Malaysia Visa for Indians: Requirements, Fees & Process
Here's the short version. For most Indian travellers, a Malaysia visa isn't something you apply for at all in 2026. The country gives Indian passport holders 30 days of visa-free entry, and that policy runs until 31 December 2026. So the real question hiding behind "Malaysia visa for Indians" is narrower than it looks: do you actually need one, and if you do, which route fits your trip? The one step nobody escapes is a free online arrival form called the MDAC.
I've watched too many first-time travellers overpay a middleman for something the Malaysian government hands out for free. This guide fixes that. Every fee below is a real 2026 figure, checked against the Malaysian Immigration Department, and quoted in Malaysian ringgit (RM) with an approximate rupee value at the mid-July 2026 rate of about ₹23.5 to RM1.
Do Indians need a visa for Malaysia in 2026?
No, not for a normal short trip. Indian citizens can enter Malaysia without a visa for stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business, social visits, or transit, under a waiver that Malaysia has extended to 31 December 2026. You get a Social Visit Pass stamped on arrival, and that's it for the visa part.
Two things trip people up here.
First, the 30-day pass can't be extended from inside Malaysia. If you want to stay longer, you leave the country and re-enter for a fresh pass. Second, this waiver is only for visits. Work and study are different animals. If you're heading to Malaysia to take up a job or enrol in a course, you must arrange the correct visa or pass before you fly, no exceptions.
And there's a date to watch. The exemption is confirmed only through the end of December 2026. Malaysia has renewed it twice already, so another extension is plausible, but it is not guaranteed. If your travel falls in early 2027, check the current status before you book anything expensive.
The MDAC: the one thing you genuinely cannot skip
The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card, or MDAC, is a free online form every foreign traveller must submit before arriving. Do it within three days of your arrival date, on the official portal at imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main. It takes a few minutes and asks for your passport details, flight information, and where you're staying.
Visa-free, eNTRI, eVisa, visa on arrival, it doesn't matter which lane you're in. The MDAC is mandatory in all of them.
Now the part that costs Indians real money every week: fake MDAC websites. Because the form is free and the process is simple, dozens of copycat sites clone the government page and charge you to "process" it. In February 2026, a tourist reported being charged RM145 (roughly ₹3,400) on one of these fake sites for a card that costs nothing on the real portal. The Immigration Department has issued a public warning about it, and Malaysian news outlets keep reporting fresh cases.
My rule for you is blunt. If the web address doesn't end in imi.gov.my, close the tab. Never click a "sponsored" or ad result when you search for MDAC, because the scam sites buy those top slots on purpose. And no legitimate MDAC service will ever ask you to pay. If you've already paid for one of these sites, call your bank and dispute the charge.
When you actually need a visa: eNTRI vs eVisa
Since the 30-day waiver covers most trips, the eNTRI and eVisa routes matter mainly in specific situations: if the exemption lapses, if your case doesn't qualify for visa-free entry, or if you simply want a document approved before departure. Here's how the two differ.
eNTRI (Electronic Travel Registration and Information) is a visa-waiver registration built specifically for Indian nationals. It's quick and cheap, but limited: a single entry, a maximum stay of 15 days, and no extension. You register online, print the eNTRI Note, and carry it. Note the catch that surprises people, 15 days is shorter than the 30 days you already get visa-free right now, so while the waiver is live, eNTRI rarely makes sense for a normal holiday.
eVisa is the full electronic visa, applied for online at malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my. It suits travellers who want a formally issued visa, and it comes in single-entry and multiple-entry versions, with stays of up to 30 days. This is the route to know for the day the waiver isn't in effect, or if your circumstances need a proper visa rather than the waiver.
There is also a Malaysia visa on arrival, but it's a narrow tool. It's available only to Indians arriving from Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, or Indonesia who already hold a valid visa for that country, it costs around RM200 (about ₹4,700), and the stay is short. With 30-day visa-free entry running, almost no Indian traveller needs it. Confirm the current conditions on the official portal before relying on it.
Malaysia visa price for Indians: the routes and fees
Every figure below is quoted from official Malaysian sources. Where an amount is a service charge that the portal can revise, I've said so, and I'd rather you confirm the live number than trust a round figure from a content farm.
|
Route |
Who it's for |
Max Stay |
Cost (RM / Approx. ₹) |
Where to Apply |
|
Visa-free Entry (Social Visit Pass) |
Indian tourists, business, social, or transit visitors |
30 days (no extension) |
Free (MDAC still required) |
No visa required; submit the MDAC before arrival |
|
MDAC (Malaysia Digital Arrival Card) |
Every arriving traveller, regardless of travel route |
Valid for the duration of your stay |
Free |
imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main |
|
eNTRI |
Indian nationals who need a pre-approved electronic travel registration |
15 days, single entry (no extension) |
Around RM45 (Approx. ₹1,060) (confirm on the official portal) |
Official eNTRI portal via imi.gov.my |
|
eVisa (Single Entry) |
Travellers who require a formal visa or are not eligible for the visa waiver |
Up to 30 days |
RM50 visa fee + RM105 processing fee (Total: RM155, Approx. ₹3,640) |
malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my |
|
Visa on Arrival (VoA) |
Indian citizens arriving from Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, or Indonesia with a valid visa from that country |
Around 7 days |
Around RM200 (Approx. ₹4,700) (confirm on the official portal) |
Available at selected Malaysian airports on arrival |
A note on card fees: the eVisa portal adds a small payment convenience charge, roughly 0.8% on card payments and higher on some e-wallets, so your final total will run a touch above the sticker price. And exchange rates move, so treat the rupee figures as a guide, not a quote.
Documents you need at the Malaysian border
Whether you enter visa-free or on eNTRI, the officer at the counter can ask to see proof that you're a genuine short-term visitor. Have these ready:
A passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, with blank pages.
Your completed MDAC, submitted within three days before arrival.
A confirmed return or onward air ticket. This is checked more often than people expect.
Proof of sufficient funds, in cash, or a debit or credit card. Travellers are commonly expected to show the equivalent of around US$500, though the amount varies.
Proof of accommodation, such as a hotel booking or an invitation from your host in Malaysia.
For eNTRI specifically, the Immigration Department lists the exact set you must present on arrival: the eNTRI printout, your boarding pass, sufficient funds, a confirmed return ticket, and proof of accommodation. eNTRI travellers from India also need to arrive on a direct flight, or transit only through Singapore, Thailand, or Brunei, and enter through designated checkpoints such as KLIA.
Keep printed copies. Malaysian counters are fast, but a phone that won't load your booking at the wrong moment turns a two-minute clearance into a long, sweaty wait.
How long does the process take?
For visa-free entry, there's nothing to wait for. Your only pre-trip task is the MDAC, which is instant, submit it and carry the confirmation. Clearance at the airport is a passport stamp.
NTRI approvals are typically quick, often within a day, since it's a registration rather than a full assessment. eVisa applications take longer because they're formally processed; plan on a few working days and apply well ahead of your flight rather than the night before. If a website promises you a Malaysian visa "in minutes" for a fat fee, be skeptical. It's usually reselling the free or low-cost government process at a markup.
FAQs
Is Malaysia visa-free for Indians right now?
Yes. Indian passport holders get 30 days of visa-free entry for tourism, business, social visits, and transit, under a waiver valid until 31 December 2026. You still must file the free MDAC within three days before you arrive.
Is the MDAC really free, and where is the real site?
It's completely free on the official government portal, imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main. Any site charging you for the MDAC is a third-party operator, and several are outright scams. If the address doesn't end in imi.gov.my, don't enter your details.
What's the difference between visa-free entry and an eVisa?
Visa-free entry means you need no visa at all for a 30-day visit, just the MDAC. An eVisa is a formally issued electronic visa you apply and pay for online, useful when you don't qualify for the waiver or when the waiver isn't in effect. For a standard 2026 holiday within 30 days, most Indians need neither an eVisa nor eNTRI.
Is there a Malaysia visa on arrival for Indians?
Only in a narrow case: arriving from Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, or Indonesia with a valid visa for that country, for around RM200. With a 30-day visa-free entry active, it's rarely relevant. Confirm the conditions on the official portal.
How much does an eNTRI or eVisa cost in rupees?
eNTRI runs around RM45 (roughly ₹1,060), and a single-entry eVisa is about RM155 all-in once you add the RM105 processing charge to the RM50 visa fee (roughly ₹3,640). Rates shift with the exchange rate, so verify the live amount before you pay.
Can I stay in Malaysia longer than 30 days?
Not on the visa-free pass, which can't be extended from inside the country. For a longer stay you'd leave and re-enter, or apply for the appropriate visa. Work and study always require the correct visa arranged before travel.
Plan the trip, skip the middleman markup
If your Malaysia trip is a holiday or a business visit of 30 days or less in 2026, your to-do list is genuinely short: check your passport has six months left, book a return ticket, and file the free MDAC three days out on the official imi.gov.my portal. That's the whole thing. Don't pay a stranger for a card the government gives away.
Where it gets fiddly is the edge cases, a stay that runs long, a work or study move, travel dates that slip past the December 2026 waiver deadline, or a document you'd rather have approved before you fly. That's exactly where a mistake costs you a rebooked flight or a refused entry.
If you'd like a human to confirm your route and prepare your paperwork correctly the first time, DU Global handles visa facilitation for Indian travellers end to end. Start with our checklist to see what your specific trip needs, or begin an application and let our team take it from there. Get it right once, and Malaysia is one of the easiest countries in Asia for an Indian passport to visit.
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