Mission Immigration

I did it - I really wanted to be friendly, polite, successful. Especially successful. I had to go to immigration because when I came back from Singapore, I was told at the border that it is not possible to have a valid work permit in an expired passport and carrying along a passport that is valid but without a work permit, but a remark that the work permit is in the expired one ( a one, a two, a three - can you follow?). That I would need to transfer my work permit from the expired passport to the new passport. Border control in Johor gave me two weeks to do so.

Good citizen that I am, I told my firm that today is the day when this mission will be accomplished. I took the chance to have a great breakfast with my kid - having Roti Canai - and than to drive off to Damansara. My wife accompanied me to immigration to give me psychological assistance. I arrived at the building, telling myself loudly, that this is a great day, the sun is shining, I am friendly, and will be very successful. Positive vibes all around me, so to speak.

I don't like the building. It is cramped and dirty. I was there only 5 minutes, since information told us that work permits have been transferred to Putrajaya. Great. One hour drive.

Okay - the highway was free and it is a nice ride. The lady in Damansara gave us the address in Putrajaya - or, the Presint (or whatever) and the building name. Problem is only that everything looks pretty much the same in Putrajaya. Big, huge, daunting. Powerful, full of power. Made me feel really, really small and insignificant, but this is what architecture can do to you.

We arrived, the room was full, but only 15 people in front of us. Out comes my PDA, I play some games, and be happy. As I said, positive vibes. After about an hour, my number comes up - pretty fast, hm?

There is someone in front of me, and the lady behind the counter looks pissed. Grouchy, unhappy, cynical, pissed. When she turned to me, after 15 seconds, and cutting the other guy short, I knew I had to be charming, and friendly. I smiled, said Good Morning, and asked for the transfer of my work permit to my new passport.

She took a quick look at it and said, I need a letter from my company, and to copy my old and my new passport. My face fall flat. I said, that the work permit is only 6 months old. That I had a letter, when I applied for it. She just repeated the message, not even looking at me, but scribbling down the items that I need to bring. I ask her if she would be really be sure. She snapped that I could check with her supervisor, if I want (btw, she said the same to the guy before me). I ask her, where I would find him and what his name was and after she told me, I went to the counter. The guy was suppose to sit a bit away from the counter, about 3 meters away.

The counter was empty. We waited, my wife and I. Moving up and down, trying to get his attention. He was on the phone, staring at the computer. Put down the phone, still looking at the computer. Really intensely working. No looking up. Some files fall down, and he picked them up. Not even one look to the counter. I move left and right, hoping, that my movement will catch his attention. It doesn't. My wife went to the neighbouring counter on the right to ask the guy there for help. All she gets is the response that if Encik is finished with his work, he will attend to us. Nice, friendly. Service with a smile.

We wait. I play music on the counter. No reaction from our Encik. My wife went to the counter on the left to check with the guy there. He just turns around, and shouts at our guy. Oh - now he comes. He explains to my wife and to me that they need the letter, because they have to make sure that the one applying for the transfer is really still working with the company. Nothing against me, not me, of course. He said this, really.

So I have to do this. Nice. Need to stay away from the office another half a day. Very productive. My mood wasn't good anymore, after that.