Ok slight variation on the OP’s post... 😬 I have a Non- Im B Multi, I want to apply for a one year extension of stay based on marriage, (I know about the money in account/income requirement etc) can this be done in country on my existing visa or do I have to exit and re-enter on another type of visa?

@Robert ******

this is the problem. I assure you I’ve been to the schools lawyer, tasked her with going to immigration. She returned and said no. I’ve been there twice and asked them. To no avail. I do believe you and I’m going to take your advice and pursue it to the Nth degree, I just wanted to post my/our experience. As you said, people will learn. I am extremely grateful. It seems I have to ask a million times to get one, definitive answer. Apparently we are surrounded by people that have no clue then.

Robert Lagas finally a definitive answer. It may sound simple to some, but when you are in a different country listening to conflicting advice in a foreign language it can be confusing, even to the most intelligent amongst us. Especially when agendas are at play and it suits others just to let you bounce. The rules have changed now and I guess it’s forced people to question this issue. Maybe the change is a good thing. Certainly the criminal records check is, I’m all for that. It’s slightly embarrassing that a singular trip to Malaysia may resolve this problem combined with cooperation from one’s employer. I actually am married and have a child and don’t need to worry, but we’ve just had two really good teachers from an agency join us and they’ve been told nothing.. they’ve gone from being told ‘we’ll arrange everything’ to sort your own visa out - we’ll only do the work permit. The agency is just a THIRD variable in an un-sortable mess that had even the most hardy agency boss here scratching his head.

It’s extremely frustrating.

@Robert ******

even a new agency today told two new employees that would have to bounce. We’ve used three maybe four, no one has put us right. A definitive answer appears to be very hard to come by.

The ‘lawyer’ has been tasked/asked many times to resolve this issue with local immigration. I’ve been to immigration three times. They know me by name. It seems I can’t make any ground.

It was more to protect the people I’m talking about, but whatever, it’s reached a critical point. The school we work for has not long stepped up from one teacher winging it on a tourist visa (a few years) to 4 teachers now. The method used by them for the last year or so (inclusive of their own lawyer) is for us to get a non imm b single, then arrange a work permit, then 90 days later go for a non b multi, then bounce every 90 days. A system that worked, for Penang, up until now. Now no multi. Hence the reason for reaching out.

I appreciate that.

Ok. That’s fine.

Ok to pm you Robert?