As an expat you will probably find you have far more uses for your personal documents than you ever would have at home. Make photocopies of all your documents before you leave and keep them separately from the originals. This will help if you ever need to get a replacement. Exactly which documents you will need depends on your purpose in coming to Malaysia. At the very minimum you should bring birth certificates for yourself and all family members and your marriage certificate. You may also want to bring your education certificates and membership details for any professional bodies. Come armed with plenty of passport photos; you will find you need to supply multiple photos with most forms for visas and permits. Employers will usually process all the documentation necessary for work permits and dependents’ passes, although if you work for a small company they may employ an agent to do this.