Hello folks, here I am again, talking about my experiences on the processes that I’ve undergone when I extended my Spouse Visa and Work Endorsement at the Immigration Office in Setia Tropika, Johor Bharu.
This is actually my 4th time to this office to do the same process. Let me share to you my experiences so hopefully, it can help to guide you too especially when managing your expectations. Please be reminded that this application was based on the new government in Malaysia. I am not sure if the ruling was changed internally but for me, the process was still the same. It’s just that the maximum visa extension they can provide is up to two years only.
I guess this write up would be beneficial to all spouse visa applicants out there who want to be guided on how to process their documents when dealing with this kind of transaction.
A. First Leg: Get your documents be checked by the Commissioner of Oath before submitting to the Immigration Office.
There is actually a Commissioner of Oath just in front of the building of the Immigration office. All you have to do is to go there and submit your documents. Let it be stamped by the Commissioner of Oath. If I’m not mistaken, they are open as early as 7 AM but because we've just arrived there at around 7:35 AM, I guess they should have been open at around 7:15 AM something.
As of 2019, we paid RM 4 per transaction (per stamp). The queue was a bit long during the first hour in the morning but it is still considered fast. You can finish this transaction within 5 minutes.
They also have a team that can help you to check your documents if you are applying for the first time. If I’m not mistaken, this service will be with a minimal amount of RM 10 per transaction. But if you have completed your documents, I guess there should be no issue for you as the processing is just straightforward.
B. Second Leg: Application of your documents to the Immigration Office.
Step 1. Proceed to level 10 of the Immigration Building in Setia Tropika
Proceed to the Immigration Office building. If you are driving, parking should not be an issue around 7:30 to 8:00 AM, but at around 8:30, parking would be an issue for you.
We went there in one of the Sundays of July and I would say, it is very packed especially during the first office hour in the morning. Everyone wants to finish their transaction. The queue to get your number was be a bit slow.
Step 2. Get Your Own Queue Number
This process will take about 3 minutes depending on how many people queuing to get their queue number. First, the officer will ask you to show your documents. He/She will roughly check if it is with a stamp from the Commissioner of Oath. If everything is completed, then the officer will give you a set of a queue numbers
Step 3. One on one discussion with the Immigration officer
Once your number is called via the digital queue or a voice recorded audio, you will need to follow the instruction as to which counter you will need to submit your documents. By the way, the language used during the assessment was both in Bahasa and English.
During the assessment, you will be asked to sit down together with your Malaysian spouse. The immigration officer will check your documents. Since I have two transaction on that day (My Visa extension and my Work Endorsement), the officer has to checked it separately.
So what are the documents I've submitted?
a. Visa Extension Documents:
Form No. D 014985 for the application of Extension of Visit Pass. We have acquired this at the immigration office before we proceed with the application.
Photocopy of our marriage cert in my home country and the re-registration of our marriage in Malaysia. Please take note that these document must be authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia in Putrajaya. But if you have your previous copy from your first application, you should use that.
Photocopy of my birth certificate (as a foreigner).
Photocopy of the IC of my Malaysian spouse.
Photocopy of my expiring visa, front cover of my passport, old passport where I got my first multiple visa.
2 pcs of passport size photos with blue or white background of me and my Malaysian Spouse.
Sometimes, the immigration officer will ask about your wedding photos.
b. Work Endorsement Documents
Form 1M12 which you need to get at the Immigration Office
Offer letter from your hiring company
Photocopy of your first page passport including visas
Photo copy of our marriage cert in my home country and the re-registration of our marriage in Malaysia. Please take note that these document must be authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia in Putrajaya. But if you have your previous copy from your first application, you should use that.
Letter from your Malaysian spouse that he/she allows you to work.
Photocopy of the IC of my Malaysian spouse.
2 pcs of passport size photos with blue or white background of me and my Malaysian Spouse.
Company Form 24, 49 and SSM. These documents shall be provided by your company either in photocopy with a remark of a True Copy which must be authenticated by your company lawyer, or by a Commissioner on Oath.
The officer at that point in time has also advised us that for our next application, we should also include a photocopy of our child’s birth certificate. So for parents out there, remember to bring the birth certificate(s) of your child as well.
You might also be asked for biometrics for this transaction. This will depend on the officer on that day or perhaps to your records.
After the processing is done, the officer advised us that the maximum visa extension they can only provide is only 2 years. So we don’t have a choice but to follow it accordingly.
The counter numbers for the visa submission/ application (as of July 2019) are counters 1, 2, 3 and sometimes 4.
Step 4. Payment
Once the submission is done, you will be asked to wait for your queue again for the payment. This transaction is at counter number 10. So which means, after finishing your transaction at counter 1, 2, 3 or 4, you must be sensitive enough to move to the other side to give way to other applicants since your transaction will be nearby to counter 10. The queue for this part will be very long.
According to the cashier the payments were as follows:
Visa Multiple Entry Fee is RM36 per year
Extensions of Visa is Rm90 per year
Step 5. Wait For Your Passport To Be Released
This section is the most time consuming for you. You have to wait for your number to be called. The immigration officer will check thoroughly your documents. If there will be some issues, they might call your number for verification so you have to make sure that you have your original documents with you so that you will have a proof to show.
Sometime, this may take a few minutes. It’s about 30-40, minutes but for us, since I have to 2 transactions at that point of time (visa extension and work endorsement), it took us about 4 hours to wait. The officer has to check both documents submitted.
All passport will be released at counter 9. So you have to ensure to keep your number no matter what happen. The number given to you will be your basis to collect back your passport. Aside from your passport, you will also be receiving the receipt of your payment for your application.
In addition to this, before you leave that counter, you have to make sure that your name and passport number is indicated correctly in your passport visa.
If you have children with you, you are strongly advised to bring in some toys and stuff like that to occupy them. Please bring food or snacks like bread and drinks for them to eat since this transaction required a number of hours to wait.
However, if you are only processing for an extension of visa, the transaction would be about 2 hours only. However it will be dependent on the number of applicants on that day.
I hope guys, this could be helpful to everyone.