We are doing it the legal way! Malaysia says that a tourist visa is for 90 days. We who travel here stay for the 90 day period then we leave. Some of us who use Malaysia as a central jumping off point return after awhile, get chopped for another 90 days then travel to other places in Asia. We don’t sneak into the country, we don’t pay officials illegally to enter the country either. We do exactly what is spelled out by Malaysian Immigration. We don’t work here either. Here is what we do. We pay higher prices for residential condos than natives do. We cannot own cars or motor bikes, so we buy monthly bus passes which cost double what a native would pay. I live in Penang and if I wanted to ride the tram up to the top of Penang Hill, I pay tourist prices. This also goes for riding the new double-decker tour buses. I’m not complaining because I and the rest of us feel that it is a small price to pay for living in a country we love. As for me, I do volunteer work at a senior citizens home. Help a local temple with their collection of recycled materials and contribute to a number of local charities here. I pay for all my medical expenses here as well. I believe practically all expats mirror me here. So if I am not here illegally, I don’t work here and I’m paying more than the average native, what is the problem? One thing I forgot. You should see the receipts for all the purchases I’ve made in malls, food stores, etc. since I moved here. Air Asia loves me! 😀
Paul Gonzales
Karlah
So what is the problem with visa runs…at least they are doing it legally?
Atobiloba Sharp Boiyan
Oluwaseyi Tom Tom
Samm Brega
Is better to clamp down on illegal or overstay too many !
U.S A and Canada is the hardest to get a visa.
What are they doing wrong, unless they can prove they are working illegally they have not committed any crime.
This happen long long time d…
wanted to go tooo Malaysia but dont have abad idea how…
Expats ar spending even investing in Msia. Why the foreign workers from Indo Bangledesh or Nepal etc can enter and live here with no question?!!
How long do you define “a short period of time?”
non sense comments … come ill fix all your visa problems.. i got connections inside.. 0166942140 call me..
I know of many expats waiting on their work Visa’s to be approved some have waited for almost a year…why is this process so time consuming? No wonder expats are doing visa runs…
My wife, son and myself all have MM2H but we haven’t got around to adding my 3 year old daughter to MM2H yet. However, when flying from Tokyo back to KL the Airasia staff were very reluctant to allow my daughter to check in unless she had an onward flight out of Malaysia. Finally they allowed us to sign a form releasing them from any responsibility and we were able to fly. My daughter has a British passport but it was of no help.
Shafaq Shafaq
Wow, im speechless now.
Friend was told if he had onward flight ticket it was not illegal.
Build a house here or invest so you won’t have any problems.
Azreen Afzan Atty Sulaiman Nani Taha Syant Alias
Diane Fennelly
Despite providing all the required information back in August, I am still waiting for a Visa. My previous schools only too no more that 6 weeks.
Get a proper visa. After all when we go to your country its the same thing so why should Malaysia be different
Jegal Dave
Mamoun Suleiman
Guy Reffitt
Woww Sally, this sounds just like Qatar.
I am surprised Malaysia is like that. But in Qatar,
Americans are only allowed a 2 month visit visa. My husband was living there, and in order for me to live with him, I had to leave and travel back the next day. There is no such thing as a proper visa unless you’re sponsored on a family visa which sometimes you can’t get because of the strict high monthly salary requirements of the spouse or father.
All countries have a stipulation on the length of the stay of a tourist.
Rm 1000 a month extension fee. This would be an incentive for mm2h since the mm2h fee is rm900 for 10 years…
All the expats I know spend a lot of money in Malaysia adding to the economy… Instead of leaving every 3 month, an extension should be available at a reasonable fee.
Tell them to avoid Penang airport like the plague! I have encountered this a couple of times there. I, now take a bus to KL and fly out of KLIA. I don’t get as much hassle doing that! The one time that I did, I just went to the immigration office and Butterworth with some Malaysian friends as suggested by immigration at KLIA, and was told to just come see them if I receive any problems. Immigration at Penang airport are tough. Also, I told them that I was renting a condo and paying for electricity here in Penang. I brought all my receipts to Butterworth. They seem to be satisfied. Stay away from Penang airport!
Mohammed AlFalluji
Get a proper VISA.
Yes yes…abt time…and they use the padang besar exit point n come in again. Cheaper.