Starting December 1, foreign visitors entering Malaysia are now mandated to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online at least three days prior to their arrival. The Immigration Department of Malaysia has introduced this requirement, along with the provision of autogates for immigration clearance at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) for citizens from 10 specific countries, subject to meeting MDAC submission conditions.
In an official announcement posted on its Facebook page yesterday, the Immigration Department outlined the commencement of the MDAC submission prerequisite for foreign nationals entering Malaysia starting December 1.
The online MDAC registration, accessible via the Immigration Department’s website, applies to all travelers, excluding three specific categories: those transiting or transferring through Singapore without requiring immigration clearance, Malaysian permanent residents, and Malaysian Automated Clearance System (MACS) holders.
The MDAC registration process mandates travelers to furnish personal details including name, nationality, passport information, contact details, as well as trip specifics such as dates of arrival and departure, mode of transport, and the last port of embarkation.
Visitors entering Malaysia are required to present both their passports and the completed MDAC to immigration officers upon arrival, in line with Malaysia’s entry requirements.
A specialized provision for visitors from 10 countries (Australia, Brunei, Germany, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United States, and the United Kingdom) allows them eligibility for autogate use during arrival and departure at KLIA Terminals 1 and 2, subject to specific criteria. These visitors must possess passports valid for at least six months, have submitted their MDAC three days before arrival (except for permanent residents and long-term pass holders).
However, first-time visitors to Malaysia from these eligible countries are unable to utilize the autogates initially. Their first visit requires MDAC submission three days before arrival, followed by enrollment and verification of their passport at the manual counters manned by Immigration personnel.
Subsequent visits by these travelers permit autogate usage for immigration clearance, contingent upon MDAC submission three days before each visit and successful enrollment for autogate use.
This detailed process aims to streamline entry procedures while ensuring compliance with Malaysia’s immigration requirements for incoming foreign nationals.
