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Documents
You Should Bring
When
you are packing your bags for your big move to the U.S. there are some
important things you should bring with you besides clothes and foodstuff.
While not a complete list, these are the key things you should have.
- Your Identity Card
- Birth Certificate
- A copy of your driving record. This can be obtained easily from the
Malaysian DMV with only RM10 payment. It is believed you have to have
it translated and certified because this is in Bahasa. While it's not
instrumental in obtaining a U.S. driver's license, it could help bring
down your insurance.
- College Degrees or Diplomas especially if you intend to pursue
further education.
- Referral letters from past jobs. Remember, you do not know anyone
here and neither does anyone know you. Your best mouthpiece in the
beginning, if you choose to continue your career is to get someone to
vouch for you. Even though this is not necessary, it would certainly
help.
- Your Credit Card(s). This may sound silly because it is relatively
easy to obtain a credit card in the U.S. However, if you have someone
to take care of your credit card bills for you in Malaysia, it is
suggested you keep your credit cards for a little while longer. Why?
Your first credit card in the U.S. would very likely be a secured
credit card because you have no credit history. Foreign credit history
is not accepted. Basically you would have to put an amount of money
into a 'savings account' with the credit provider before they approve
your card.
You can obtain unsecured cards but they usually have very high
interest; one we saw was 29% without any grace period. Meaning, the
minute you charge $10 on your card, you will also be accumulating $10
plus whatever annual percentage rate you are charged until you pay up.
Why do you need a credit card? A lot of places require it as the best
form of payment. A good example is, renting a car. It is almost
impossible to do so without a credit card.
How
To Renew Your Malaysian Passport.
*update
10/8/2002. This is an unofficial guide. As the following was written 21
months ago, please be aware procedures and fees might have changed. The
instructions posted here were given to me over the phone when I called up
the Embassy. As far as I am aware I have not come across any official
instructions posted online by the Malaysian Government. This is how I
renewed my own passport but I would encourage everyone else to call
the embassy for instructions. This'll eliminate any problems about
fees and procedures.
After
you have been in the U.S. long enough, you may find that your passport
will expire at some point. Renewing your passport while you are in the
U.S. is not a big problem, simply a longer wait than if you were back home
and a heftier fee!
This
is the procedure that was followed about 3 months ago. Since then, postal
rates have changed. How much it has affected the procedure, please check
with the Malaysian Embassy's Consular Division. To ensure you have a valid
passport before travel, give enough time for the renewal process. The
Malaysian Embassy recommends 6 months.
The
Process
- Send a letter requesting passport renewal package with photocopy of
pages 2,3 and 7 of your current passport and a 6" x 9" self
addressed envelope with at least 60 cents postage to: Embassy of
Malaysia (Consular Division) 1900 24th Street NW Washington, D.C. 2008
- A week to two later, you should receive this package. It will
contain the forms to renew your passport and register your information
with the Embassy, a large envelope, an airway bill and instructions.
- Complete the forms, with your right thumb print on the area
designated. Make a copy of your Malaysian Identity Card, birth
certificate, marriage certificate and green card or any document
proving legal residency in the U.S. and have them notarized. If you
are a student, you should get a letter from your school indicating
your enrollment.
- Take 3 passport photos of yourself.
- Purchase a U.S. Postal Money Order made payable to Embassy of
Malaysia. The value depends on how many pages you wish to apply for. A
32 page passport costs $79 and a 64 page passport costs $158.
- Purchase $11.75 of postage and affix it to the envelope provided.
Fill in your name and address on the airway bill and affix that too
onto the envelope.
- Gather all the completed forms, notarized documents, passport
photos, money order, envelope from the embassy AND not forgetting,
your current passport. Get another envelope of your own and send all
these back to the Embassy. If you want to be sure it gets there, send
it certified with return receipt.
- Once they receive it, they will process your application. You should
get your new passport in 2-4 weeks.
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