MDAC Required for Land Entry: 2026 Critical Border Guide
Which land border crossings require the MDAC and which travelers are exempt
Which land border crossings require the MDAC and which travelers are exempt
Is the MDAC Required for Land Entry or Only for Air Travel?
Most guides to the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card focus on airports, since that’s where the majority of foreign visitors arrive. But Malaysia shares land borders with Singapore, Thailand, and Brunei, and a significant number of travelers cross on foot, by bus, or by car rather than by plane. Understanding whether the MDAC required for land entry rule applies the same way it does at an airport matters just as much for anyone planning a border crossing.
The MDAC Required for Land Entry Rule Applies From the Start
The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card has applied equally to air, land, and sea arrivals since it became mandatory on January 1, 2024. This isn’t a rule that started at airports and later expanded to land borders. From the beginning, anyone entering Malaysia and clearing immigration, regardless of how they physically cross the border, has fallen under the same requirement. The MDAC required for land entry standard is identical to the one used at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, right down to the same 72-hour submission window and the same information collected.
Where the MDAC Required for Land Entry Rule Comes Up Most Often
The busiest land crossing by far is the Johor-Singapore Causeway, along with the Second Link at Tuas, both connecting Johor Bahru to Singapore. Malaysia’s northern border with Thailand sees regular land crossings too, particularly at Bukit Kayu Hitam, Padang Besar, and Rantau Panjang. The border with Brunei, mainly relevant to travelers in Sarawak, is a smaller but still active crossing point where the same rule applies.
It’s worth being precise about one detail here, since it trips people up. Singapore citizens are fully exempt from the MDAC required for land entry rule, even when crossing at the Causeway or Tuas, the same exemption that applies to them at airports. This exemption is tied to citizenship, not to the border crossing itself, so a Singapore passport holder skips the MDAC no matter which entry point they use. Anyone else crossing at those same checkpoints, regardless of nationality, still needs to submit one.
Thailand border-pass holders and certain Brunei pass holders have their own narrower exemptions too, limited to specific designated checkpoints rather than covering every land crossing broadly.
| Land Crossing | MDAC Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Johor-Singapore Causeway or Tuas (Second Link) | Yes, for most nationalities | Singapore citizens are fully exempt |
| Bukit Kayu Hitam (Malaysia-Thailand) | Yes, for most nationalities | Thai border-pass holders exempt |
| Padang Besar (Malaysia-Thailand) | Yes, for most nationalities | Thai border-pass holders exempt |
| Rantau Panjang (Malaysia-Thailand) | Yes, for most nationalities | Thai border-pass holders exempt |
| Brunei land border crossings | Yes, for most nationalities | GCI and Frequent Traveller Facility holders exempt |
| Entikong/Tebedu (Sarawak, Indonesia border) | Yes, for most nationalities | Indonesian PLB cross-border pass holders exempt |
Why the MDAC Required for Land Entry Step Still Matters
This also applies regardless of how your original entry happened. If you fly into KLIA on your main trip, then later take a car or bus across the border into Thailand or Singapore for a day trip or a short getaway, coming back into Malaysia counts as a completely new entry, even though your very first arrival was by air. A fresh MDAC required for land entry submission is needed for that return crossing, filed inside its own 72-hour window, exactly as if you were arriving in Malaysia for the very first time.
This is the single most common mistake among travelers based in Malaysia for a longer stay who take short cross-border trips along the way. The MDAC is tied to each individual entry into the country, not to the trip as a whole. Every single crossing, no matter whether it’s your first arrival by plane or your fifth land crossing back from a weekend abroad, needs its own separate submission.
How Our Service Handles Land Border Submissions
Whether you’re flying into KLIA or crossing at Johor Bahru, our process works the same way. We track your correct submission window and file your MDAC at the right time regardless of how you’re entering the country. This is particularly useful for travelers doing multiple short land crossings, since keeping track of separate submission windows for each individual entry can get confusing fast when you’re managing it yourself.
Related MDAC Questions Worth Checking
If you’re preparing your documents, it’s also worth reading our guide on MDAC mandatory for foreign nationals and our article on submit the MDAC early, since eligibility and timing questions often come up together for travelers planning border crossings.
For the free, official version of the form, you can always apply directly at www.imi.gov.my.