Effective December 1, 2023, the Immigration Department of Malaysia will require foreign nationals to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) for entry to Malaysia.
What to Expect
- Until December 31, 2023, MDAC may be completed at Malaysia’s entry checkpoints.
- From January 1, 2024, MDAC must be completed three days in advance of arrival.
Exemptions
Singaporean passport holders are exempted from completing MDAC, along with Malaysian Permanent Residents and Malaysian Long-Term Pass holders, Brunei Common Certificate of Identification (GCI), Brunei Malaysia Frequent Traveller Programme participants, Thailand Border Pass holders, and Indonesian Cross Border Pass (PLB) holders.
Permanent residents, holders of the Malaysian Automated Clearance System (MACS) card and transit passengers are also exempted from this requirement.
It is not clear whether holders of long-term passes are required to complete the MDAC before entry. However, long-term pass applicants entering Malaysia to have their passes endorsed in their passports are required to complete MDAC.
Erickson Insights
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.