Living and working in a new country comes with a unique set of challenges. Outside more obvious ones like adjusting to the change of environment and so on, there is a need to also adjust to the way of doing things in the new environment you find yourself in. As an expatriate in Malaysia, situations may arise where you will need to get yourself a private means of transportation to shuttle around wherever you choose to reside within the country. There are only two options available to you if you want a vehicle. You either purchase one or have it imported into the country for you. Here’s a brief rundown of how either of those processes works and what you need to do.
Purchasing A Car As An Expatriate
Before you can even consider getting a vehicle here in Malaysia, specific requirements must first be met. First and foremost, there’s an age bracket eligible for driving in the country. To be able to drive, you need to be within the ages of 23 and 65. In addition to this, you must be a driver who’s had his drivers’ license for no less than a full year. If you meet all the criteria cited above, this is where the real task begins. Because the country is home to various local car manufacturers, it’ll always be easier to get these vehicles, compared to foreign products. Besides, the vehicle’s cost is also likely to be very high due to the amount of tax this kind of activity commands. The only way this price can be significantly reduced is if you happen to have a particular type of visa; the Malaysia My Second Home visa, or MM2H visa, for short. This document exempts you from the tax commissions that you’d ideally have to pay to purchase a car.
Importing A Car As An Expatriate
By and large, the same principles that apply to purchase a car also influence importing vehicles in Malaysia. There are, however, a few significant differences that you should take note of about these two processes. As we mentioned earlier, the government works hard to support the growth of local vehicle manufacturers. If you’re wondering what bearing that has on car importations, we’ll be revealing that now. Considering that there are several local alternatives available, it is challenging to get an imported vehicle into the country. Of course, as with purchasing a vehicle, owning an MM2H goes a long way in helping you expedite the entire process. It can also prove handy in helping you save costs.
Conclusion
While getting a vehicle as an expatriate in the country might seem a bit of effort and resource-consuming initially, ultimately, it is likely to serve you better than renting a vehicle or shuttling about using public transportation. If you’d like to boycott all the hassle that comes with importing a car into the country, there is no shortage of top-quality local brands that will serve you very well.
