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A notice from several foreign missions in Malaysia advising their citizens with expired social visit passes to be prepared to leave by next week has left many scrambling for answers. Many of them have been stranded in Malaysia since early last year when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and they were made to understand that they could stay in Malaysia for up to 14 working days until the end of the movement control order, which has not been lifted until now.
Last week, foreigners in the country began receiving emails from their embassies in Malaysia advising them that they may have to leave the country before April 21 if they have a social visit pass that expired on or after Jan 1,2020.
The email detailed that there was a 14-working day grace period for them to leave after the end of the MCO on March 31 this year without applying for a special pass or approval from immigration.
Although the MCO was extended until April 14, there has not been any indication from the government that the grace period has been extended.
Several attempts have been made to contact officials from embassies here and the Malaysian Immigration Department on the matter. As at press time, both have yet to issue a statement on the matter.
Joanne Richardson, a US citizen stranded in Malaysia with an expired social visit pass, said this uncertainty had left many in a precarious situation.
“We have been here for a year and have rented apartments, adopted animals and made social obligations. We cannot just drop everything to leave immediately, ” she said in an email to The Star. Richardson, who was born in Romania, said she could not return to her native country in the European Union as she lost her residency status during the lockdown and was barred from entering with a US passport.
She added that others might not want to return because they did not want to face strict lockdowns or high numbers of Covid-19 cases in their home countries.
Richardson said the lack of an official statement from the Malaysian Immigration Department had compounded the confusion.
Despite the uncertainty, another US citizen Pete Mancuso, 50, said he had already booked his flight ticket home but was prepared to let go of it if he was allowed to stay longer.
“I love Malaysia and am happy to stay. I have been living away from the US for the past 10 years and the timing to return is not really great now, ” he said.
Another American, a language teacher who was in the midst of securing a longer-term work permit before the movement control order began last year, said she was hoping to get clarification on the advisory while she figured out her next move.
“It has been stressful and we have been in this same situation since last year, ” said the San Francisco native, who did not want to be named.
A Syrian tourist, who only wanted to be known as Oday, said he did not receive a notification from his embassy about having to leave Malaysia before April 21.
Oday, 30, came to Malaysia on March 6 last year on a social visit pass which has since lapsed.
However, he managed to get the relevant documents from the Syrian embassy here vouching for him.
He said he used the documents to show the authorities that he could legally stay in the country until the end of the MCO.
“I was not able to book a ticket, and I have settled in with my Venezuelan girlfriend here. We hope to leave for Canada soon, ” Oday added.
Source: Shocked over such short noticeLast week, foreigners in the country began receiving emails from their embassies in Malaysia advising them that they may have to leave the country before April 21 if they have a social visit pass that expired on or after Jan 1,2020.
The email detailed that there was a 14-working day grace period for them to leave after the end of the MCO on March 31 this year without applying for a special pass or approval from immigration.
Although the MCO was extended until April 14, there has not been any indication from the government that the grace period has been extended.
Several attempts have been made to contact officials from embassies here and the Malaysian Immigration Department on the matter. As at press time, both have yet to issue a statement on the matter.
Joanne Richardson, a US citizen stranded in Malaysia with an expired social visit pass, said this uncertainty had left many in a precarious situation.
“We have been here for a year and have rented apartments, adopted animals and made social obligations. We cannot just drop everything to leave immediately, ” she said in an email to The Star. Richardson, who was born in Romania, said she could not return to her native country in the European Union as she lost her residency status during the lockdown and was barred from entering with a US passport.
She added that others might not want to return because they did not want to face strict lockdowns or high numbers of Covid-19 cases in their home countries.
Richardson said the lack of an official statement from the Malaysian Immigration Department had compounded the confusion.
Despite the uncertainty, another US citizen Pete Mancuso, 50, said he had already booked his flight ticket home but was prepared to let go of it if he was allowed to stay longer.
“I love Malaysia and am happy to stay. I have been living away from the US for the past 10 years and the timing to return is not really great now, ” he said.
Another American, a language teacher who was in the midst of securing a longer-term work permit before the movement control order began last year, said she was hoping to get clarification on the advisory while she figured out her next move.
“It has been stressful and we have been in this same situation since last year, ” said the San Francisco native, who did not want to be named.
A Syrian tourist, who only wanted to be known as Oday, said he did not receive a notification from his embassy about having to leave Malaysia before April 21.
Oday, 30, came to Malaysia on March 6 last year on a social visit pass which has since lapsed.
However, he managed to get the relevant documents from the Syrian embassy here vouching for him.
He said he used the documents to show the authorities that he could legally stay in the country until the end of the MCO.
“I was not able to book a ticket, and I have settled in with my Venezuelan girlfriend here. We hope to leave for Canada soon, ” Oday added.
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Friends and family members of foreigners who are in Penang on social visit passes are in the dark over instructions by their respective embassies telling them to leave the country before April 21.
Most of them expressed shock and described the matter as confusing as they had not been briefed about the latest guideline.
A Japanese expatriate, who only wanted to be known as Osaki, said his 89-year-old mother, who has a social visit pass, had been staying with him in Tanjung Bungah since January last year.
“So far, the Japanese embassy has not informed us of any new development. I check my email daily, but there’s nothing there about the ruling, ” he said when met here yesterday.
Osaki said he had lived in Malaysia for the past 25 years and had a work permit.
He said he was unable to renew his mother’s social visit pass when the movement control order was implemented last year, adding that since then, he was clueless about what to do next.
Osaki also said his mother’s old age made her return trip more difficult as the Covid-19 pandemic meant it was too risky for senior citizens to travel.
“I hope the Malaysian Immigration Department can provide clear guidelines on the matter.
“I also hope more leeway can be given to senior citizens like my elderly mother until the situation improves, ” he said.
Universiti Sains Malaysia student Paige Wanji, 25, from Kenya, expressed shock when she was told of the ruling.
“I have church friends from Canada, the United States and several European countries who have been here on social visit passes since last year. This ruling will be hard on them, ” she said.
Paige said many of them told her of the problems they faced when trying to renew their passes since the pandemic hit last year.
“Some of them are unable to make their trip as there are insufficient flights to their respective countries.
“They are also not sure what to do next,” she said.
Meanwhile, Pakistani honorary consul-general to Penang Datuk Seri Abdul Rafique Karim said a notification of the instruction had been sent to all Pakistanis here on social visit passes and work permits that had expired since early this month.
He said the notification was sent out by the Pakistani High Commission in Kuala Lumpur to its citizens here.
“We can merely advise them on making proper flight arrangements to return to their country to avoid being punished by the Malaysian Immigration Department,” he said.
An American national, who only wished to be known as Sally, 66, said she hoped that her social pass could be extended for her to make the necessary plans while waiting for international borders to formally reopen.
“I am in Malaysia on a social pass but have not been able to renew it since Malaysia closed its borders under the movement control order last year.
“In fact, I have not left Penang since February last year.
“I wanted to apply for the Malaysia My Second Home programme in Sarawak and corresponded with the authorities in September last year.
“I had all the documents ready and even bought a flight ticket so that I could go to Kuching to hand in my application.
“Unfortunately, interstate travel was not allowed and my plans were disrupted, ” she said.
Sally, who cares for 300 cats as a volunteer at an animal shelter in Penang, said she would be at high risk to travel as she has chronic asthma and inflammatory disease.
“I prefer to stay in Malaysia as the weather here is good for my condition.
“I am also trying to find other suitable countries where I could temporarily stay.
“I received an email from the US Embassy in Malaysia, stating that I have until April 21 to leave the country or risk being fined or detained.
“I obtained a teaching job offer at a university in Thailand but could not go as the borders are still closed.
“I am hoping for alternatives, but may end up flying back to New York to be with my family there.
“I will definitely miss my cats here. I may no longer be able to contribute to the animal shelter as the money I have would be used for my travelling and starting life anew there, ” she said.
Source: Many left confused and unsure what to do nextMost of them expressed shock and described the matter as confusing as they had not been briefed about the latest guideline.
A Japanese expatriate, who only wanted to be known as Osaki, said his 89-year-old mother, who has a social visit pass, had been staying with him in Tanjung Bungah since January last year.
“So far, the Japanese embassy has not informed us of any new development. I check my email daily, but there’s nothing there about the ruling, ” he said when met here yesterday.
Osaki said he had lived in Malaysia for the past 25 years and had a work permit.
He said he was unable to renew his mother’s social visit pass when the movement control order was implemented last year, adding that since then, he was clueless about what to do next.
Osaki also said his mother’s old age made her return trip more difficult as the Covid-19 pandemic meant it was too risky for senior citizens to travel.
“I hope the Malaysian Immigration Department can provide clear guidelines on the matter.
“I also hope more leeway can be given to senior citizens like my elderly mother until the situation improves, ” he said.
Universiti Sains Malaysia student Paige Wanji, 25, from Kenya, expressed shock when she was told of the ruling.
“I have church friends from Canada, the United States and several European countries who have been here on social visit passes since last year. This ruling will be hard on them, ” she said.
Paige said many of them told her of the problems they faced when trying to renew their passes since the pandemic hit last year.
“Some of them are unable to make their trip as there are insufficient flights to their respective countries.
“They are also not sure what to do next,” she said.
Meanwhile, Pakistani honorary consul-general to Penang Datuk Seri Abdul Rafique Karim said a notification of the instruction had been sent to all Pakistanis here on social visit passes and work permits that had expired since early this month.
He said the notification was sent out by the Pakistani High Commission in Kuala Lumpur to its citizens here.
“We can merely advise them on making proper flight arrangements to return to their country to avoid being punished by the Malaysian Immigration Department,” he said.
An American national, who only wished to be known as Sally, 66, said she hoped that her social pass could be extended for her to make the necessary plans while waiting for international borders to formally reopen.
“I am in Malaysia on a social pass but have not been able to renew it since Malaysia closed its borders under the movement control order last year.
“In fact, I have not left Penang since February last year.
“I wanted to apply for the Malaysia My Second Home programme in Sarawak and corresponded with the authorities in September last year.
“I had all the documents ready and even bought a flight ticket so that I could go to Kuching to hand in my application.
“Unfortunately, interstate travel was not allowed and my plans were disrupted, ” she said.
Sally, who cares for 300 cats as a volunteer at an animal shelter in Penang, said she would be at high risk to travel as she has chronic asthma and inflammatory disease.
“I prefer to stay in Malaysia as the weather here is good for my condition.
“I am also trying to find other suitable countries where I could temporarily stay.
“I received an email from the US Embassy in Malaysia, stating that I have until April 21 to leave the country or risk being fined or detained.
“I obtained a teaching job offer at a university in Thailand but could not go as the borders are still closed.
“I am hoping for alternatives, but may end up flying back to New York to be with my family there.
“I will definitely miss my cats here. I may no longer be able to contribute to the animal shelter as the money I have would be used for my travelling and starting life anew there, ” she said.