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Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC): rules and how to submit
Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC)
In short
The MDAC is a free online arrival declaration that almost every foreign visitor to Malaysia must submit within the three days before arrival. It is not a visa or an entry approval: visa-required nationals still need a visa, and the immigration officer decides on entry. Only a short list of groups, such as Singapore citizens and diplomatic passport holders, is exempt.
Apply on MDAC (Immigration Department of Malaysia) checked 23 October 2026
Key facts
- Validity
- Submitted within three days before arrival, counting the day of submission.
- Fee
- MYR 0The official MDAC is free of charge.
- Processing time
- Immediate confirmation by e-mail.
- Family
- Each traveller, including children, needs a separate MDAC.
- Where to apply
- Online on the Immigration Department site or in the MyNIISe app.
Who must submit the MDAC
Since 1 January 2024 the MDAC has been mandatory for foreign citizens travelling to Malaysia. The Immigration Department exempts Singapore citizens, diplomatic and official passport holders, Malaysian permanent residents and long-term pass holders, holders of the Brunei General Certificate of Identity or the Brunei-Malaysia frequent traveller facility, Thailand border pass holders and holders of the Indonesian cross-border travel document (PLB). Malaysian missions abroad also remind every foreign traveller to complete it and show the registration at immigration.
How to fill it in
The form asks for passport details, nationality, date and place of birth, e-mail and mobile number, arrival and departure dates, the flight, vessel or vehicle number, the mode of travel, the last port before Malaysia and your accommodation address with state, city and postcode. Since 21 January 2026 it can also be completed in the MyNIISe app. The MDAC site has a Check Registration function to look up a card you have already submitted.
- Open the official MDAC page of the Immigration Department or the MyNIISe app within three days before arrival.
- Enter passport, contact, trip and accommodation details exactly as in your passport and bookings.
- Fill in a separate card for each traveller, including children.
- Submit and keep the confirmation sent by e-mail.
- Show the confirmation with your passport at the immigration counter or use the autogate if eligible.
Forms
When to submit
The card can only be submitted within the three days before arrival, counting the day of submission. Filing earlier is not possible, so for an overnight flight that lands the next morning, submit it the day before departure or on the day you fly. Count from your arrival date in Malaysia, not from your departure date.
Autogates and your visit pass
The MDAC also opens Malaysia's autogates (eGates) to many visitors. The Immigration Department's conditions are: a business or social visitor from one of 63 listed countries, an e-Passport and an MDAC submitted within three days before arrival. Travellers from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia and Timor-Leste may use the gates on departure only. Permanent residents and long-term pass holders use them without an MDAC. The MDAC site offers a Check Egate Eligibility Status tool, where you enter your passport number, nationality and arrival date, and a Check Visit Pass function to view the pass granted on entry.
Official channels and warnings
Only the Immigration Department page and its app are official, and both are free; sites that charge for an "arrival card service" are not government channels. Questions go through the Immigration Department's online enquiry form at eapp.imi.gov.my. Cash or bearer instruments above the equivalent of USD 10,000 must be declared to customs.
Documents
Required documents
Identity
- Passport details: name, number, expiry, nationality, date and place of birth
Travel
- Flight, vessel or vehicle number, last port before Malaysia and dates of arrival and departure
Other
- Working e-mail address and mobile number
- Full address of your accommodation in Malaysia, with state, city and postcode
Supporting documents (where they apply)
Travel
- e-Passport, if you want to use the autogates
Frequently asked questions
Who must submit the MDAC?
Every foreign visitor except the exempt groups: Singapore citizens, diplomatic and official passport holders, Malaysian permanent residents and long-term pass holders, and holders of certain Brunei, Thai and Indonesian border documents. It is submitted before every arrival.
Can I submit it a week before my trip?
No. It can only be submitted within the three days before arrival.
Can I use the autogates as a visitor?
If you are a business or social visitor from one of the 63 listed countries, hold an e-Passport and have submitted the MDAC, yes. The MDAC site has an eligibility checker.
Is the MDAC a visa?
No. It is an arrival declaration. Nationals on Malaysia's visa-required list still need a visa, and entry is decided at the border.
Official sources
- Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC): official registration and infographics
- Immigration Department of Malaysia: Announcements (MEV change from 1 September 2026, photo validation, MDAC in MyNIISe)
- MDEC: DE Rantau Nomad Pass FAQ, version 10.0 (28 August 2026)
- MDAC: Check Egate Eligibility Status (autogate conditions)
- Consulate General of Malaysia, Istanbul: Visa information for foreign citizens (MDAC reminder)
Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.
Other visa types for Malaysia
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Maximum stay: Set by the immigration officer at entry; the usual period depends on nationality.
- Transit visa Processing time: Set by the Malaysian mission where you apply; apply at least three working days before the flight.
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Maximum stay: Social visit pass: as stamped at entry. MEV: 30 days per entry.
- Entrepreneur and start-up visa Maximum stay: New: 1 year plus 1 renewal. Established: up to 5 years plus one 5-year renewal.
- Investor visa Maximum stay: Six months, with a possible six-month extension.
Study and training
- Student visa Maximum stay: Pass duration follows the course, renewed as needed.
Work
- Work visa Maximum stay: Each pass up to 60 months, following the employment contract; total tenure up to 10 years (Categories I and II) or 5 years (Category III).
- Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Up to 12 months per issuance; training at a factory or hotel up to six months.
- Skilled worker visa Validity: Approved for 10 years; the ePASS is first issued for five years or the passport validity, then renewed to complete 10 years.
- Digital nomad visa Maximum stay: 3 to 12 months, renewable for 12 more months; 24 months in total.
Family
- Family reunification visa Validity: Follows the principal's Employment Pass, or the dependant's passport if shorter; LT-SVP approvals are for up to 12 months at a time.
- Spouse and partner visa Validity: LTSVP for at least six months and up to five years, subject to approval.
Residence
- Golden visa and residence by investment Maximum stay: Minimum stay of 90 days a year for participants under 50; no maximum.
- Retirement visa Maximum stay: No minimum stay for participants aged 50 and over; under 50 must spend 90 days a year in Malaysia.
- Permanent residence Maximum stay: No time limit.
Online travel permits
- e-Visa Validity: Normally one entry within three months of issue.
Protection
- Asylum and international protection Processing time: No fixed timeline: UNHCR schedules status interviews by need, not by how long someone has been registered.