Malaysia visa for US citizens: do you need one?

Visa rules for a tourist visit

The United States is not on the Immigration Department of Malaysia's list of countries whose citizens must apply for a visa to enter Malaysia. Instead, you are given a Short Term Social Visit Pass when you arrive, which covers tourism and social or family visits.

The US State Department (travel guidance dated 26 February 2026) confirms that US citizens do not need a visa for tourism or business trips of 90 days or less.

How long you can stay

The 90-day figure comes from the US State Department, which says the social visit pass lasts up to 90 days, including the day you arrive. The Immigration Department's page on the Short Term Social Visit Pass gives no length of stay, and the Malaysian government pages we could read give no figure for US citizens.

Extensions are less clear, and the sources differ. The US State Department says you can apply to the Immigration Department of Malaysia and that an extension is not guaranteed. The Immigration Department says an extension may be given on special consideration, for example illness, an accident or war in your home country, and that you must show evidence and a confirmed ticket home or to a third country. The Malaysian High Commission in Ottawa lists a 2-month extension, but only in its table for Canadians. Do not plan your trip around an extension.

What to have ready

• Passport: the US State Department asks for 6 months' validity beyond your arrival date and one blank page for the entry stamp. Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs asks for a passport valid for more than 6 months. The US State Department adds that you must show your passport to enter or leave Sabah and Sarawak, even on a domestic flight.
• Return or onward ticket: the Immigration Department of Malaysia lists a confirmed ticket home, or a ticket and any needed visa for a third country, among the documents for a Short Term Social Visit Pass. The US State Department does not mention this.
• Money: the same Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs page asks for enough funds to cover your stay. It does not give an amount.
• Fees: no visa fee is listed for US citizens, and the MDAC arrival card is free.

The arrival form

As a US citizen, you must fill in the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) within 3 days before you arrive, whether you come by air, land or sea. It is mandatory and free on the official Immigration Department of Malaysia website, and we have a separate page that walks you through it.