# Opening a bank account in Malaysia when you have a tourist visa



## chrisddickey

I decided to live in Penang for a year or two on a series of 90 day tourist visas before going to the trouble of getting my MM2H visa. So I am only 9 months in when I have an opportunity to sign a two year lease on a good property. So suddenly I want a Malaysian bank account to use to pay my rent, but I don't have the MM2H visa yet. In fact since I understand that the MM2H lasts for the life of your passport, and my passport expires in a bit over a year, I need to get a new passport before I want to get my MM2H visa, so the whole process will take awhile. In the meantime I want to open a local bank account immediately. 

So I stopped by a RHB and the first thing they wanted to see was my passport with my work permit and/or MM2H visa. I explained that I did not have ether. I was retired and planning on staying long, but did not have a MM2H visa yet. They said I could not open an account. 

So, I want a local bank account into which I can transfer money from the US (I understand that I will need a 2nd account for this piece of magic to occur) and from which I can pay local bills.

Does anybody have any advice on how to do this?


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## chong

chrisddickey said:


> I decided to live in Penang for a year or two on a series of 90 day tourist visas before going to the trouble of getting my MM2H visa. So I am only 9 months in when I have an opportunity to sign a two year lease on a good property. So suddenly I want a Malaysian bank account to use to pay my rent, but I don't have the MM2H visa yet. In fact since I understand that the MM2H lasts for the life of your passport, and my passport expires in a bit over a year, I need to get a new passport before I want to get my MM2H visa, so the whole process will take awhile. In the meantime I want to open a local bank account immediately.
> 
> So I stopped by a RHB and the first thing they wanted to see was my passport with my work permit and/or MM2H visa. I explained that I did not have ether. I was retired and planning on staying long, but did not have a MM2H visa yet. They said I could not open an account.
> 
> So, I want a local bank account into which I can transfer money from the US (I understand that I will need a 2nd account for this piece of magic to occur) and from which I can pay local bills.
> 
> Does anybody have any advice on how to do this?


Here's the list of banks in Malaysia:
BNM List of Licensed Banking Institutions in Malaysia

I would suggest HSBC, OCBC, Standard Chartered Bank


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## chrisddickey

*AFFIN bank*

Thanks for the reply, I ended up trying 4 or 5 banks before AFFIN bank let me open an account!


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## cvco

AFFIN bank didnt ask for a work pass? Thats weird. What happened exactly? And also, did you get an ATM card and do they offer online banking for bill payment? Did you also ask if they are working under FATCA?

By the way, that 90-day door is closing fast. Both Malaysia and Thailand are beginning to disallow visa runs, a policy that started a year ago. You may try to come back after a trip out and find you can only get a 7-day visa which is only valid if you immediately visit the immigration office in Penang where you will be told to leave. Happened to me and others too. My workpass expired and I dont plan to renew. Im going a different route now but thats the deal with immigration.

Where in Penang are you? Im happy to meet up for coffee. Ive been here almost 16 years, you might want to pick my brain about something.


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## chrisddickey

Same as the other banks, I went in and said I wanted to open a current account, but did not have my MM2H visa yet, but was planning on getting it later in the year. They said no problem. Yep, ATM and online banking.

I am actually planning on getting my MM2H in a year, and understand (hope) that doing visa runs for a year or so is not much problem, it is after you have two or three years of stamps that they really start asking questions. I was asked once about my multiple entries into Malaysia and I just explained that I wanted to live here a year before bothering with the long term visa. It was no problem. 

I am in the Gurney area if you want to send me a private message for a meetup.


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## cvco

Ok I can message you but how? I see no link on any page to send a PM. What am I missing?


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## cvco

Ah wait, I see in the Welcome letter Im not senior enough to use PMs. Have to wait for five posts to be liked by others then the PM link should be visible. Wonderful.

Meantime i had looked on Affins website and its even more restrictive than others, requiring either citizenship or Permanent Residency to open an account. I was right to say your experience was weird!

For meeting, im in Bukit Mertajam but come to the island when its needed. I could meet on the weekend, you can choose a place around Gurney. At the roundabout on the northside there is a big outdoor food court, could meet there to avoid the plaza itself. Or could meet at Kapitan Tandoori on Chulia St, most people know that place and its easy for me to take the ferry.


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