Tourists’ Guide for Using Malaysia KLIA T1 & T2 Autogate for Immigration (MACS 2.0 Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC))

Effective 15 February 2023, as announced by the Immigration Department of Malaysia, 10 foreign passport holders are eligible to use the electronic gate (e-gate) facilities at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminals 1 and 2. Registration is easy and straightforward, and best done during an off-peak period for your first registration entry.

Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) Compulsory for All Foreigners from 1 December 2023

This guide is for the selected 63 foreign passport holders visiting as tourists only (Short Term Social Visit Pass). Malaysians can already use the autogate by default. The 63 foreign passport holders eligible to use the Malaysia immigration autogates visiting as tourists (Short Term Social Visit Pass) are:

From 15 February 2023

• 🇦🇺 Australia
• 🇧🇳 Brunei
• 🇩🇪 Germany
• 🇯🇵 Japan
• 🇰🇷 Republic of Korea
• 🇳🇿 New Zealand
• 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
• 🇸🇬 Singapore
• 🇺🇸 United States
• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

From 16 May 2024

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Greece
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden

From 1 June 2024

• Albania
• Andorra
• Armenia
• Azerbajian
• Bahrain
• Belarus
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Georgia
• Iceland
• Liechtenstein
• Moldova
• North Macedonia
• Norway
• Russia
• San Marino
• Switzerland
• Türkiye
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• Kuwait
• Jordan
• Oman
• Qatar
• China
• Canada
• Hong Kong SAR
• Taiwan

All other nationalities not listed are not allowed to use the Malaysia immigration autogates at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminals 1 and 2 yet, and must clear immigration at the manual counters.

Step 1: Submit Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC)

The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) is similar to an immigration form but much more straightforward and is completed online. Completing the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) allows foreign tourists access to the immigration Autogate which is otherwise reserved only for Malaysians.

Fill up the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) from 3 calendar days (GMT+8) before arrival into Malaysia via Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminals 1 or 2. Submission via the official Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) is free of charge.

The 3 calendar days (GMT+8) period means the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) can be completed any time within 3 calendar days (ie. date of entry itself, 1 day before entry, and 2 days before entry), and not necessarily must be done last by 3 calendar days only.

You can also fill up the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) on the spot on your phone at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminals 1 and 2 if you have Malaysia data on your phone. Public airport WiFi may be weak at the immigration areas at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminals 1 and 2.

Fill in and submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) here.

You must fill up the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) for EVERY TRIP (ie. if you visit KL every week, you must fill up the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) every week.)

Do also note that you must hold an e-passport (ie. your photo page is made of hard plastic and has a chip inside) and must have at least 3 months validity for your passport.

Step 2: Enter Malaysia via Autogate

Insert your passport following the direction shown on the Autogate and wait for your data to be read. Following which, head into the Autogate and look at the camera. The next gate will then open and you are officially in Malaysia.

Do note that you will not get an immigration stamp if you enter and exit Malaysia through the Autogate. If you require a stamp for proof of visit, or if you are entering and exiting Malaysia through any other port*, you should head to the manual counter to clear immigration in order to receive an entry stamp in your passport.

*Exceptions may apply for BSI and KSAB for Singaporeans only. See below for more information.

Singaporeans only: Mix and match Malaysia immigration entry and exit points

Singaporeans are allowed to use the electronic gate (e-gate) facilities at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminals 1 and 2, and the 2 land entry points in Johor Bahru at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (from Woodlands) and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar (from Tuas).

While no confirmation has been made by the Immigration Department of Malaysia if mixing and matching is allowed, I have tried entering Malaysia using the autogate via Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (from Woodlands), and exiting from Malaysia by flight from KLIA T2 using the autogate in May 2023, and was successful.

Conclusion

This MACS 2.0 Autogate procedure is very convenient as it saves a lot of time queuing for the manual counters, and also saves passport pages if you are frequent visitor to Malaysia like me. The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) is also very simple and straightforward, with only basic information needed to be filled in less than 1 minute.