# Malaysia's visa-free entry for Indians runs out on 31 December 2026 > Malaysia's own country list still reads: India citizen, visa exempt until 31 December 2026. No extension into 2027 announced, and MDAC stays mandatory. - Published: 2026-08-18 ยท Updated: 2026-08-18 - Author: VisaGyan (VisaGyan) - Canonical: https://visagyan.in/malaysia-visa-free-indians-ends-31-december-2026 - Official sources: - https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/visa/visa-requirement-by-country/ - https://www.kln.gov.my/web/ind_new-delhi/requirement_foreigner --- Booking Malaysia for the new year? Check the date. The Immigration Department of Malaysia's own country list still carries the footnote "India citizen: visa exempts until 31st December 2026" โ€” the visa-free window for Indian passport holders ends with this calendar year, and no extension into 2027 has been announced. ## What the official page says India appears in Malaysia's list of countries that require a visa, with a double-asterisk footnote carving out the exemption until 31 December 2026. That structure matters: the exemption is a temporary carve-out on top of a visa requirement, not a permanent visa-free relationship. It was introduced as part of Malaysia's visa liberalisation drive and extended once, to cover Visit Malaysia Year 2026. ## What it means for a trip booked now A holiday any time before 31 December is unaffected: up to 30 days, no visa, but the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card completed online before you fly. A trip that **crosses** the new year is the risk โ€” if you enter on, say, 28 December and the exemption is not renewed, your permitted stay was granted under the rules at entry, but a return trip in January would need a visa. Anyone planning January travel should watch for an announcement rather than assume renewal. ## The part that actually gets Indians refused Not the visa. Malaysian border officers have turned Indian travellers back for the ordinary things: no MDAC, no confirmed return or onward ticket, no hotel booking, and insufficient funds for the stay. Passport validity of at least six months is checked at boarding. Visa-free means no application form โ€” it does not mean no checks. Our [Malaysia visa guide for Indians](/malaysia-visa-for-indians) has the document list, and the [visa-free countries page](/visa-free-countries-for-indians) tracks which of these windows are open. We will add a layered update to this note the day Malaysia announces a decision for 2027. *VisaGyan is an independent journal, not affiliated with the Malaysian government. Verify on imi.gov.my before you travel.*