Getting to Malaysia from Australia.
Flights, the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card, and what happens at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Written for Lawgistics students, useful for anyone flying from Australia.
Three things, in order.
Fly into KUL
Direct from Melbourne is about eight hours. No visa is needed for an Australian passport on a short visit, currently up to 90 days. A placement can sit on a different entry basis from a holiday, so we confirm the right one with you before you book flights.
Complete the digital arrival card
The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card is a free five minute online form, done in the three days before you land, on the Immigration Department’s official site only.
Gate, bags, arrivals hall
Autogates are open to Australian passport holders once the card is done. We organise your pick up and drop off from the airport, and it is in the fee.
Official form: Immigration Department of Malaysia, MDAC. It is free. Sites that charge for it are not the form.
What people ask before they fly.
QuestionDo Australians need a visa for Malaysia?
No visa is needed for an Australian passport holder visiting Malaysia for tourism or a short visit, currently for stays of up to 90 days. A placement can sit on a different basis, so Lawgistics confirms the correct entry arrangement with each student before flights are booked. Entry rules change; the Immigration Department of Malaysia's website is the source of truth.
QuestionWhat is the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card?
The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card, or MDAC, is a free online form that foreign travellers complete before arriving in Malaysia. It replaced the paper arrival card. Australian citizens must complete it. It asks for passport details, flight, arrival date and where you are staying.
QuestionWhen do I fill in the MDAC?
Within the three days before you arrive in Malaysia. Do it once your flight and accommodation are confirmed. It takes about five minutes and there is nothing to print; immigration reads it from your passport.
QuestionWhere do I complete the MDAC?
Only on the Immigration Department of Malaysia's official MDAC page. It is free. Third party sites that charge a fee are not the official form.
QuestionHow long is the flight from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur?
Around eight hours direct. Sydney and Perth are similar or shorter. Kuala Lumpur is two hours behind Melbourne in winter and three hours behind when Victoria is on daylight saving.
QuestionDo I need a return flight booked?
Yes. Book a return or onward flight before you travel and keep the confirmation on your phone. Malaysian immigration can ask to see it, and Lawgistics asks accepted students to have it booked on acceptance. Book it for a later date if you want to stay on and travel; the standard placement, supervision and support cover four weeks, and longer placements are arranged on request.
QuestionWhich airport do I fly into?
Kuala Lumpur International Airport, code KUL. Full service airlines generally use Terminal 1 and low cost carriers Terminal 2. Lawgistics students are met at arrivals and the transfer is included in the programme fee.
QuestionWhat happens when I land?
Have your passport ready. Travellers from a number of countries, including Australia, can use the autogates once the MDAC is done; if a gate declines you, join the manual immigration queue. Collect bags, clear customs, and look for your Lawgistics contact in the arrivals hall.
Entry requirements change. This page is checked against the Immigration Department of Malaysia and Smartraveller before each intake, and the date at the top is the last check. If anything here differs from an official source, the official source wins.
The city guide picks up from arrivals.
Sri Hartamas, getting around, court dress, money and a SIM, food, and the three weekend trips already in the fee.