MDAC Malaysia Digital Arrival Card: Who Needs It & How

If you hold a Singapore passport, you don't need to fill in the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC). Singapore citizens are on Malaysia's official exemption list. Most other foreign visitors, including Singapore permanent residents travelling on another country's passport, must submit it online within three days before they arrive. The form is done on the Immigration Department of Malaysia's official portal, and the main thing to watch is the timing.

This guide explains who needs the MDAC, who doesn't, how to submit it, and what it means for a mixed group of Singaporeans and foreign family or friends travelling into Johor together. Immigration rules change from time to time, so please check the official site before travelling.

What is the MDAC?

The MDAC is an online arrival declaration run by the Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia). You submit your personal, passport and travel details before you arrive, and immigration officers can then see them when you reach the counter. According to the department's own notice, completing the MDAC became mandatory from 1 January 2024 for foreign visitors, apart from the exempted groups listed below.

The official portal is imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main. Type the address yourself or reach it from the Immigration Department's main site at imi.gov.my, rather than clicking ads or links from unknown websites.

Who is exempt from the MDAC?

The Immigration Department of Malaysia's infographic and the High Commission of Malaysia in Singapore both list these groups as exempt:

• All citizens of Singapore
• Holders of diplomatic and official passports
• Malaysian permanent residents and Malaysian long-term pass holders
• Holders of the Brunei General Certificate of Identity
• Holders of the Brunei–Malaysia Frequent Traveller Facility
• Holders of the Thailand border pass
• Holders of the Indonesian cross-border pass (PLB)

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirms on its Malaysia travel page that Singapore passport holders are exempt at all entry points, which covers the Johor land checkpoints as well as the airports.

Who still needs to submit it?

If you are travelling from Singapore with people who are not Singapore citizens, check each person separately. The exemption follows the passport, not the group or the car. Common cases:

• Singapore permanent residents using a foreign passport, unless they hold Malaysian permanent residency or a Malaysian long-term pass.
• Foreign spouses and children who hold a different nationality from the rest of the family.
• Employment Pass, S Pass, Work Permit and Dependant's Pass holders in Singapore. A Singapore work or residence pass does not count as an exemption for Malaysia.
• Visiting friends and relatives from overseas who are staying with you in Singapore and joining a day trip to JB.
• Domestic helpers travelling with the family.

Each of these travellers also needs to meet Malaysia's normal entry rules for their own nationality, which may include a visa. The Immigration Department's website lists visa requirements by country.

How to submit the MDAC, step by step

1. Wait until you're within three days of arrival. The official instruction is to complete and submit the MDAC within 3 days before arriving in Malaysia. Submitting earlier than that may not work, so set a reminder.
2. Open the official portal and choose the registration option.
3. Enter the traveller's details exactly as they appear in the passport: name, nationality, passport number, date of birth and passport expiry.
4. Add the trip details the form asks for, such as your arrival and departure dates and where you'll be staying in Malaysia.
5. Give a working email address and check everything before submitting.
6. Save the confirmation. Keep a screenshot or the email on your phone. The department's guide says to show your MDAC registration and have your passport verified at the immigration counter when you arrive.

The portal also has a "Check Registration" option if you want to confirm that a submission went through. For a family, fill in one registration for each traveller who needs it.

At time of writing, the official portal did not show any fee for the MDAC. Be careful with look-alike websites that offer to "process" the card for a charge. MFA has also warned travellers to use only official apps and channels for Malaysian immigration and to be wary of anyone asking for payment for registration help.

The MDAC and Malaysia's autogates

This is the one area where a Singaporean might still choose to use the MDAC. MFA says that Singaporeans who want to enrol their fingerprints for Malaysia's automated e-gates (the Malaysia Automated Clearance System, or MACS) on later entries should submit the MDAC three days before arriving. MFA also notes that MACS is available only at the two Johor land checkpoints, Bangunan Sultan Iskandar and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar.

Malaysia has also been introducing QR code immigration clearance through the MyNIISe app. MFA describes it as entering a phased national rollout from 31 March 2026 at selected checkpoints, and stresses that a physical passport is still compulsory. Arrangements at each checkpoint can differ, so check the latest notice from the Immigration Department of Malaysia before you go.

Other entry basics for Singaporeans

• Passport validity: MFA advises that Singapore passports must be valid for more than six months when entering Malaysia. Damaged passports may be refused.
• Length of stay: Singaporeans do not need a visa for visits of up to 30 days, according to MFA.
• Passport stamps: if you go through a manned counter, MFA advises checking that your passport has been stamped clearly with the right date.
• Cash: the MDAC portal reminds travellers that cash or bearer negotiable instruments worth more than USD 10,000 must be declared to Malaysian customs.

For a full packing list of documents, see our checklist of documents for a border ride.

Practical tips for mixed-nationality groups

• Set a reminder for three days before. It's the most common mistake: people try too early, forget, and then rush to do it in the car.
• Do it for your guests. Overseas visitors often don't know the MDAC exists. Sit with them and complete it together, using their passports.
• Match passport details exactly. A typo in the passport number can lead to delays at the counter.
• Keep the confirmations together. One person holding screenshots for the whole group makes the immigration booth much quicker.
• Check again before each trip. For travellers who need it, the MDAC is submitted before each arrival, not once only.

Once you've crossed, our guide to BSI Johor Bahru immigration explains what to expect at the Malaysian checkpoint.

Travelling into Malaysia by private car

Paperwork is easier to sort out when the rest of the trip is simple. With a private car, everyone in your group rides together from your door anywhere in Singapore, and you stay in the car through immigration at both the Singapore and Malaysian checkpoints. Our drivers cross the border every day and know where the queues build up. The fare covers tolls, checkpoint fees, fuel and parking, there's no deposit, and you pay the driver in cash when you arrive. If someone in your group needs an MDAC, just make sure it's done before pick-up.

Plan your trip

Browse destinations on our Singapore to Malaysia private car page or the Singapore to Johor page, check our FAQ, and see how to book. Questions about your group? Whatsapp us and we'll help you plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 14 October 2026