Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC): Complete 2026 Guide

The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) is the free online arrival form that most foreign visitors must submit before entering Malaysia. It replaced the old paper arrival card, became mandatory on 1 January 2024, and is filed on the Immigration Department of Malaysia’s official portal within the three days before you arrive. There is no fee, no approval wait, and no visa attached to it. You fill it in, get a PIN by email, and keep the confirmation ready for the border.

Where travelers trip up is timing and detail. The portal will not accept a submission earlier than three days before arrival, so people who try to “get it done” a week ahead are turned away. Others type their name differently from their passport, skip the accommodation address, or pay a lookalike website that charges for a form the government gives away. This guide covers who needs the MDAC, who is exempt, how to submit it step by step, and what else you should have ready when you land.

Key Takeaways

• The MDAC is mandatory for most foreign nationals entering Malaysia by air, land or sea, and it is completely free.
• Submit it within the 3 days before your arrival date. Earlier submissions are not accepted.
• The only official site is imigresen-online.imi.gov.my (the MDAC section at /mdac/main).
• Singapore citizens, Malaysian permanent residents and long-term pass holders, diplomatic and official passport holders, and certain border-pass holders are exempt.
• After submitting, you receive a PIN by email from the Immigration Department. Use it to check and download your registration.
• The MDAC is not a visa and does not replace onward travel, accommodation or funds checks at the border.

What Is the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card?

The MDAC is a short online declaration run by the Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia). It collects your passport details, travel dates, flight or transport details, and where you will stay. Officers use it to pre-screen arrivals and to know where visitors are staying during their trip.

It was introduced on 1 December 2023, with a short grace period during which travelers could still complete it at checkpoints. From 1 January 2024 it became compulsory. In 2025 and 2026 the core rules have stayed the same: three-day window, free submission, same official portal.

One change to watch: Malaysia is moving its border systems to MyNIISe, the National Integrated Immigration System. The Home Ministry has said the MDAC will eventually be integrated into the MyNIISe app, and the wider rollout target was pushed to January 2027. For now, the web portal remains the standard way for foreign visitors to file.

Who Needs to Submit the MDAC?

If you are a foreign national entering Malaysia, assume you need one. That includes tourists, business visitors and anyone else clearing Malaysian immigration, whether you arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, a regional airport, a ferry terminal or a land checkpoint.

Each traveler needs their own MDAC. Children and infants are included, so a family of four files four arrival cards. Use each person’s own passport details for their form.

Who Is Exempt from the MDAC?

The Immigration Department has listed these groups as exempt:

• Citizens of Singapore (exempt at all entry points)
• Diplomatic and official passport holders
• Malaysian permanent residents and long-term pass holders
• Holders of a Brunei General Certificate of Identity (GCI)
• Users of the Brunei-Malaysia Frequent Traveller Facility
• Thailand border pass holders
• Indonesian cross-border pass (PLB) holders

Malaysian citizens obviously do not file one either. Singaporeans have one nuance: Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that those who want to enrol fingerprints for e-gate clearance on later trips should submit the MDAC before arrival. If you are not sure whether your pass type qualifies, file the MDAC anyway. It is free and takes a few minutes.

When Should You Submit It?

Submit within the three days before your arrival date. The portal blocks earlier submissions, so there is no benefit in trying weeks ahead. The window is based on when you arrive in Malaysia, not when you depart, which matters on long-haul flights that cross the date line or land the next day.

A practical rule: file it the day before you fly, or once you are at your departure airport. Airlines may check that you have it before boarding, and arriving without one usually means being sent to a manual counter to sort it out.

How to Submit the MDAC Step by Step

1. Go to the official portal at imigresen-online.imi.gov.my and open the MDAC section (/mdac/main). Click Register.
2. Enter your personal details exactly as they appear in your passport, including middle names, along with nationality, date of birth and passport number.
3. Enter an email address you can access right away. Your PIN will be sent there.
4. Fill in your travel details: arrival date, departure date, mode of travel (air, land or sea), last port of embarkation and your flight or transport number. On a multi-leg trip, use the flight that first lands you in Malaysia.
5. Choose your accommodation type and enter the full address of your first stay in Malaysia.
6. Complete the verification puzzle and click Submit.
7. Check your inbox for an email from the Immigration Department (mdac@imi.gov.my) containing your PIN. Look in spam or junk if it does not arrive.
8. Return to the portal, choose Check Registration, and enter your passport number, nationality and PIN. Save or screenshot the confirmation, and consider printing it.

The PIN usually mixes upper- and lower-case letters, so copy it carefully. Keep both the email and the confirmation page on your phone before you lose Wi-Fi.

Information You Need Before You Start

Your passport should be valid for at least six months from your arrival date. Malaysia applies this rule at the border regardless of whether your MDAC was accepted.

Can You Edit or Correct an MDAC?

There is no clear edit function for a submitted card. If you made a mistake in your name, passport number or dates, the usual fix is to submit a fresh MDAC with the correct details and keep the newest confirmation. Do this before you fly if possible. If your plans change, such as a new flight or a new hotel, a new submission within the three-day window is the cleanest option.

If you renewed your passport after filing, submit again with the new passport number. The card is tied to the passport you present at the border.

MDAC and Autogate (E-Gate) Eligibility

Since 1 June 2024, passport holders from 63 countries and regions have been allowed to use the autogates at major Malaysian airports, including KLIA Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The list includes the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, China, most EU countries and several Gulf states. Macao SAR passport holders were added in January 2026.

Travel guides advise submitting your MDAC before arrival if you want to use the autogates, and travelers who skip it are typically sent to the manual counters instead. Autogate availability can vary by airport, so do not count on e-gates at smaller regional airports. If you use an e-gate, you will not receive a passport stamp, which is normal.

Arriving by Land from Singapore via Johor

The MDAC applies at land borders too. If you cross from Singapore by bus, taxi, car or train via the Johor Causeway (Bangunan Sultan Iskandar) or the Second Link (Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar), non-exempt foreigners need an MDAC just like air arrivals. Choose land as your mode of travel and enter the vehicle or bus details the form requests.

Singapore citizens are exempt, but many Singapore residents who hold other passports are not. If you live in Singapore on a work pass or as a permanent resident of Singapore with a foreign passport, you still need the MDAC for each trip into Malaysia. Because many Johor trips are day trips, file it when you plan the crossing rather than at the checkpoint queue.

Sabah and Sarawak

Sabah and Sarawak run their own immigration controls, even for travelers arriving from Peninsular Malaysia. If you fly directly into Kota Kinabalu or Kuching from abroad, file the MDAC as normal with that airport as your arrival point.

If you enter Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur and then fly on to Sabah or Sarawak, you clear immigration again when you land in Borneo. Traveler reports indicate a second MDAC is not required for that domestic leg, but you should expect a separate passport check and keep your MDAC confirmation and onward booking handy.

Transit Passengers

If you stay airside and never pass through Malaysian immigration, you do not need an MDAC. If your layover requires you to clear immigration, for example to collect bags, change terminals between KLIA Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 on separate tickets, or leave the airport, you need one. When in doubt on a self-transfer, file it.

Visa-Free Stay: What the MDAC Does Not Cover

The MDAC is not a visa and does not grant permission to enter. Visa-free stays depend on nationality, with many passports given 30 or 90 days on arrival. Chinese citizens have had a mutual 30-day visa-free arrangement since 17 July 2025, capped at 90 days in any 180-day period. Indian citizens have a 30-day visa exemption that runs until 31 December 2026, so check for updates if you are traveling in early 2027.

If your nationality needs a visa or eVisa, get that separately before you travel. The MDAC alone will not get you through.

Onward Ticket and Proof of Funds

The MDAC asks for a departure date, and that is a hint of what comes next. Airlines and immigration officers may ask for proof that you will leave Malaysia, such as a return or onward ticket. When Malaysia extended its visa exemptions, authorities said visitors may be asked to show a return ticket and proof of accommodation at immigration. Officers can also ask about funds for your stay.

Airlines often check this at check-in, especially on one-way tickets. If you are traveling one way, island-hopping around Southeast Asia, or have not decided where you go after Malaysia, a verifiable flight reservation can cover this requirement without forcing you to buy a ticket you may not use. Our guide on whether you need proof of onward travel for Malaysia in 2026 explains what airlines and officers look for, and our general overview of proof of onward travel covers how it works across the region.

Carry a mix of evidence: your MDAC confirmation, onward booking, hotel booking for at least the first night, and a bank card or recent statement. That set answers almost any question at the counter.

Avoid MDAC Scams and Lookalike Sites

The MDAC is free. Any website asking for payment to “process” or “fast-track” your arrival card is not the government. In January 2025, the Immigration Department publicly warned travelers about a fake MDAC site and urged them to use only the official portal. Other lookalike sites have been reported charging fees for the same free form.

Use only this domain: imigresen-online.imi.gov.my. Check the address bar before entering passport details. Be wary of sponsored search results, unfamiliar domains, and anyone offering an “MDAC visa.”

Malaysia Digital Arrival Card Frequently Asked Questions

How many days before arrival can I submit the MDAC?

Within three days before your arrival in Malaysia. Earlier submissions are rejected by the portal.

Is the MDAC free?

Yes. There is no government fee. If a website charges you, it is not the official portal.

Do children need their own MDAC?

Yes. Every traveler, including infants, needs a separate MDAC using their own passport details.

Do Singaporeans need the MDAC?

No. Singapore citizens are exempt at all entry points. Foreign residents of Singapore are not exempt and must file it.

I did not get my PIN email. What should I do?

Check spam and junk folders first. If it still has not arrived, confirm you entered the right email address and submit again within the three-day window.

Do I need an MDAC for a domestic flight to Sabah or Sarawak?

Traveler reports indicate one MDAC on your international entry is enough, but you will pass a separate immigration check in Sabah or Sarawak.

Do I need a new MDAC if I leave and re-enter Malaysia?

Yes. The MDAC covers one arrival. Each new entry into Malaysia, including return trips from Singapore or Thailand, needs a fresh submission.

Other Arrival Cards You May Need

• Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC)
• Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)
• All Indonesia arrival card
• eTravel Philippines
• K-ETA Korea

Final Word

The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card is quick once you know the rules: use the official portal, file within three days of arrival, match your passport exactly, and save the PIN email. Exempt groups are narrow, so most foreign visitors, including children and land arrivals from Singapore, should plan to submit one for every entry.

The card itself is the easy part. The question that catches travelers out is proof of when they will leave. If you are flying one way or keeping your plans open, get an onward ticket before you fly so your departure date on the MDAC matches a real reservation.