It’s Day 4 in Moscow for me and I have been getting a lot of questions on Instagram on why and how did I exit Malaysia during the pandemic. When my husband told me he’d like us to go back to Russia, I felt relieved as I was mentally done with Malaysia. Every day I’d end up reading something that would piss me off — The injustice, the inequality, the idiocy, the abuse of power, the herd mentality. I was done with the country robbing us of the freedom to walk out freely, imposing never-ending half-assed lockdowns and idiotic rules.
So here are the answers to your questions:
1. How are you able to exit Malaysia during the pandemic?
People can still exit Malaysia during the pandemic if they have valid reasons. Some of the reasons would include work-related, family emergency (someone’s sick or etc), medical reasons or if you have a long-term pass from another country. I left Malaysia because my Russian husband needed to be with his family in Moscow due to personal reasons.
2. Are you settling down in Russia for good or are you on vacation?
As of now, I am not settling down in Russia for good due to the language barrier. I am not on “vacation” I’d say, I’ll be staying here for a while.
3. How long will you be there?
Perhaps 3-6 months? It depends on the whole covid situation as well. I definitely don’t plan on coming back to Malaysia until they stop implementing ridiculous lockdowns.
4. What are the documents you needed to exit Malaysia? Can you share the process?
What I needed was a “MyTravelPass” (MTP) approval. This is important, without this you can’t leave unless you’re a long-term pass holder of another country.
So here’s what I did:
• Applied for MyTravelPass
My first application was rejected the first time, but the second time was approved after I’ve attached my husband’s approved MyTravelPass letter. Honestly, I think the approval is done randomly based on luck, so if you got rejected don’t give up. I got the result for the first application within 5 working days and the second within 8 working days. This pass is valid only for exiting Malaysia, you’d need to reapply if you need to re-enter Malaysia.
• Get marriage certificate translated to Russian and notarized at the Russian embassy
I translated it to English myself and paid a freelancer on Fiverr.com to translate it to Russian. (The translated document will need to follow the layout of the original cert.) My husband and I then dropped it off at the embassy for them to notarize it. Paid RM400 for the whole thing (in the receipt it’s written that I paid RM200 but as my husband mentioned they’re big on ripping people off) Had to wait 1 week for that.
• Apply for Visa at the Russian embassy (consulate area)
Returned with my private visa application which took 5 working days (for spouse). It’s probably longer for those who wish to obtain a visa without a Russian spouse. Paid RM320 for 3 months. I’d be able to extend it when I reach Moscow.
• Bought 1-way flight ticket to Moscow
Since I don’t know when I’d like to return, I didn’t need a return ticket.
• Get a police permit 2 days before I head to the airport
They will check for it as there’s a roadblock before you reach the airport.
• Get a Covid PCR test
I got it a day before my flight as I need it to be valid for 72 hours. Took the test at BP around 10 am, the queue was long at the Klang branch but got the result around 1 AM the next day.
• Get a travel/medical insurance that covers Covid 19 related issues
It’s not easy to find one locally though so I got one from a Russian insurance company. It costs about RM400 for 3 months.
5. How did you manage to travel without getting vaccinated? Are you against vaccines?
I don’t have to get vaccinated to travel to Russia, I just need a PCR test to show that I’m covid-free. No, I’m not against vaccines, I registered in Malaysia but didn’t get any update. Might get vaccinated here in Moscow. However, I do believe some vaccines may work better on certain people. I don’t have the best immunity, have an allergy history, and have a blood disorder. I believe we get to choose what we put into our body even if most people say “we shouldn’t be choosing, just take what you get.” If the doctor gives it a go, then I shall proceed.
6. How many days did you quarantine?
I didn’t go through a quarantine as it’s not needed in Russia. I just needed my PCR test.
7. Will you consider permanently living in Russia? If not, where do you plan on settling down?
Only if I manage to learn the language which is tough. I do plan on settling down in one of these countries: Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. If it’s meant to be, it will be.
8. Why did you choose to leave?
Since my husband wanted to be with his family, I see it as an opportunity to finally become a digital nomad. My plan has always been to travel for about a year, earn a living remotely from any part of the world. Implementing work-life balance, not from a fixed location, but from anywhere I choose to go to.
