Malaysia Entry Requirements for Tourists

Malaysia entry requirements are simple for most visitors, but they depend heavily on which passport you hold. Many nationalities can arrive without a visa, others need an eVISA in advance, and almost every foreign visitor must now fill in a free online arrival card before landing. This guide explains the general rules as they stood when we last reviewed it, so you know what to check.

Important: immigration rules change, sometimes at short notice. Always confirm the current requirements for your nationality with the Immigration Department of Malaysia, your airline and your own government’s travel advice before you travel. Nothing here replaces official guidance.

Malaysia entry requirements at a glance

Requirement	What you need to know
Passport	Generally valid for at least six months from your arrival date, with blank pages for stamps
Visa	Visa-free for many nationalities; others need a visa or eVISA before travel
Length of stay	Set by nationality and decided by the immigration officer on arrival
Arrival card	Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC), submitted online before arrival; free
Health	Yellow fever certificate if arriving from a country with yellow fever risk
Sabah and Sarawak	Separate immigration checks, even on domestic flights

Passport validity

Your passport should be valid for at least six months from the date you arrive in Malaysia. The UK government’s travel advice for Malaysia states this six-month rule, and airlines may refuse boarding if your passport falls short. Make sure you also have spare pages, as you will be stamped in and out, and again when you travel to Borneo.

Malaysia does not recognise dual nationality for its own citizens. If you hold more than one passport, enter and leave on the same one.

Do you need a visa for Malaysia?

Malaysia divides nationalities into those who can visit without a visa and those who must apply in advance. The Immigration Department publishes the full list on its visa requirement by country page, which is the page to check for your passport.

As a broad guide, at the time of writing:

• Visa-free for tourism: citizens of many countries, including the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Singapore. The UK government says British tourists will normally be allowed to stay for 90 days on arrival. Stays allowed for other nationalities can be shorter, so check yours.
• ASEAN nationals: most do not need a visa for stays of less than one month. Myanmar is the exception.
• Indian citizens: the Immigration Department lists Indian nationals as visa-exempt until 31 December 2026. Check what applies for travel after that date.
• Visa required: nationals of a number of countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nigeria, must obtain a visa before travelling, and some may enter by air only.

Where a visa is needed, most travellers apply online through the official eVISA portal at malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my. Apply well ahead of your trip and use only the official site; third-party agencies charge extra and some are scams.

Visa-free entry is for tourism, visiting friends and short business meetings. It does not allow you to work. Overstaying, even by a day, can lead to fines, detention or a ban, so note the date written or stamped on your entry and leave before it.

Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC)

Most foreign visitors must complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card online before arriving. It replaced the old paper arrival card and asks for your passport details, flight or travel details and where you will stay in Malaysia. Submit it on the official portal at imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main.

• Cost: the MDAC is free. Any website asking you to pay for it is not the official portal.
• Timing: it is widely reported that you can submit it only within three days before your arrival. Check the window shown on the official portal when you apply.
• Everyone travelling: each traveller, including children, needs their own submission.
• Exemptions: some groups, including Singapore citizens and Malaysian permanent residents, are reported to be exempt. Check the eligibility information on the portal.
• Check-in: the UK government notes that airlines may ask to see it when you check in, so complete it before you leave home.

Keep the confirmation email or a screenshot on your phone. The MDAC is not a visa: if your nationality needs one, you still have to apply for it separately.

Arriving at immigration

At the airport or land border, you present your passport and the officer decides your length of stay. Eligible nationalities may be able to use automated gates at major airports such as KLIA, but first-time visitors are often directed to a staffed counter. Officers can ask for proof of onward travel, your accommodation details or evidence of funds, so keep these to hand.

Once through, getting into the city is easy; see our guide to KLIA to Kuala Lumpur.

Travelling to Sabah and Sarawak

The two Borneo states control their own immigration. Even on a domestic flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu or Kuching, you must carry your passport, pass an immigration check and receive entry and exit stamps. Sabah and Sarawak can set their own length of stay for visitors, so keep track of the dates you are given.

This also applies if you fly between Sabah and Sarawak. Allow a little extra time at the airport for it.

Arriving overland from Singapore or Thailand

The same entry rules apply at land borders as at airports. If you cross from Singapore into Johor Bahru by bus, car or train, or from southern Thailand into Kedah, Perlis or Kelantan, you still need a valid passport, any visa your nationality requires and, unless you are exempt, a completed MDAC. Queues at the Johor crossings can be very long on Friday evenings, weekends and public holidays, so travel early in the day if you can.

If you are flying in on one ticket and leaving overland, carry evidence of your onward plans, such as a bus or train booking, in case an officer asks.

Customs, health and other rules

• Cash: you must declare cash or bearer negotiable instruments worth more than the equivalent of US$10,000 when entering or leaving.
• Yellow fever: a vaccination certificate is required if you arrive from a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission.
• Drugs: Malaysia has very strict drug laws. Officials may carry out drug screening, and penalties are severe.
• Medicines: carry prescription medicines in their original packaging with a copy of your prescription.
• Duty-free: allowances for alcohol and tobacco are limited, and the duty-free islands of Langkawi and Labuan have their own rules. Check Royal Malaysian Customs guidance if you plan to bring more than a small amount.

Before you fly: a checklist

1. Check your passport has at least six months’ validity and blank pages.
2. Check your nationality’s visa rules on the Immigration Department website and apply for an eVISA if needed.
3. Submit the free MDAC within the allowed window before arrival.
4. Save your accommodation address and onward or return ticket on your phone.
5. If travelling to Borneo, keep your passport in your hand luggage for domestic flights.
6. Read your own government’s latest travel advice for Malaysia.

With the paperwork done, plan the rest of your trip with our Malaysia travel guide and our advice on flights to Malaysia.