Dependants: spouse pass timing and the school route for a child
A dependant's pass is submitted after the main applicant is approved, not in parallel. One applicant in 2026 received her Approval Letter on 29 July 2026, submitted the Dependant Pass after that, and was still waiting as of September 2026. If a family date has to be met, the timetable has to be built backwards from that sequence.
Dependants are not approved alongside you. If a child has a term start to meet, the timetable has to be built backwards.
The experience of one applicant who applied without an agent in 2026 · One case, not an official description of the process
Written by Flora Zhang · Last updated 25 September 2026
The timing fact that drives everything: dependants run in sequence
First-hand record · 2026
A dependant's pass is submitted after the main applicant is approved, not in parallel. That single fact sets the whole family timetable.
The applicant above received her Approval Letter on 29 July 2026, submitted her spouse's Dependant Pass after that, and was still waiting as of September 2026. Five months for the main application, and then a further wait for the family.
Children: the Dependant Pass missed the school year
First-hand record · 2026
She originally applied for a Dependant Pass for her child. Processing was too slow to meet the start of the school year, so she cancelled it and the school arranged a Student Pass instead.
If your child has a fixed enrolment date, ask the school whether it can arrange a Student Pass before committing to a Dependant Pass. The school route is usually faster and does not depend on when the main applicant is approved. Her child was enrolled at an ISP international school in Kuala Lumpur.
Costs and documents
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dependant Pass, per person | RM 540 | Including tax |
| Marriage certificate notarisation | about CNY 224 | Spouse application |
| Marriage certificate dual authentication | about CNY 394 | Spouse application |
All documents must be in English; documents in other languages need translation, and some need notarisation. Full cost picture on the costs page.
Renewal depends on the main applicant
Renewing a dependant's pass requires the main applicant's passport pages and ePass. Any change in the main applicant's status feeds straight through to the family's renewal.
Common questions
Can my child get a Dependant Pass under DE Rantau?
Yes, but timing matters. One applicant in 2026 started a Dependant Pass for her child, cancelled it because processing was too slow to meet the start of the school year, and the school arranged a Student Pass instead. If your child has a fixed enrolment date, the Student Pass route is often faster — ask the school first.
When is a spouse's Dependant Pass submitted?
After the main applicant is approved. Dependant applications run in sequence, not in parallel with the main application. One applicant submitted her spouse's Dependant Pass after her own approval in July 2026 and was still waiting as of September 2026.
What extra documents do dependants need?
Proof of the family relationship, notarised. One applicant's spouse file required marriage certificate notarisation (about CNY 224) plus dual authentication (about CNY 394). The Dependant Pass itself is RM540 per person including tax. All documents must be in English.