What changed
Malaysia's visa exemption for Chinese and Indian passport holders — originally introduced to boost tourism — has been extended through 31 December 2026 as part of the country's "Visit Malaysia Year 2026" campaign. Alongside the extension, the stay structure was also updated: eligible Chinese nationals can now stay up to 30 days per entry, with a combined cap of up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period, rather than the longer per-entry stays some travellers had previously understood to be available.
In practice, this means the exemption still allows visa-free tourism, business meetings, and social visits — but travellers planning a longer single stay, or multiple trips within a short window, should check the current per-entry and rolling-window limits directly rather than assuming older figures still apply.
What hasn't changed
- The MDAC (Malaysia Digital Arrival Card) remains mandatory for essentially all arrivals, submitted online before or shortly after landing
- The exemption still covers tourism, business meetings that aren't employment, and social visits — not work or study
- A passport valid for at least six months beyond your entry date is still commonly expected
Visa rules are exactly the kind of thing that changes again without much warning. This update reflects the position as reported in early-to-mid 2026 — before booking, confirm your specific eligibility and current stay limits at Malaysia's official Immigration Department portal, not from this page or any other secondhand summary.
See our full visa & entry requirements guide for the general framework that applies to all nationalities.