Malaysia Visa-Free for Indians 2026: 30 Days, MDAC and What to Carry

Yes: Indian passport holders can still enter Malaysia without a visa for up to 30 days, and the exemption runs until 31 Dec 2026 (checked on the Immigration Department of Malaysia and Malaysian High Commission in New Delhi websites on 12 Oct 2026). There is no visa fee, but you must submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online in the three days before you land, and carry a passport valid for at least six months, a confirmed return ticket and a confirmed hotel booking.

If the exemption does not cover your trip, for example once it ends, the official eVISA costs the visa fee plus an RM105 processing charge and normally takes 2 to 7 working days. It also allows up to 30 days, so it is not a way to stay longer. Our 6-day Malaysia trip, with return flights from Ahmedabad, starts at ₹32,999 per person.

Malaysia entry rules for Indians at a glance

Do Indians need a visa for Malaysia in 2026?

No, not for a holiday of up to 30 days. The Immigration Department of Malaysia's visa table still lists India as a visa-required country, with the note that Indian citizens are visa-exempt until 31 Dec 2026. The High Commission of Malaysia in New Delhi describes it as a visa waiver for Indian nationals for up to 30 days, for business, tourism, social or transit purposes. The Immigration Department's own eVISA FAQ, updated 6 Oct 2026, says the same: from 1 Dec 2023 until 31 Dec 2026, Indian nationals are exempt from the visa for social visits. India's Ministry of External Affairs lists Malaysia as visa-free for 30 days until 31 Dec 2026 (page updated 27 Aug 2026).

The exemption began on 1 Dec 2023. Bernama, Malaysia's national news agency, reported in December 2024 that the Home Ministry had extended it by two years, to 31 Dec 2026, ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

Working or studying is a different matter: the waiver covers the purposes above, so a job or a course needs the right visa or pass before you travel.

What happens after 31 Dec 2026?

As of 12 Oct 2026 we found no official announcement extending the exemption into 2027. The last extension was announced on 20 Dec 2024, eleven days before the previous end date, so a decision could come late again. If your trip runs into January 2027 or later, check the Immigration Department's visa page before you book non-refundable flights, and be ready to apply for an eVISA.

What is the MDAC, and when do you fill it in?

The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card is an online arrival form run by the Immigration Department of Malaysia. Its portal says completing the MDAC has been mandatory for all foreign citizens since 1 Jan 2024, with exceptions only for groups such as Singapore citizens, diplomatic passport holders and Malaysian permanent residents. Indian tourists are not exempt.

1. Open the official site, imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main. Type the address yourself.
2. Submit the form within the three days before your arrival in Malaysia, not earlier.
3. Keep the confirmation on your phone or printed.
4. On arrival, show the MDAC registration and have your passport checked at the immigration counter.

Use only the official address. In January 2025 the Immigration Department warned tourists about a fake MDAC website, as Bernama reported, and told them to use the official site to protect their personal details.

The MDAC applies at land crossings too. The portal has separate guidance for travellers arriving at the Johor checkpoints from Singapore, which matters on a Singapore and Malaysia trip by road.

Expect the manual counter. The MDAC portal's autogate notice lists visitors from 10 countries as eligible for the autogates for foreigners, and India is not one of them (checked 12 Oct 2026). The Immigration Department says it has a special counter for the elderly, people with disabilities and pregnant mothers.

What should you carry for Malaysian immigration?

The High Commission in New Delhi lists four things for Indian passport holders, and its general entry conditions add proof of funds:

• Passport valid for at least six months. The Immigration Department's eVISA FAQ also asks for at least three blank pages.
• Confirmed return flight ticket.
• Confirmed hotel booking for your stay.
• MDAC confirmation, submitted in the three days before arrival.
• Proof of funds for your stay, such as a debit or credit card, some cash and a recent bank statement.

Cash rules: the MDAC portal reminds travellers that cash over USD 10,000 equivalent must be declared to customs.

Families should carry copies of the hotel booking and return tickets covering everyone travelling.

When do you need a Malaysia eVISA instead?

You need a visa if you arrive after the exemption ends without a renewal. The ordinary eVISA for a social visit also allows up to 30 days, so it does not lengthen a holiday: for a stay of more than 30 days, ask the High Commission of Malaysia in New Delhi which pass applies before you travel. Work and study need their own visa or pass. The only official eVISA site is malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my; the Immigration Department says applications made through third-party sites cannot be verified.

At the ECB reference rate of 9 Oct 2026, about ₹23.7 to the ringgit, RM50 plus RM105 comes to roughly ₹3,700 before the card charge. The eVISA FAQ also says that from 1 Sep 2026 the Multiple Entry Visa is limited to Fly & Cruise, Business, Medical Treatment and Wedding Tourism, so plan on a single-entry visa for a holiday. If you apply on paper at the High Commission in New Delhi, its notice of 23 Jul 2026 lists the visa fee at ₹1,250.

Malaysia trips and things to do

Our Malaysia: Highlands, Islands & KL trip is 6 days and 5 nights from ₹32,999 per person. It includes return flights from Ahmedabad to Kuala Lumpur and the internal sectors, two nights each in Langkawi and Penang and one in Kuala Lumpur, daily breakfast, the Langkawi SkyCab and island-hopping boat, a Georgetown walking tour and all transfers; lunches, dinners and travel insurance are extra. The Singapore–Malaysia Twin City trip, from ₹69,999, crosses into Malaysia by coach, so you need the Singapore visa, which we handle, as well as the MDAC. Our Singapore trip cost guide covers that half.

Popular in Kuala Lumpur, all per person unless marked:

• Petronas Twin Towers Skybridge and 86th-floor deck, from ₹2,750.
• Batu Caves and the Rainbow Steps, ₹2,499, with a guide and return transfers from Kuala Lumpur hotels. It is 272 steps with no shade.
• Kuala Lumpur City Discovery Tour, from ₹3,395 for a half day.
• KLIA to your hotel by private car, ₹3,395 per vehicle.

In Langkawi:

• SkyCab cable car and SkyBridge, from ₹2,240.
• Island hopping to Dayang Bunting and Beras Basah, from ₹3,456.
• Langkawi airport to your hotel, ₹2,960 per vehicle.

See everything on our things to do in Kuala Lumpur and things to do in Langkawi pages. GST and TCS are shown in your written quote. For other visas, read our guides to the Vietnam visa for Indians and how to apply for a Thailand visa.

Book it with the paperwork in order

When you book a Malaysia trip with us, your return flights and hotels come confirmed in writing, which is what the immigration officer asks to see. Tell us your dates and we will check the entry rule for them before you pay. Start with a message.

FAQs

Is Malaysia visa-free for Indians in 2026? Yes. Indian passport holders can enter Malaysia without a visa for up to 30 days until 31 Dec 2026, according to the Immigration Department of Malaysia and the Malaysian High Commission in New Delhi (checked 12 Oct 2026). Carry a passport valid for six months, a return ticket and a hotel booking, and submit the MDAC before arrival.

When should I fill in the MDAC for Malaysia? Within the three days before your arrival, on the Immigration Department's official site, imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main. Keep the confirmation to show at the immigration counter.

Can I extend my 30-day visa-free stay in Malaysia? Plan on leaving within 30 days. The ordinary eVISA also allows up to 30 days, so it is not an extension; for a longer stay, ask the High Commission of Malaysia which pass applies before you travel. Individuals cannot apply for an eVISA from inside Malaysia.

How much is the Malaysia eVISA fee for Indians? RM50 visa fee plus an RM105 processing charge and a small card charge, about ₹3,700 in all at October 2026 rates, and it is non-refundable. You only need it if the visa exemption does not cover your trip.

Do children and parents need the MDAC too? Yes. The Immigration Department says all foreign citizens must complete the MDAC, and its exemptions do not cover Indian passport holders of any age, so make sure every person in the family, children included, is registered.