Malaysian Permanent Residence: Immigration and Police Home Visit, File Transfer to Putrajaya and Permit Masuk Approval

Stages after the Police Interview

Checking Status Online

I continued to check my status online at https://imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/eservices/myPermit?semakStatusPermit and it showed:

Follow-up with Immigration (November 2023)

About 7 months after the police interview I renewed my passport and transferred my LTSVP, so I visited the Permit Masuk counter at Jalan Duta to update them with my new passport details and to follow up my application. I was told that my file was still with them and that they would contact me.

Immigration and Police Home Visit (February 2024)

Approximately 10 months after the police interview we had an unannounced home visit by 2 immigration officers and 1 police officer.

The officers asked questions about employment, salary, family etc., and asked to see information such as: Applicant’s passport, Malaysian spouse IC, employment letter, pay slips, utility bills, marriage certificate, Sales & Purchase Agreement, wedding photos.

One immigration officer took photos in each room, inside our wardrobes, of our family photos, our documents and of us.

The officers were polite and professional and their questions were mainly in BM. At the end they said they would submit their report which may take about 1 month. One of the Immigration Officers called me 1 week after the visit to clarify some information.

File transfer to Putrajaya Immigration HQ (November 2024)

9 months after the home visit my online status was updated to show my file had been transferred to HQ at Putrajaya. At this stage the application is passed to KDN (Ministry of Home Affairs) for the Permit Masuk & Residence Pass Panel Committee to make a decision:

Approval of Permit Masuk (December 2024)

I was delighted to find that my status had been updated to confirm my application had been approved:

I now needed to wait for the approval letter from Immigration, so that I could take the next steps to complete the Permit Masuk process and obtain the PR passport stamp and Red IC.

NEXT STEP: Receiving Permit Masuk Approval Letter and Shortening Current LTSVP:  https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2025/01/malaysian-pr-permit-masuk-receiving.html 

Forms & Documents Download Links

Check you use the correct forms as some state offices use different ones. 

You can obtain the original forms from the relevant offices.

JIM (Immigration Department of Malaysia):

Muat Turun Borang

PR (Permit Masuk) Guidelines with forms to download

JPN (National Registration Department):

Marriage

Identity Card

JPJ (Road Transport Department):

Driver Licensing

'Foreign Spouses of Malaysian Citizens' Facebook Group:

Join the Facebook Group to access these files:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ForeignSpouses/files/files

Driving in Malaysia: Renew Competent Driving Licence (CDL) with new passport number

**UPDATE January 2026**

Proof of upcoming overseas travel is no longer required to get a physical driving licence: 

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/01/22/jpj-drops-travel-proof-requirement-for-physical-driving-licence. 

Foreigners now pay RM100 for a physical licence (Malaysians pay RM20), plus RM120/year for a CDL (Malaysians pay RM30/year): https://www.jpj.gov.my/en/competent-drivers-license-cdl-renewal/

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I needed to renew my CDL driving licence with my new passport details so I went to JPJ Wangsa Maju around 2 weeks before the expiry of my current licence. If you are changing passport details this has to be done at a JPJ state office but otherwise foreigners can renew at UTC.

Note that if a driving licence has expired for more than 3 years it cannot be renewed and the driving test needs to be taken again.

Remember dress code: no shorts/t-shirts/ slippers /short skirts

I arrived at 745am on a Thursday, there were many parking spaces (parking now has to be paid for) and I joined the queue at Pintu 1 (Ground Floor). The doors opened at 8am and I took a queue ticket as the JPJeQ app didn’t seem to be in use.

I needed the following documents:

• Passport (both old and new if changing)
• Photocopy of passport (& old passport if changing)
• Photocopy of LTSVP (Spouse Pass)
• Current Driving licence
• Photocopy of current driving licence (front AND back)
• Photo (white background) if you are changing photo. 
• Flight tickets/ Proof of travel (if you want a physical driving licence to use overseas you need to provide proof of upcoming travels. The renewal slip they will otherwise issue to you is NOT valid overseas). 

I advised the officer that I needed to change my passport details and was given form JPJL7 to fill in. The sections to be completed are:

• B: Old passport number
• C1: Name and date of birth
• C2: Address
• C3: New passport number
• E: Date and sign

I downloaded the form here and filled it in before going to JPJ.

My queue number was called at 845am, I handed over the form, passports and licence, plus flight details. Foreigners are given the option to choose a licence length of up to 5 years (dependent on your passport expiry date). The date of your CDL licence expiration will be the same as your birthday. The fee for foreigners is RM60/year and is payable by a local debit or credit card or e-wallet only. I had expected to be charged RM20 for the physical licence, but the officer said there was no extra charge. 

At 9am my name was called and my new physical licence was ready. I was very impressed by how easy and quick the whole process was.

Driving in Malaysia: Can You Drive With a Foreign Driving Licence?

**UPDATE May 2025** 

With effect from 19th May 2025 foreign driving licences can no longer be converted to Malaysian licences, except for specific groups of individuals. JPJ also indicated that foreign licence holders can only use their home licence (together with an International Driving Permit) for a maximum of 12 months. See more info in this post:

https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2025/05/driving-in-malaysia-2025-updates-for.html

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TL;DR: there is conflicting advice online and from various foreign embassies and high commissions. It is best to follow the advice of JPJ, as they are responsible for enforcement of Malaysian driving rules. Long term residents should consider getting a Malaysian driving licence.

Many posts on social media ask if a foreign driving licence can be used by long term residents to legally drive in Malaysia. 

Some responses to these posts suggest that a foreign licence can only be used on a temporary basis, perhaps for only 3 months or 6 months, and must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit (IDP).

I had previously emailed JPJ to ask if a UK driving licence could be used and I received a response which advised I “can use UK Valid Domestic Driving License and International Driving Permit (IDP) (According to the defined format on the Convention on Road Traffic Geneva 1949) to drive in Malaysia”, so according to that a foreign driving licence must be used with an IDP.

Note: Many websites offer an "International Driving Licence" or an International Driving Permit of up to 5 years duration. These are not official documents, and cannot be used in Malaysia, as advised by JPJ. Only an International Driving Permit (IDP) is valid, and it must be issued by the official authority in the same country where the domestic driving licence was issued. If you get an IDP from another source you risk a fine for driving with invalid documents, see: https://internationaldrivingpermit.org/fake-idp-websites-to-avoid/ 

The Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), which sets out the rules for driving in Malaysia, states:

"A driving licence issued under the corresponding provisions of any law in force in any country which is a party to a treaty to which Malaysia is also a party and which purports to recognize domestic driving licences issued by the contracting countries shall, so long as such licence remains in force in that country, be deemed to be a driving licence granted under this Part."

More details on the Act are here:  https://www.lawyerment.com/library/legislation/acts/1987/333/ 

Malaysia is party to the 'UN Convention on Road Traffic, Geneva, 1949'. Details of all the other countries that are also party to that UN Convention can be found here: https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetailsV.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-1&chapter=11&Temp=mtdsg5&clang=_en

**Information for UK driving licence holders**

The UK government FCO website says the following, which initially seems to indicate that a UK licence and an IDP can be used for long term visitors (but that a new IDP needs to be purchased each year):

However, the FCO advice also says if you are moving abroad you should not apply for an IDP but should either exchange your UK licence or apply for a new one in the country you are moving to:

Also note that UK driving licence holders who are not normally resident in the UK are not allowed to renew their 10-year licence photocard when it expires. Some people claim to have renewed their photocard while living abroad by using a relative's address. That is an offence, and DVLA can cross-check applications against tax and other records. Even if the photocard is renewed, it is possible that the UK licence would be considered invalid, and insurers in the UK and abroad could deny insurance claims.

This is an extract from the DVLA explanatory notes:

and this one is from the DVLA photocard/licence application form:

**Information for ASEAN driving licence holders**

ASEAN licence holders can use their home licence in Malaysia, providing it is in English or is accompanied by a certified translation in English, but the 'Agreement On The Recognition Of Domestic Driving Licences Issued By ASEAN Countries' says the following:

"By virtue of the recognition hereby of the licenses, holders of the licenses issued in any one of the ASEAN countries and intending to make only a temporary stay in the territory of any of the other ASEAN countries may drive therein in the classes or types of vehicles the licenses permit them to drive"

If you are a long term resident of Malaysia then it might be difficult to demonstrate that you are here on a temporary stay, so ASEAN licence holders should consider if they need a Malaysian licence. The full ASEAN Agreement can be seen here:   https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/70.-Agreement-Driving-Licenses-1.pdf

**Information for Australian driving licence holders** [Updated 2025]

The Australian High Commission website states that Australians visiting or residing in Malaysia for less than 12 months are permitted to drive in Malaysia if they hold a valid Australian Driving Licence and International Driving Permit (IDP). They also say that foreign nationals residing in Malaysia for more than 12 months, and who don't fall under the eligible categories for licence conversion, must obtain a Malaysian Driving Licence.

**Information for US driving licence holders**

The US Department of State website says "you can use an International Driving Permit (IDP) along with a valid U.S. license to drive in Malaysia. You must get the IDP outside of Malaysia. If your IDP or U.S. license has expired, you must obtain a local driver’s license."

Summary

Whilst short term visitors may be able to use their foreign licence and an IDP, there seems to be conflicting information on whether long term residents are allowed to. It is probably best to follow JPJ advice, rather than conflicting information given out by the embassies and high commissions of various countries.

If you are a long term resident in Malaysia, then to remove any doubt over the validity of your driving licence you should consider these options:

• Convert your foreign licence to a Malaysian licence. From January 2021 JPJ allowed more foreigners to convert their driving licence - see the updates in this post:  https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2016/05/driving-in-malaysia-do-you-need-to-ask.html

• Take the Malaysian Driving Test. I took my JPJ test in March 2020, as at that time it was not possible for me to convert my licence. See this post: https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2020/03/malaysian-driving-lessons-test-for.html

Malaysia Immigration: STO appointments

**UPDATE 17th December 2025**

The STO system has been replaced by the QMS 2.0 system.

See further information here:

https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2026/01/queue-management-system-20.html 

Previously immigration offices used the STO system for appointments 

and applicants had to book an appointment using this link: 

https://sto.imi.gov.my/STO/home.php 

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**UPDATE 1st July 2025**

The Shah Alam office no longer uses the STO system. Other offices in Selangor do still use STO. 

More information on the new system at Shah Alam is here:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CHsMYA8so/

**UPDATE 1st November 2024**

Putrajaya does not use the STO system (only walk in is allowed), but from 1st November 2024 they say visitors should use the QMS app for getting a queue number. See:

https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/pengumuman/qms-mobile-apps/ 

You can download the QMS app from Google Play or Apple Store.

**UPDATE 20th June 2024**

Kuala Lumpur Immigration have announced they are going back to using the STO system. 

So both Selangor and KL once again require applicants to make an STO appointment.

This photo was downloaded from the internet:

**UPDATE 10th June 2024** 

Selangor Immigration have announced they are going back to using the STO system.

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It was announced on 31st May 2024 that the STO appointment system will no longer operate with effect from 1st June. Instead immigration will accept walk ins and there is a 'no wrong door policy'.

Renew your LTSVP online, but to collect the pass walk in rather than making an appointment.

Malaysian Permanent Residence: Immigration Points Calculator

Permit Masuk (PR) Points System Calculator

A Points System has been introduced in March 2024 as part of the Permit Masuk application process for foreign spouses. The minimum pass mark to be eligible to apply for Permit Masuk is 40 points.

**Note: As of September 2025, the Points System is no longer in use. However, Immigration appears to still use the same assessment criteria, so it remains worthwhile checking if you meet the previous minimum score of 40 points**

1. Age / Umur: < 35 years / < 35 tahun (2) 35–45 years / 35–45 tahun (5) > 45 years / > 45 tahun (10)

2. Family Relationship in Malaysia / Hubungan Kekeluargaan di Malaysia: Spouse / Suami/Isteri (5): Parents / Ibu/Bapa (5): Children / Anak (2 each): Siblings / Adik-beradik (2 each):

3. Duration of Marriage / Tempoh Perkahwinan: Less than 5 years / Kurang 5 tahun (0) > 5–10 years / > 5–10 tahun (5) > 10–15 years / > 10–15 tahun (10) > 15–20 years / > 15–20 tahun (15) > 20 years / > 20 tahun (20)

4. Length of Stay in Malaysia / Tempoh Keberadaan di Malaysia: Less than 5 years / Kurang 5 tahun (0) 5–10 years / 5–10 tahun (3) 10–15 years / 10–15 tahun (5) 15–20 years / 15–20 tahun (7) > 20 years / > 20 tahun (10)

5. Academic / Professional Qualification / Kelayakan Akademik / Profesional: None / Tiada (0) PhD (Critical field) / PhD (Bidang kritikal) (10) PhD (Non-critical) / PhD (Tidak kritikal) (8) Master / Professional (Critical) / Sarjana / Profesional (Bidang kritikal) (7) Master / Professional (Non-critical) / Sarjana / Profesional (Tidak kritikal) (5) Bachelor (Critical) / Sarjana Muda (Bidang kritikal) (6) Bachelor (Non-critical) / Sarjana Muda (Tidak kritikal) (4) Diploma (Critical) / Diploma (Bidang kritikal) (3) Diploma (Non-critical) / Diploma (Tidak kritikal) (2) Others (Critical) / Lain-lain (Bidang kritikal) (2) Others (Non-critical) / Lain-lain (Tidak kritikal) (1)

6. Malay Language Proficiency / Kemahiran Bahasa Malaysia: Weak / Lemah (2) Moderate / Sederhana (5) Good / Baik (10)

7. Work Experience in Malaysia / Pengalaman Kerja di Malaysia: None / Tiada (0) Professional / Profesional (5) Others / Lain-lain (3)

8. Investment Value in Malaysia / Nilai Pelaburan di Malaysia: Business investments > RM350,000 (1 each): Property investments > RM1,000,000 (1 each): Fixed Deposits ≥ RM750,000 (3 years) (1 each):

9. Recognition / Contribution / Creativity / Innovation: None / Tiada (0) ≥ 10 journals / ≥ 10 jurnal (2) < 10 journals / < 10 jurnal (1) Sports (International) / Sukan Antarabangsa (2)

10. Professional Certificate / Sijil Profesional: Professional certificate recognized by a professional or statutory body (for example: law, accounting, engineering, medicine, etc.)
Yes / Ada (5)

Total Points / Jumlah Mata: 0

Note:
- Maximum score is 100 points.
- The minimum pass mark for foreign spouses is 40 points.
- Section 2 capped at 20 points.
- Sections 8 + 9 combined capped at 10 points.
- Applications are not eligible if the applicant is involved in criminal cases, falsification of documents, or offences under Malaysian law.

Spouse Visa Malaysia: Transferring LTSVP to a new passport

I recently replaced my passport. Once I had received it I decided to transfer my LTSVP to the new passport at Jalan Duta (KL).

Some people suggest waiting until the LTSVP is expiring and then do the transfer and renewal in one go, but this could cause problems such as:

• If travelling overseas the LTSVP should be in the new passport.
• Renewing LTSVP online may not be possible, as it can't be done with a new passport number. If the old passport number is used it must have at least 6 months duration left. 
• If asked for ID by police or immigration they may insist that the LTSVP is in the new passport.

I went to Immigration at Jalan Duta to ask about the process and was told that I needed an STO appointment, my Malaysian spouse to be present and to complete Surat Akuan, Imm.55 & Im.38. Therefore I had a Surat Akuan attested at a Commissioner For Oaths (cost RM30) and completed the other forms.

However, when I returned on my STO appointment date with the Surat Akuan and the completed forms I was told they weren’t needed. The correct process is:

1. Make STO appointment. I used the ‘Kutipan Passport' option at Jalan Duta, but some state offices may require the transfer endorsement option to be used, or you might be lucky and not need to make an appointment at all. https://sto.imi.gov.my/STO/home.php 
2. Complete the IM.12 form (and attach passport photo) and bring it to your appointment. You can get IM.12 from Immigration.
3. Bring the following documents to your appointment:

• Old and new passports (plus copies of bio pages)
• Marriage certificate (plus copy)
• Spouse IC (plus copies of both sides)
• Current LTSVP (plus copy)

It took under 3 hours from taking a number to collecting the passports.

I was not charged a fee for transferring my LTSVP, but apparently certain nationalities do need to pay a fee to have their multiple entry visa transferred. The immigration officer can advise you.

My new passport has now been registered on the Immigration system so I can use it for renewal of LTSVP. 

I can also use it at the Autogates when travelling through KLIA and KLIA2, although the first time I travelled on my new passport the system did not recognise it so I had to go to the manual counter. On subsequent trips I was able to use the Autogates without any problems.

Malaysian Permanent Residence: Learning and Improving my Bahasa Melayu for PR Interviews

When I submitted my application in KL I was told by the Immigration officer that I must speak Bahasa Melayu (BM) in the interviews, and that there was no point applying for Permit Masuk if I could not. One of the conditions on the KL Immigration application checklist when I applied was the following:

My Immigration and Police interviews were both conducted in BM, as was the Home Visit, so I needed to understand the questions and respond in BM. 

 
I had taken BM lessons in the past, but I did not speak it often and I wasn't very confident about answering questions in BM in the interviews. However I put in a lot of preparation and successfully passed both interviews. While the officers wanted me to only speak BM, they did not appear to expect me to be completely fluent in it.

This is how I learnt/improved my BM:
 
1) Took BM lessons

I had previously taken BM lessons once a week for 3 months which taught me the basics and gave a good foundation for understanding the language. Here are examples of available classes:

• https://www.alslanguage.com.my/ 
• https://www.ymcakl.com/page/204/Language-Courses/ 
• https://expatsmalaysia.my/malay-language-course/

Online BM tutors can be found on these websites:

• https://www.italki.com/en/teachers/malay
• https://preply.com/en/online/malay-tutors
• https://www.myprivatetutor.my/bahasa-malaysia-tutor

Another option are YouTube channels such as these:

• https://www.youtube.com/@sierralisse8897 
• https://www.youtube.com/@TinaAmir 
• https://www.youtube.com/@ILearnMalay 
• https://www.youtube.com/@IWannaLearnMalay

2) Used a language learning app

I used the Ling Language App to practice speaking and listening to BM in everyday situations. I have also seen https://lingora.org/ and https://talkpal.ai/ apps recommended. This article lists other BM learning apps: https://ling-app.com/ms/best-apps-for-learning-malay/

3) Revised interview questions and practiced answering them

I wrote and revised a list of likely questions and my answers, plus learnt the national anthem (Negaraku) and national principles (Rukun Negara).

This Reddit thread has lots of useful links to resources for learning Malay - click here
 

Example Interview Questions:

I searched Facebook Groups to find questions other applicants said were asked during their interviews. I translated these questions and my answers into BM:

 
Questions about the applicant and spouse:

• Can you speak Bahasa Melayu?
• What is your name?
• What country do you come from?
• What is your address/where do you stay?
• Do you own or rent the house?
• What is your age?
• What is your date of birth?
• Where were you born?
• What is your wife/husband’s date of birth?
• What is your religion?
• What date did you first come to Malaysia and what was your reason for visiting?
• What was the date of your first LTSVP?
• How long have you lived in Malaysia?
• How and when did you meet?
• How long you have been married?
• What was your marriage date?
• Do you have any children?
• What are your occupations?
• Which company do you/your spouse work for?
• What are your salaries?
• What is your wife/husband’s monthly salary?
• How many family members do you have?
• Do you have siblings?
• Do you have family in your home country?
• What are your family members occupations?
• Where does your family live?
• How many siblings does your wife/husband have?
• Where does your wife/husband’s family live?
• How many times do you go to your country in a year?
• What are your education qualifications?
• What are your wife/husband’s qualifications?
• Why do you want to apply for PR?
• What do you like about Malaysia?
• What do you like to do in your free time?
• What does your wife/husband like to do?
• What food do you like?
• What is your telephone number?
• Have you had any problems with the police in your country?
• Do you follow politics? Foreigners are not allowed to get involved in Malaysian politics.
  

 
General knowledge questions about Malaysia:

• What is the National Flower?
• What colour is the National Flower?
• What is the name of the Malaysian flag?
• How many colours does the flag have and what are they?
• How many stripes and what other symbols are on the flag?
• When is Independence Day (Hari Merdeka)?
• When is Malaysia Day (Hari Malaysia)?
• How many states and federal territories are there?
• What are the names of the states and federal territories?
• Who is the King?
• Who is the Prime Minister?
• Who is the Deputy Prime Minister?
• Who are some other cabinet ministers?
• Who was the first Prime Minister?
• Can you name all the Prime Ministers?
• What is the tallest mountain in Malaysia?
• What is the longest river in Malaysia?
• What is the national fruit of Malaysia?
• Can you recite the national principles (Rukun Negara)?
• Can you sing the national anthem (Negaraku)? You should stand up to show respect.

Applicants can be asked to recite Rukun Negara and sing Negaraku at one or both interviews. 

Watching YouTube videos helped me learn them:

Rukun Negara: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHEdSOkhI88 

Kepercayaan Kepada Tuhan

Kesetiaan Kepada Raja dan Negara

Keluhuran Perlembagaan

Kedaulatan Undang-undang

Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan

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Negaraku:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrNUQ0QZUdg

 Negaraku

 Tanah tumpahnya darah ku

 Rakyat hidup bersatu dan maju

 Rahmat bahagia Tuhan kurniakan

 Raja kita selamat bertakhta

 Rahmat bahagia Tuhan kurniakan

 Raja kita selamat bertakhta

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Malaysian Permanent Residence: Police Interview for Spouse

Attend Police Interview (April 2023)

I had my interview at Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontingen in KL, the process may be different at other police stations. 

The immigration officer had said that the police would call us to arrange the interview between 6 months and 1 year after the immigration interview but we actually received a call after 5 months, and were asked if we could come to the police station the next day.

The police officer asked us to bring the originals and 2 copies of the following documents:

• Foreign spouse passport (copy bio page)
• Foreign spouse LTSVP 
• Foreign spouse birth certificate
• Malaysian spouse IC (copy both sides)
• Malaysian spouse birth certificate
• Marriage certificate
• Immigration confirmation letter (given to us after we submitted the application)

We also brought the original documents submitted as part of our Immigration application (current & old passports/IC/marriage certificate/birth certificate/ sponsor’s pay slips & employment letter/utility bill/bond receipt etc) in case we were asked to show them.

I also printed a list with the following information:

• Family members of both spouses with name, age, occupation & address
• Schools the foreign spouse has attended
• Education qualifications of the foreign spouse

The police officer was pleased we had printed this list as it made her job a little easier.

Our interview was as at Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontingen (IPK), KL (near LaLaPort mall). We parked in the police compound and registered at the gate. We arrived very early ahead of our appointment, but there was no need to do so as we had to wait by the gate until we were collected by an officer at the appointed interview time. 

The interview was conducted in Bahasa Melayu (BM) by an officer from Special Branch (Cawangan Khas), and both my wife and I were interviewed together. The officers were professional and made us feel at ease. Another couple had their PR interview at the same time as us, with a different police officer in the same room.

We were primarily asked about our relationship history, occupations and salaries, family members, education, and the reasons for my PR application. The police can also ask the same questions as Immigration, including requesting to recite the Rukun Negara and sing Negaraku.

See this post for how I improved my BM for the PR interviews, and questions that might be asked: 

https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2023/04/malaysia-permanent-residence-pr-permit_20.html

The interview took 90 minutes, including time the officer spent entering data into their system.

I was advised that my file will now be forwarded to Bukit Aman for background checks, a process that can take approximately 1 year. Following this, the file will be returned to Immigration for review before being sent to Putrajaya for a final decision.

The police officer said I should regularly follow up with Immigration to check the status of my file, and that I must continue to renew my LTSVP.

I checked my status online at https://imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/eservices/myPermit?semakStatusPermit

NEXT STEP: Immigration and Police Home Visit, File Transfer to Putrajaya and Permit Masuk Approval: https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2024/12/malaysia-permanent-residence-pr-permit.html

Malaysian Permanent Residence: Immigration Interview for Spouse

Arrange and attend Immigration Interview (November 2022)

I had my interview in KL, the process may be different at other state offices. 

I was advised to arrange the Immigration interview for about 4 months after submitting my Permit Masuk application. I did this at https://www.imi.gov.my/ and chose Sistem Temujanji Online (STO) and [Visa] Permit Masuk options. Appointments are usually booked up 3 months in advance.

I printed out the appointment email to show to Immigration on the day of my appointment.

On the day of my interview I brought the original documents that were submitted as part of my application (current & old passports, IC, marriage certificate, birth certificate, sponsor’s payslips & employment letter, utility bill, bond receipt etc) plus the confirmation letter given to me when I submitted my application.

Both I and my Malaysian spouse were interviewed at the same time. The officer who interviewed us was polite and professional. The interview was in Bahasa Melayu (BM). We were both asked questions about our relationship, and I was also asked general knowledge questions about Malaysia.

See this post for how I improved my BM for the PR interviews, and questions that might be asked: 

https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2023/04/malaysia-permanent-residence-pr-permit_20.html

I was asked the following questions in Bahasa Melayu:

• Can you speak Bahasa Melayu?
• When was the date of your first LTSVP?
• When did you first come to Malaysia and why?
• How and when did you meet your wife?
• What are your occupations?
• Who is the Prime Minister?
• What is the national flower?
• What are the colours of the Malaysian flag?
• Do you know Rukun Negara? I then recited them.
• Can you sing Negaraku? I stood up when singing it to show respect.

There is a specific space on the checklist the officer filled out to confirm I knew Rukun Negara and Negaraku, so learning them was very important!

The Immigration Officer confirmed that he was happy with our application and interview. He said that the police will contact us within the next 6 months to 1 year to arrange the police interview.

I checked my status online at https://imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/eservices/myPermit?semakStatusPermit  

NEXT STEP: Police Interview: https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2023/04/malaysia-permanent-residence-pr-permit.html

Malaysian Permanent Residence: Permit Masuk Application Process for Spouse

Permit Masuk Application Process

I applied in KL. The process, and the documents required, may be different at other state offices. 

Completed all forms and gathered all information/documents requested
1) I collected original forms and checklist from Immigration Permit Masuk counter.

2) Made appointment to submit application:
I was only able to arrange an appointment date for 3 months time. 
I did this at https://www.imi.gov.my/ and chose Sistem Temujanji Online (STO) option. Made appointment for [Visa] Permit Masuk and printed out the confirmation letter to bring to the appointment.

3) Completed all forms and put together all information/documents requested.
This included recent passport photos (blue background), statutory declaration (witnessed by Commissioner for Oaths), sponsor’s payslips and employment letter, original LTSVP Security Bond receipt, e-Filing Income Tax statement, bank statements, proof of address etc. If you have children you also need to bring relevant documents for them; we don't have kids so didn't need to do that. I completed the forms in BM. I needed to allow plenty of time to do this as a lot of information is required.

This is the checklist I was given by KL immigration office:

Note that the foreign spouse must have their birth certificate certified by their Embassy. 

I'm a UK citizen, but as the British High Commission do not certify documents I had to download a letter from the UK government website explaining their policy and then had my birth certificate notarised by a Notary Public in KL. I submitted the letter and the notarised copy of my birth certificate as part of my application. The UK government letter is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/confirm-a-notarial-or-document-service-is-not-available  

Submitted Application at Immigration (July 2022)

Both the applicant and Malaysian spouse must attend. I brought the print out of my appointment email plus all original documents and copies requested.

Before I was allowed to submit my application the immigration officer asked me 'Siapa Perdana Menteri?' [Who is the Prime Minister?]. He advised me that I must speak Bahasa Melayu in the interviews and that there was no point applying for Permit Masuk if I could not.

With that advice from the officer, I committed to improve my BM language skills, in order to give my application the greatest chance of success. See this post for how I improved my BM, and examples of questions that might be asked: 

https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2023/04/malaysia-permanent-residence-pr-permit_20.html

After my application was accepted I was given a confirmation letter to bring to the immigration and police interviews. It had a reference number so I could check the status of my application online.

The officer then asked me to make an appointment for the immigration interview for 4 months time.

NEXT STEP: Immigration Interview: https://spousevisamalaysia.blogspot.com/2022/11/malaysia-permanent-residence-pr-permit.html 

Driving in Malaysia: Convert Probationary Driving Licence (PDL) to Competent Driving Licence (CDL)

After 2 years of holding a PDL you can convert it to CDL (i.e. a full driving licence)

I did my conversion at JPJ Wangsa Maju. Driving licences are dealt with at Pintu 1. Queues can be long, it took me 3 hours from arriving (at 10am) to get my CDL issued. When I visited (March 2022) JPJ Wangsa Maju closed for sanitisation between 1pm and 2pm each day.

You can apply a maximum of 7 days prior to the expiration of your PDL. If you apply within those 7 days you will have no break in dates between PDL expiring and CDL becoming valid and can continue driving during that time.

You must apply for your CDL within one (1) year from the PDL expiry date or you will need to repeat the driving test.

At JPJ dress rules may be enforced e.g. no shorts/t-shirts/ slippers /short skirts. You may be turned away if you are not dressed correctly.

Bring the following documents:

• Original passport
• Photocopy of passport
• Original driving licence
• Photocopy of driving licence (front AND back)
• Passport photo (white background)

If you need to change address or passport number on the licence, let the staff know at the registration desk and they will give you form JPJL7 to fill in. You will need to bring your old passport (and a photocopy of it) if you are changing your passport number. The sections to be completed are:

• B: Old passport number
• C1: Name and date of birth
• C2: Address
• C3: New passport number
• E: Date and sign

Foreigners can choose a licence length of up to 5 years dependent on passport expiry date. The date of your CDL licence expiration will be the date of your birthday.

The fee for foreigners was Rm60/year, payable by debit or credit card only. However, JPJ later expanded the options to allow payment by e-wallet.