Malaysia MDAC Digital Arrival Card for Indians 2026

Indians enter Malaysia visa-free to 31 Dec 2026 for 30 days, but the MDAC is mandatory. Here's the free official portal, the 3-day window and the fields.

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Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) for Indians in 2026: Visa-Free Entry and How to Register Online

By Ananya Singh (Ananya Singh writes step-by-step first-international-trip guides for Indians — passport rules, visa cascade timing, immigration walkthroughs, and the unglamorous logistics that separate a smooth trip from a stranded one.) · Published · Last updated · 11 min read

Malaysia's visa waiver for Indians runs to 31 December 2026 (30-day stays), but every visa-free visitor must complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) before entry. Here's the free official portal, the 3-day window, a field-by-field walkthrough and what the MDAC does not replace.

Quick answer

Yes — Indians must complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) before entry, even though travel is visa-free. As of June 2026, Malaysia's visa waiver for Indian nationals is extended to 31 December 2026, allowing visa-free stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business, social or transit. But the MDAC is a mandatory, separate online form filled before arrival at the official portal imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main. It is free, must be submitted at least 3 days before arrival, and is required per entry and per traveller (including infants and children). The MDAC is not a visa — it does not grant entry by itself. Always confirm on the official Immigration Department portal before you fly. See our Malaysia visa page for the live position.

The visa waiver vs the MDAC — don't confuse them

Two separate things confuse a lot of Indian travellers:

The MDAC does not replace a visa, and a visa (where required) does not replace the MDAC — for visa-free Indians, the MDAC is the key pre-arrival step. Because the waiver has an end date, check it's still in force for your travel dates on the official portal. Line up flights first — compare Chennai and Bengaluru fares to Kuala Lumpur in the FlightGPT chat and see timings on the Chennai to Kuala Lumpur route page.

When to fill the MDAC — the 3-day rule

You must submit the MDAC at least 3 days before your arrival in Malaysia. Unlike some arrival cards, you can fill it a little further ahead, but the safe, recommended practice is to do it around three days before you fly so your travel details are final. A new MDAC is required for every entry — even if you've visited Malaysia before, each new trip needs a fresh submission.

After submitting, you receive a confirmation; save it to your phone and ideally print it. While Malaysian immigration links the MDAC to your passport digitally, having the confirmation handy avoids friction at the counter and at Indian-airport check-in, where staff increasingly verify arrival-card completion for international sectors.

Step-by-step: registering on the official MDAC portal

Use only the official Immigration Department portal — imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main. The flow as of June 2026:

  1. Open the official site and select 'Register' for a new arrival.
  2. Personal details — name exactly as on your passport, passport number, nationality, date of birth, passport expiry.
  3. Travel details — arrival and departure dates, flight/transport details, and your accommodation address in Malaysia.
  4. Review carefully — passport number and name spelling are the usual error spots.
  5. Submit and save the confirmation. There is no fee on the genuine portal.

Each traveller files separately — infants and children included. There is no payment on the real site; if a page asks for a fee, you're on a reseller or lookalike, not the government portal.

Free portal vs paid lookalikes

The official MDAC is 100% free. As with Thailand's arrival card, search results surface paid 'MDAC service' sites and lookalike domains that charge to fill the free form. You do not need them as a first-time traveller — the form is short and in English.

Stay safe: type the official URL directly, look for the .gov.my domain, and never pay a fee for the MDAC itself. If you prefer a paid agent to handle it, that's optional, but the government charges nothing. When a portal is this widely imitated, confirm the current official link via Malaysia's Immigration Department site imi.gov.my before entering passport details.

Transit and the Singapore-Malaysia combo trip

Two extra scenarios matter to Indians. First, the visa waiver covers transit too — if you're passing through Malaysia visa-free, you still complete the MDAC. Second, many Indians pair Malaysia with Singapore on one trip. Remember the rules are completely different: Malaysia is visa-free (with the MDAC), but Singapore is not visa-free for Indians — you need a Singapore visa plus its own SGAC arrival card.

So a KL-then-Singapore itinerary means: MDAC for Malaysia, and separately a Singapore visa + SGAC for Singapore. Crossing the land border at Johor–Woodlands counts as a fresh entry to each country, so you'll need a new MDAC if you return to Malaysia afterwards. Plan the sequence so your documents line up at each crossing. See our Singapore SGAC guide for that side, and compare the two city breaks in our city comparison. Price the multi-city routing in the FlightGPT chat.

Documents and money to carry

The MDAC is the declaration, but Malaysian immigration can still ask visa-free Indian visitors for supporting proof. Keep ready:

For spending, a zero-forex-markup Indian card (Niyo Global, Fi, IndusInd Crest) avoids the 3.5% bank conversion charge. Carry a little ringgit cash for airport transport and small vendors.

At Kuala Lumpur immigration — what to expect

Most Indians land at KL International (KUL), with klia2 the low-cost terminal for AirAsia. Present your passport; the officer checks your MDAC digitally or via the confirmation, and you receive a visa-free entry stamp for up to 30 days. Keep your return ticket and hotel address handy. Note the stamp date — overstaying carries fines and complicates future entries.

From KUL, the KLIA Ekspres train into KL Sentral is fast; Grab and metered taxis also operate. For a fuller plan, see our Kuala Lumpur destination guide, weigh Singapore vs Bangkok-style city breaks in our regional comparisons, and price your dates both ways in the FlightGPT chat.

Frequently asked questions

Do Indians need the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card in 2026?

Yes. Even with visa-free entry (extended to 31 December 2026 for 30-day stays), every Indian visitor must complete the MDAC online before arrival at imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main. It is free and required per entry and per traveller.

Is the Malaysia MDAC free?

Yes, the official MDAC is 100% free. Paid 'MDAC service' sites and lookalike domains charge to fill the same free form, but you don't need them. Always use the official .gov.my Immigration Department portal.

When should I fill the Malaysia MDAC?

Submit it at least 3 days before your arrival. A new MDAC is needed for every entry into Malaysia, even if you've visited before. Save the confirmation to your phone after submitting.

Is Malaysia visa-free for Indians in 2026?

Yes, as of June 2026 the visa waiver for Indians is extended to 31 December 2026, allowing visa-free stays up to 30 days for tourism, business, social or transit. Confirm the waiver is still in force for your dates on the official portal, as it has an end date.

Does each family member need their own MDAC?

Yes. Every traveller, including infants and children, needs a separate MDAC. The form is free for each person.