Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) from Pakistan: How to Fill It In, Plus an Entry Checklist

Since January 2024, Malaysia has asked almost every foreign visitor to fill in a digital arrival card before landing. Pakistani travellers who skip it can face delays at the immigration counter in Kuala Lumpur, and the 3-day window catches out people who try to do it too early.

This guide covers the Malaysia MDAC for Pakistan passport holders: who must submit it, when, how to fill in each field on the official form, and how it fits with the Malaysia eVISA you still need as of October 2026. It ends with a practical entry checklist.

For visa options, documents and processing, see our Malaysia visit visa guide. This post focuses on the arrival card and what to carry on the day.

What is the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC)?

The MDAC is an online form run by the Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia). You submit your personal, passport and travel details on the official MDAC portal before you arrive, and the officer checks your registration when you land.

The Immigration Department's own infographic describes it in two steps:

1. Before arriving: complete and submit the MDAC within 3 days before arrival in Malaysia.
2. On arrival: show your MDAC registration and verify your passport at the immigration counter.

The MDAC is not a visa. It records your arrival. Permission to enter still depends on your visa and the officer at the checkpoint.

Do Pakistanis need to fill in the MDAC?

Yes. The Immigration Department's "Who is eligible?" infographic on the MDAC portal says all foreign citizens travelling to Malaysia must complete the MDAC, and that it became mandatory from 1 January 2024. The only exempt groups are:

• citizens of Singapore
• diplomatic and official passport holders
• Malaysian permanent residents and long-term pass holders
• holders of the Brunei General Certificate of Identity (GCI)
• Brunei–Malaysia Frequent Traveller Facility holders
• Thailand border pass holders
• Indonesia cross-border travel document (PLB) holders

A Pakistani ordinary passport holder visiting on a tourist or family visit falls into none of these groups. That includes children and elderly parents: each traveller needs their own MDAC.

The portal also runs a separate autogate programme for visitors from a short list of countries (Australia, Brunei, Germany, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the US and the UK). Pakistan is not on that list, so plan to use the manual immigration counter.

When should you submit the MDAC?

The registration form states: "your trip must be within 3 days (including the date of submission)". In practice:

Don't leave it to the airport if you can avoid it. Submitting a day or two before the flight, when you have your final booking details, is the least stressful option.

How do you fill in the MDAC step by step?

1. Open the official portal at imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main and choose Registration. The portal recommends a desktop browser.
2. Personal information. Enter your name, passport number, date of birth, nationality (Pakistan), place of birth, sex and passport expiry date, exactly as printed in your passport.
3. Contact details. Enter your email address twice, your country code (+92 for a Pakistani number) and your mobile number.
4. Travel information. Enter your arrival and departure dates, flight number, mode of travel (air for most Pakistani travellers) and last port of embarkation before Malaysia. If you connect through Dubai or Doha, the last port is that airport, not Lahore.
5. Accommodation. Choose your type of stay and enter the address in Malaysia, state, postcode and city. The form accepts letters and numbers only, so leave out symbols such as "#" and "/".
6. Verify and submit. Complete the "drag to verify" check and submit.
7. Keep your PIN and a screenshot. The "Check Registration" page asks for your passport number, nationality and a PIN, so note the PIN and save a screenshot of your submission. There is a "Forgot your PIN?" option if you lose it.

After arrival, the portal's Check Visit Pass page lets you see your latest movement record (up to the last 3 months), which is a useful way to confirm the stay you were given.

What you need before you start

Do Pakistanis still need a Malaysia visa?

Yes. As of October 2026, Pakistan is on the Immigration Department's visa requirement by country list. Pakistan is not marked as "air entry only", so an approved eVISA lets you enter through any gazetted entry point.

eVISA, not eNTRI

The official MYVISA portal says the eVISA is compulsory for 31 specific nationalities, including Pakistan, for social visits such as tourism, family visits or short business trips. eNTRI (the quick online registration) is listed by the Immigration Department only for Indian and Chinese nationals, so it is not an option for Pakistani passports.

Points from the official eVISA FAQ, as of October 2026:

• Apply only on malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my. The FAQ calls it the only official eVISA website.
• Processing takes 2 to 7 working days. Apply at least 14 days before travel.
• For individual applicants, you cannot apply from inside Malaysia.
• Most visitors get a Single Entry Visa. From 1 September 2026, multiple-entry eVISAs are limited to specific purposes (fly and cruise, business, medical treatment and wedding tourism).
• Your passport needs more than 6 months' validity from the travel date and at least 3 blank pages.
• The photo must be a studio photo with a plain white background, 35 mm × 50 mm, taken within the last 6 months. Selfies and scans are rejected.
• For social visits, you show financial means with bank statements for the last 3 months, a return ticket and paid accommodation or a residential address for your whole stay.
• An approved eVISA does not guarantee entry. The officer at the checkpoint decides.

eVISA fees for Pakistanis (as of October 2026)

All eVISA payments are non-refundable, even if the application is refused.

The length of stay is set by nationality and shown on your eVISA Note. Check it there rather than relying on what an agent tells you.

Malaysia entry checklist for Pakistani travellers

The eVISA FAQ lists what may be checked at Malaysia's entry points. Put these in one folder, on paper and on your phone:

• Passport valid for at least 6 months
• eVISA Note, printed on A4 or saved digitally (the FAQ accepts both)
• MDAC confirmation, submitted within the 3-day window
• Return ticket or onward ticket
• Proof of paid accommodation, or your host's address and a cover letter if staying with family
• Boarding pass
• Funds: a debit or credit card and recent bank statements
• Cash declaration: the MDAC portal reminds travellers that cash or bearer negotiable instruments above USD 10,000 (or equivalent) must be declared to Malaysian customs

Before you leave Pakistan, FIA immigration may also ask about your trip. Having the same documents ready answers most questions.

Common mistakes

• Submitting too early. Anything more than 3 days before arrival (counting the submission day) won't work.
• Thinking the MDAC is a visa. Pakistanis need an eVISA first.
• Typos in the passport number. A mismatch with your passport can mean delays at the counter.
• Wrong last port. If you connect in the Gulf, enter that airport.
• One MDAC for the whole family. Every traveller needs their own.
• Paying a lookalike website. The official MDAC form has no fee, and the only official eVISA site is malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my.
• Unpaid "dummy" hotel bookings. The eVISA FAQ asks for proof of paid accommodation.

How Sky Raah can help

Sky Raah Travels in Lahore prepares Malaysia eVISA files for Pakistani travellers, including the photo, bank statements and accommodation proof, and reminds clients when their MDAC window opens. We can't guarantee entry, which is always the officer's decision, but we can help you arrive with a complete, consistent set of documents. See our Malaysia visit visa service, or read which countries Pakistanis can visit without a visa arranged in advance in our visa-free countries guide.

Official sources

• Immigration Department of Malaysia: Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC)
• Immigration Department of Malaysia: MYVISA official eVISA portal and FAQ
• Immigration Department of Malaysia: Visa requirement by country
• Immigration Department of Malaysia: Visa fees

Rules and fees are correct as of October 2026. Always confirm the latest MDAC and eVISA requirements on the Immigration Department of Malaysia's websites before you travel.