Flying into Kuala Lumpur from London, crossing the causeway from Singapore by bus, or arriving in Penang from Jakarta: most foreign visitors to Malaysia must complete one online form before they arrive. It is the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card, or MDAC. It takes a few minutes, and on the official website it is free.
Finding that official website is the hard part. Search results include look-alike sites that copy the Immigration Department’s name and logo, then charge a card payment for a form you can submit yourself at no cost. This guide starts with the official address, then covers who must submit, who is exempt, the 3-day window, what you need, autogates and the mistakes to avoid.
We checked the official MDAC website, the Immigration Department of Malaysia’s notices, Malaysian mission pages and GOV.UK on 6 October 2026. Voyfaro is not affiliated with any government. Rules can change, so confirm on the official pages in the Sources list before you travel.
Malaysia Digital Arrival Card: quick answer
- Official website: imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main, run by the Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia). The department’s own site, imi.gov.my, links to it. Type the address yourself rather than clicking an advert.
- Official app: the Immigration Department says the MDAC can also be filled in through its MyNIISe app.
- Cost: free. The High Commission of Malaysia in Suva says “The MDAC is free of charge” and advises applicants not to pay third parties for it.
- Who must submit: all foreign citizens travelling to Malaysia, mandatory since 1 January 2024, except the groups listed below.
- Who is exempt: citizens of Singapore; diplomatic and official passport holders; Malaysian permanent residents and long-term pass holders; and holders of four specific border documents from Brunei, Thailand and Indonesia.
- When: within 3 days before you arrive. The form counts the day you submit as one of the 3 days.
- At the border: show your MDAC registration and your passport at the immigration counter. GOV.UK adds that airlines may ask for it at check-in.
- It is not a visa: if your passport needs a visa for Malaysia, you still need one.
Is the MDAC free? The official website vs paid look-alikes
Yes. Nothing on the official MDAC registration form asks for a payment, and Malaysia’s High Commission in Suva confirms it is free. It also warns applicants not to pay third parties for submitting it.
The Immigration Department has published a notice about a fake MDAC portal. It shows screenshots of a site at malaysiacard.com, stamped “PALSU/FAKE” (fake). The site uses Malaysian government crests and the department’s name. Its payment page asks for a card payment of $29.99 and offers a “SuperFast” option for $14.99 more. The real MDAC has no payment step at all.
| Official MDAC | Look-alike or paid site | |
|---|---|---|
| Web address | imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac (gov.my is used by Malaysian government sites) | A different address, often with “malaysia”, “card” or “arrival” in the name |
| Cost | Free | A “service”, “processing” or “express” fee |
| Payment step | None | Asks for your card details |
| Who gets your passport data | The Immigration Department of Malaysia | A private company first |
As general guidance, adverts can appear above the official site in search results. Typing the address yourself, or using the link on imi.gov.my, is the safest habit. If you think you have paid a look-alike site, contact your bank or card provider.
Who must submit the MDAC, and who is exempt
The Immigration Department’s eligibility notice says all foreign citizens travelling to Malaysia must complete the MDAC. It has been mandatory since 1 January 2024. The same exemption list appears on Malaysian mission pages, such as the Consulate General in Vancouver.
| Traveller | MDAC needed? | What the official pages say |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-free visitors, for example British, Canadian, Kenyan or New Zealand citizens, or Indian citizens until 31 December 2026 | Yes | All foreign citizens, unless on the exemption list |
| Visitors who need a visa, for example Bangladeshi, Nigerian or Pakistani citizens | Yes | The MDAC is separate from the visa |
| Citizens of Singapore | No | First on the exemption list |
| Singapore permanent residents with another country’s passport | Yes | The list names Singapore citizens only, not Singapore permanent residents |
| Diplomatic and official passport holders | No | On the exemption list |
| Malaysian permanent residents and long-term pass holders | No | On the exemption list |
| Holders of a Brunei General Certificate of Identity (GCI) | No | On the exemption list |
| Brunei Malaysia Frequent Traveller Facility holders | No | On the exemption list |
| Thailand Border Pass holders | No | On the exemption list |
| Indonesia Cross-Border Travel Document (PLB) holders | No | On the exemption list |
| Transit passengers who stay airside | No | GOV.UK says that if you are not passing through immigration, you do not need an arrival card |
| Transit passengers who pass through immigration | Yes | Passing through immigration means entering Malaysia |
| Malaysian citizens | No | The MDAC is for foreign citizens |
Children: the exemption list has no age-based exception, and each registration is made with one passport. Plan for every foreign traveller in your group, including children, to have their own MDAC.
Arriving by land or sea: the form’s “Mode of Travel” field offers air, land and sea. The rule is not limited to airports.
When to submit: the 3-day window
The Immigration Department’s “How to register” notice says to complete and submit the MDAC “within 3 days before arrival in Malaysia”. The registration form adds that your trip “must be within 3 days (including the date of submission)”.
On the form we checked, the arrival date calendar only offered the day of submission and the two days after it. In practice:
- If you land in Kuala Lumpur on 20 October, you can submit on 18, 19 or 20 October.
- You cannot submit a week ahead. The High Commission in Suva says the entry date “cannot be selected too far in advance”.
- Some pages describe the window as “three days prior to arrival”. Read that as “within the 3 days before you arrive”, not “at least 3 days before”.
Two things catch travellers out:
- Use your arrival date in Malaysia, not your departure date. Long-haul flights, for example from Europe or North America, can land the next calendar day.
- Each trip needs its own MDAC. The department’s autogate guidance says to submit the MDAC for every visit. If you leave Malaysia for a side trip to Singapore or Thailand and come back, submit a new one before you re-enter.
What you need before you start
These are the fields the official form showed when we checked. All are required.
- Passport details: name, passport number, date of birth, nationality, place of birth, sex and passport expiry date.
- Contact details: an email address (typed twice), plus your country code and mobile number.
- Trip details: date of arrival, date of departure, flight, vessel or vehicle number, mode of travel (air, land or sea) and your last port of embarkation before Malaysia.
- Where you are staying: type of accommodation (hotel, motel or rest house; residence of friends or relatives; or other), address in Malaysia, state, city and a 5-digit postcode.
Tips from the form itself:
- Type, do not paste. The form blocks pasting into the name, passport, email and address fields.
- Name: letters A to Z and spaces only, up to 60 characters. Copy the name exactly as it appears in your passport.
- Address: the form rejects “NA”, “N/A”, “NULL” and “NIL”. Enter a real address in Malaysia, such as your hotel’s.
- Departure date: the form asks for one, so have your return or onward plans ready.
- Verification: you finish by dragging a slider to verify, then select “Submit”.
How to submit the MDAC, step by step
- Open imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main and select “Register”. Or use the MyNIISe app and choose the foreign visitor option.
- Enter your personal information exactly as it appears in your passport.
- Enter your travelling information, including the arrival date (within the 3-day window) and your address in Malaysia.
- Check every field, complete the slider verification and select “Submit”.
- Keep your registration details. The site’s “Check Registration” page asks for your passport number, nationality and a PIN, and has a “Forgot your PIN?” link. Keep whatever confirmation you receive.
- On arrival, show your MDAC registration and have your passport checked at the immigration counter.
The official site’s menu also has “Check Visit Pass”, which shows your movement record for the latest 3 months. We did not find official guidance on how to correct a submitted MDAC. If your details change, check your registration on the official site before you travel.
Autogates: how the MDAC links to faster clearance
The MDAC website has a page called “Check Egate Eligibility Status”. Its notes list who can use Malaysia’s autogates (e-gates):
- Foreign business and social travellers from 63 countries. The Immigration Department’s infographic says this started on 1 June 2024.
- Travellers from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia and Timor-Leste, for departure only.
- You must have submitted the MDAC for your arrival. Malaysian permanent residents and long-term pass holders are excepted.
- You must hold an e-passport.
The 63 countries in the official infographic are:
| Group | Countries |
|---|---|
| Listed first | Australia, Brunei, Germany, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United States, United Kingdom |
| Other European Union members | Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden |
| Other European countries | Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, North Macedonia, Norway, Russia, San Marino, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine |
| Arab countries | Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, Oman, Qatar |
| Others | China, Canada, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan |
The infographic adds that diplomats serving in Malaysia and their family members can also use the autogates.
Your first visit may still mean a manual counter. The Immigration Department’s MDAC notice on imi.gov.my also carries an earlier autogate graphic from December 2023, published before the list grew to 63 countries. It says:
- On a first visit, you enrol and verify your passport at a manual counter. After that, you can use the autogate for departure.
- On later visits, you can use the autogate for both arrival and departure, after submitting the MDAC for every visit.
- Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
- It refers to arrivals and departures via KLIA and KLIA2, the two terminals of Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
This graphic may not reflect every current detail, so treat it as guidance. Check your own status on the eligibility page with your passport number, nationality and arrival date. If you are not eligible, or the gate does not accept your passport, use the manual immigration counter. A missing MDAC is one of the reasons you may not be able to use the autogate.
What the MDAC is not
- It is not a visa. The MDAC is an arrival registration. If your passport needs a visa for Malaysia, apply on the official eVISA portal first. Our Malaysia eVISA guide explains how the portal works. It is written for Pakistani passport holders.
- It does not decide your length of stay. For example, GOV.UK says British visitors are normally allowed to stay 90 days on arrival for tourism. The MDAC website says citizens of the People’s Republic of China with an ordinary or public affairs passport, valid for at least 6 months, can enter without a visa for social visits of up to 30 days per entry, and no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. Rules differ by passport.
- It does not replace other checks. GOV.UK says your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive. The MDAC home page also reminds travellers that cash or bearer negotiable instruments of more than USD 10,000 or its equivalent must be declared to customs, and that you may not carry Malaysian ringgit worth more than USD 10,000 without permission from Bank Negara Malaysia.
Going on to Thailand afterwards? Thailand has its own free form. See our Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) guide.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Paying a look-alike website for a form that is free on imigresen-online.imi.gov.my
- Trusting a site because it shows Malaysian crests: the fake portal in the Immigration Department’s notice used them too
- Submitting too early, outside the 3-day window, or reading “3 days prior” as “at least 3 days before”
- Counting from your departure date instead of your arrival date in Malaysia
- Assuming Singapore permanent residence is an exemption: the list names Singapore citizens only
- Forgetting a separate MDAC for each traveller, including children
- Reusing an old MDAC after a side trip out of Malaysia
- Typing a name that does not match the passport, or a typo in your email address
- Entering “N/A” as your address in Malaysia: the form rejects it
- Expecting to use the autogate without an MDAC or without an e-passport, or expecting it on a first visit when official guidance says you may need to enrol at a manual counter first
- Treating the MDAC as a visa
Planning your Malaysia trip
- Flights: your flight number goes on the MDAC, so book before you submit. Compare flights to Malaysia.
- Hotels: the MDAC asks for your address in Malaysia, down to state and postcode, so keep your booking confirmation handy. Compare hotels.
- Mobile data: a travel eSIM installed at home works as soon as you land. See eSIM options or read eSIM vs roaming vs local SIM.
- Travel insurance: the MDAC does not ask for it, but a policy can cover medical costs, delays and lost baggage, depending on its terms. Compare travel insurance.
How Voyfaro can help
- MDAC: we do not fill in, submit or check your MDAC, and we never charge for it. It is free and quick on the official website.
- Visas: we point you to official Malaysian sources and explain them in plain English. We do not apply for or issue visas, and only the Malaysian authorities decide. See our visa guidance.
- Bookings: we help you compare flights, hotels, eSIMs and travel insurance through partner links, including links from the Travelpayouts affiliate network.
- You stay in control: you book and pay directly with the partner. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.
- Questions? Contact us with where you live, the passport you hold, your dates and who is travelling.
FAQ
What is the official website for the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card?
The official website is imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main, run by the Immigration Department of Malaysia. The department’s main site, imi.gov.my, links to it, and the department says the MDAC can also be filled in through its MyNIISe app. Sites with other addresses are not the official form.
Is the MDAC free?
Yes. The official form has no payment step, and the High Commission of Malaysia in Suva says the MDAC is free of charge and advises applicants not to pay third parties for it. If a site asks for your card details, close it.
How many days before arrival can I submit the MDAC?
Within 3 days before you arrive, counting the day you submit. On the form, the arrival date can be the day you submit or one of the next two days.
Do Singapore permanent residents need the MDAC?
The official exemption list names citizens of Singapore only. It does not mention Singapore permanent residents, so if you are a Singapore PR travelling on, for example, an Indian, Chinese or Filipino passport, submit the MDAC.
Do I need an MDAC if I am transiting through Kuala Lumpur?
Not if you stay airside and do not pass through immigration. GOV.UK says you do not need an arrival card in that case. If you go through immigration, for example to leave the airport or collect bags, submit one.
Do I need a new MDAC for every trip?
Yes. The Immigration Department’s autogate guidance says to submit the MDAC for every visit. If you leave Malaysia and come back, submit a new one within 3 days before you re-enter.
Can I use the autogate at the airport?
You may be eligible if you are a business or social traveller from one of the 63 countries on the Immigration Department’s list, hold an e-passport and have submitted your MDAC. Travellers from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia and Timor-Leste can use the autogates for departure only. An Immigration Department graphic from December 2023 adds that on your first visit you enrol and verify your passport at a manual counter, and can then use the autogate for departure. On later visits you can use it for arrival and departure. The same graphic says your passport must be valid for at least 6 months and refers to KLIA and KLIA2. Rules may have changed since then, so check your status on the MDAC website’s egate eligibility page.
Is the MDAC a visa?
No. It is an arrival registration. If your passport needs a visa for Malaysia, you still need one. For example, the Immigration Department lists Bangladesh, Nigeria and Pakistan among the countries that must apply for a visa, while British visitors do not need one for tourism. All of them must submit the MDAC.
I paid a website for my MDAC. Is it valid?
The official MDAC is free and has no payment step, so a site that charged you was not the official form. Use “Check Registration” on the official site to see whether a registration exists. If you are not sure, submit your own MDAC on the official website before you travel. Contact your bank or card provider about the payment.
Can Voyfaro fill in my MDAC for me?
No. We do not submit the MDAC, and you do not need anyone to do it for you. It is free on the official website and takes a few minutes.
Sources
Official pages we checked on 6 October 2026:
- Immigration Department of Malaysia, Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) official website (menu: Register, Check Registration, Check Visit Pass, Check Egate Eligibility Status; customs reminder on cash over USD 10,000; enquiry link)
- Immigration Department of Malaysia, MDAC eligibility infographic (all foreign citizens; mandatory from 1 January 2024; exemption list)
- Immigration Department of Malaysia, MDAC “How to register” infographic (submit within 3 days before arrival; show MDAC registration and verify your passport at the immigration counter)
- Immigration Department of Malaysia, MDAC registration form (required fields; trip within 3 days including the date of submission; arrival date limited to the submission day and the next two days; name, address and postcode rules; no payment step)
- Immigration Department of Malaysia, MDAC check registration and check visit pass (passport number, nationality and PIN; movement record for the latest 3 months; visa-free entry for citizens of the People’s Republic of China)
- Immigration Department of Malaysia, Check Egates Eligibility Status (autogate eligibility notes: 63 countries, departure-only nationalities, MDAC submitted, e-passport) and its 63-country infographic (from 1 June 2024; country list; diplomats serving in Malaysia and their families)
- Immigration Department of Malaysia, official website (links to the MDAC portal)
- Immigration Department of Malaysia, Makluman portal palsu Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) (fake MDAC portal notice, with screenshots of malaysiacard.com marked fake and its card payment page)
- Immigration Department of Malaysia, MDAC can now be filled directly through the MyNIISe app (app route; within 3 days before arrival; present your registration at the immigration counter)
- Immigration Department of Malaysia, Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) for foreign visitors (registration and eligibility posters; December 2023 autogate graphic: submit the MDAC for every visit, enrol and verify your passport at a manual counter on your first visit, departure by autogate after enrolment, arrival and departure on later visits, passport valid for at least 6 months, KLIA and KLIA2)
- High Commission of Malaysia, Suva, Requirement for foreigners (official link; entry date cannot be selected too far in advance; within 3 days before entering; “The MDAC is free of charge”; do not pay third parties)
- Consulate General of Malaysia, Vancouver, Requirement for foreigners (exemption list in English and Malay; mandatory from 1 January 2024; present a valid passport and completed MDAC to border officers)
- Embassy of Malaysia, Beijing, Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) (8 December 2023: all foreign travellers from 1 January 2024; up to three days before arrival)
- Immigration Department of Malaysia, Visa requirement by country (countries that do not need a visa, including Canada, Kenya, New Zealand and the United Kingdom; countries that must apply for a visa, including Bangladesh, Nigeria and Pakistan; Indian citizens visa exempt until 31 December 2026)
- GOV.UK (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office), Malaysia entry requirements (submit the arrival card online before you travel; airlines may ask at check-in; not needed if you do not pass through immigration; British visitors normally allowed 90 days for tourism; passport valid 6 months after arrival)
