The checklist states that copies of foreign documents need to be certified by the Malaysian Representative Office in the child’s country of birth or the Embassy of the child’s country of birth in Malaysia, and then re-certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra). How do I go about doing this?

Document certification is a common source of confusion for mothers applying for citizenship, as requirements can vary based on the issuing country. While there are general guidelines, there are also “spin-off” from that main rules depending on the situation. The main objective is to ensure the Malaysian authorities accept the documents during the citizenship application process. Below are instructions tailored to three different scenarios:

Mother currently staying in Malaysia and want to apply in Malaysia

If you are in Malaysia, the document certification process is relatively straightforward:

1. Language Requirements: Ensure all documents are in either Bahasa Malaysia or English. If not, have them translated (refer to our previous question on the translation process).
2. Embassy Certification: Bring the translated documents to the issuing country’s embassy in Malaysia for certification. For example, a German birth certificate must be certified by the German embassy in Malaysia.
3. MOFA Certification: Once certified by the embassy, proceed to the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA/Wisma Putra) for a second certification. MOFA accepts documents certified by the respective embassy.
4. Submission: After MOFA certification, you can submit your citizenship application at JPN (National Registration Department).

Challenges with Embassies

Some embassies in Malaysia do not provide document certification services. For instance:

• UK and US: Certification is unavailable, so mothers typically use a public notary for the first certification step before proceeding to Wisma Putra.
• China: Certification must be done in China. Mothers who cannot travel may hire a China-based agent to complete the certification process and send the documents to Malaysia.
• Hong Kong: Documents must be certified by the High Court in Hong Kong.
• Other Examples: Mothers with documents from Egypt have sought assistance from Malaysian students in Egypt for certification.

If the embassy of your child’s birth country cannot certify documents, connect with other mothers from the same country for advice on workarounds. In some cases, traveling to the issuing country may be necessary, though this should be a last resort.

Mother currently staying Overseas and want to apply Overseas

Some of you are currently staying overseas and wish to apply for citizenship without returning to Malaysia. While we strongly recommend applying in Malaysia due to the many challenges and delays associated with overseas applications, we understand that returning may not be feasible for some of you due to financial or logistical constraints.

Steps for Overseas Applications

1. Find the Certifying Authority: Identify the appropriate authorities in your current country (usually the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to certify your documents. Ensure that all documents are translated into English, if needed.
2. Malaysian Mission Certification: Once certified by the local authority, submit your documents to the Malaysian embassy or high commission in your current country for further certification.
3. Then you can proceed with citizenship application in the Malaysian Mission.

Challenges in Third Countries

If you’re living in a country other than your child’s birth country, this process may be more complicated. For example:

• A German birth certificate cannot be certified by Italian authorities if you are residing in Italy.
• In such cases, you may need to visit the issuing country’s embassy in your current location to check if they can certify the document.
• If the embassy cannot provide certification, consider returning to Malaysia for a more straightforward process (please read next section!)

Mother currently staying Overseas and want to apply in Malaysia

If you are currently staying overseas, you have the option to apply for citizenship at a Malaysian high commission near you. However, due to the many challenges and delays often associated with overseas submissions, we strongly recommend returning to Malaysia to apply.

Steps for Applying in Malaysia

1. Bring All Required Documents: Ensure you have all necessary foreign-issued documents, translated into English or Bahasa Malaysia if needed.
2. Certification in Malaysia:
   • Visit the issuing country’s embassy in Malaysia to certify the documents.
   • Take the certified documents to MOFA (Wisma Putra) for a second round of certification.
3. Submission at JPN: Once all certifications are completed, submit your citizenship application at the National Registration Department (JPN).

Challenges with Embassy Certification

Keep in mind that the embassy of your child’s birth country in Malaysia may or may not certify documents. It is crucial to email or call the embassy beforehand to confirm their services:

• If Certification Is Provided: You can return to Malaysia and complete the process there.
• If Certification Is Not Provided: You will need to have the documents certified by the relevant authorities in your child’s birth country (usually that country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs) before returning to Malaysia. To ensure everything is in order, you should also have the documents certified again at the Malaysian embassy in your child’s birth country before traveling back to Malaysia.

Living in a Third Country

If you are currently residing in a third country (a country other than your child’s birth country), applying in Malaysia may still be the most practical option. In this case:

• You can get all certifications done in Malaysia without the need to travel to your child’s birth country.
• However, as noted earlier, the embassy of your child’s birth country in Malaysia may not provide certification services. It is advisable to connect with other mothers from the same country to find alternative solutions or workarounds.