Border control at Malaysia airports: what happens to travellers and their data

Arriving: the steps at the border

The Immigration Department of Malaysia says all foreign citizens travelling to Malaysia must complete the MDAC. It became mandatory on 1 January 2024 ². The Star reported on 3 December 2023 that the department had announced the requirement on its Facebook page ⁷.

Travellers submit the MDAC on the official portal within three days before arrival. On arrival they show the MDAC registration and have their passport checked at the immigration counter ³.

People who do not need the MDAC are Singapore citizens, diplomatic and official passport holders, Malaysian permanent residents and long-term pass holders, holders of a Brunei General Certificate of Identity, Brunei Malaysia Frequent Traveller Facility holders, Thailand border pass holders and holders of the Indonesian cross-border travel document (PLB) ².

The MDAC portal reminds travellers that cash or bearer negotiable instruments worth more than US$10,000 must be declared to customs. Carrying more than US$10,000 worth of ringgit needs permission from Bank Negara Malaysia ¹.

Entry permission: visas and who needs them

The Immigration Department lists the nationalities that need a visa to enter Malaysia. They include Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Serbia, Montenegro and a group of African countries. Nationals of countries marked with an asterisk, such as Nigeria, Ghana and Ethiopia, may enter by air only ⁵.

Indian citizens are exempt from the visa until 31 December 2026, according to the same page. ASEAN nationals other than Myanmar do not need a visa for stays under one month ⁵.

The department lists 51 countries whose nationals do not need a visa for any purpose of entry. They include Australia, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and the United Kingdom ⁵.

Travellers who need a visa apply through the eVISA portal at malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my. Travellers from countries at risk of yellow fever must show a vaccination certificate on arrival ⁵.

Biometrics and autogates

Malaysia's autogates for foreigners are open to Malaysian Automated Clearance System (MACS) holders, long-term pass holders and visitors from 10 countries ¹. The 10 are Australia, Brunei, Germany, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States ^1,4.

Visitors need a passport valid for at least six months and an MDAC submitted three days before arrival. The facility covers arrivals and departures at KLIA and KLIA2 ⁴.

On a first visit, the traveller enrols and has the passport checked at a staffed counter. After enrolment the traveller can use the autogate to leave. On later visits the traveller can use autogates on arrival and departure, after filing an MDAC for each visit ⁴. The MDAC portal offers a check of autogate eligibility ¹.

Parliament passed amendments to the Immigration Act and the Passports Act in December 2025 ^8,9. The Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2025 adds a section requiring every person entering Malaysia to give personal identifiers and biometric data. Officers may refuse entry to a person who refuses. Air and sea arrivals can be examined by an officer or by an automated system ¹⁰.

The Passports bill lets travellers present passports through an automated system. Both laws start on a date the minister appoints ¹⁰. Malay Mail reported that the Passports bill would use automated gates and QR codes ⁸.

Passenger data: API and PNR

The Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2025 adds a section requiring carriers to furnish passenger name records and advance passenger information in the prescribed form and time. Failing to submit the data, or submitting false information, is an offence ¹⁰.

The Dewan Rakyat passed the bill on 4 December 2025 ⁸. The Dewan Negara passed it on 17 December 2025. Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah tabled it, and the bill covers operators of ships, aircraft and trains ⁹.

The same bill sets duties for ship masters, aircraft captains and train drivers. They must present crew and passengers for inspection, allow searches and report stowaways. Train drivers entering Malaysia must stop at an authorised entry point. Travellers moving between Peninsular and East Malaysia must provide internal travel documents through an automated system. The minister may set the form and timing of passenger data by regulation ¹⁰.

Malay Mail reported that full use of biometric data would let the government screen travellers 72 hours before arrival. It named the system the Advance Passenger Screening System (APSS) ⁸. A start date for the new duties had not been confirmed in the sources reviewed for this guide.

Watch lists and checks

Under the Immigration Act, the Director General can declare a person a prohibited immigrant. The classes listed by the department include people unable to support themselves, people convicted and jailed in any country whom the Director General deems undesirable, people whose earlier entry was unlawful, and people who advocate the violent overthrow of government ⁶.

The pre-arrival screening described in the 2025 debate would check travellers 72 hours before they land ⁸. The MDAC portal lets travellers check their registration, their visit pass and their autogate eligibility status before they fly ¹.

Your data: the law and how to ask for records

Malaysia's main data protection law is the Personal Data Protection Act 2010. The Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2024 came into force in three stages, on 1 January, 1 April and 1 June 2025 ¹¹.

From 1 April 2025 biometric data counts as sensitive personal data. From 1 June 2025 data controllers must report breaches to the Commissioner and affected people, appoint a data protection officer and respect a new right to data portability ¹¹.

The official pages reviewed for this guide did not say how long MDAC records, autogate enrolment data or passenger data are kept. MDAC questions can be sent through the department's online enquiry system at eapp.imi.gov.my ¹.

Who runs the systems

The Immigration Department of Malaysia runs the MDAC, autogates and the eVISA portal. Its Security and Passport Division prepared the MDAC guidance ^1,25.

The Home Ministry steered the 2025 amendments through Parliament ^8,9. Customs handles cash declarations, and Bank Negara Malaysia rules on carrying ringgit ¹.