Staying In Malaysia

[stuartmcl]

because of the new visa regulations in thailand ( i have been getting triple entry visas from penang for 2 years and using them back to back) i am considering relocating to malaysia. i hold a british passport so i should get 3 months entryto begin with. but what is the position for getting a further entry when that 3 months is up? can i get back to back 3 month visas? will i have to do border runs from malaysia to thailand? thanks

[vinny]

See also visa runs.

[Casanundra]

If you are intending on buying a property you can get a visa for 10 years in malaysia.

Go and check out their website as it is written in plain clear and sensible English unlike the one we have here in Thailand.

I too am considering malaysia as an alternative and right now it's knocking spots off the Thai visa regulations in how welcoming and easy on foreigners it appears to be.

10 years when you buy a property compared to 90 days in Thailand is a huge winner for me.

[Maizefarmer]

CASANUNDRA - .... and Malaysia long term cost of living - cheaper than Thailand?

Other than the ###### inconvieniance of Thai visa regs for most, overall just how significant is the cost of visa in the overall context of deciding where to live? (note: the cost - not the inconvieniance).

Tim

[Casanundra]

Well to answer your specific question and putting hassle factor and uncertainty of your future aside in LOS then the actual cost of the visa itself is cheaper in Thailand and of course it is also a less dreary place to live compared to Malaysia... but living costs are always going to be debateable because it's different for each and every one of us...

[Maizefarmer]

Personaly I do not have the hassle of having to worry about a visa in Thailand, so my viewpoint may be missing that experiance, but overall, when looked at from a long term settlement point of view, I wonder just how much impact the process of having to get (and keep getting) a visa has on deciding where to settle.

There are a fair amount of ex-pats in Thailand who have doing 30 day runs for god only knows how long - a complete nuisanse it has been to them, but they have tolerated it - not to mention the amount of money they have had to spend (not on the visa stamp its self (which was free) but on the travel costs every month).

My conclusion was that in choosing a place to stay the visa process (so long as it could be statisfied one way or the other) was not an issue that scared people off. Despite the grumbling about it, if people wanted to stay then they stayed - the visa hassle was just accepted as a neccessary evil to be satisified, and the only time they moved on as far as visas went, was when they could no longer afford it - which in the case of Thailand, well, ultimately it is still not the visa cost that is going to be a problem - its sttill a small part of overall living expense but the requirements that are now been enforced and have to be satisfied to get the visa - and that I think is going to drive off a good few peole.

It will be interesting to see how the postings to this forum subject change in around 90 days time, and then again in 180 days times when ALL the visa options, (up untill now exploitable) start runnign out for those who having been staying here a long time on 30 day runs.

Tim

[Casanundra]

I quite agree.

getting a visa is not an issue for me either as I have a good job, WP and on top of that a Thai wife so I can stay using the Non imm O for marriage if I wanted as well despite the new rules hassle.

I think the acid test as you mention will occur in January or later in March when the extra hassle factor kicks in for all those who previously (and still do) the 30 day visa runs.

I myself will be going down the PR route at the 3 year point but not many seem to take this option but I do believe and forecast that Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam will become the new hot zones for those no longer content or able to stay in Thailand and the options for a 10 year visa in Malaysia is one of the incentives that is out there to entice those who may have to consider going elsewhere.

Edited October 20, 2006 by Casanundra

[Maizefarmer]

I am now getting on for 50 - I personally would not go down the PR route now - had I not done it when I did (in my 20's) I wouldn't be bothered about it now.

Although I am glad I am here and have zero regretts, if I was doing the whole thing again - I would be looking at Vietnam very carefully.

Tim

Edited October 20, 2006 by Maizefarmer