Arrival Checklist: Your First Week in Malaysia

Documents: keep these in your hand luggage

• [ ] Passport, with at least 18 months' validity when you applied
• [ ] eVAL: a printout and a copy on your phone
• [ ] Single Entry Visa or e-Visa printout, if your nationality needs one (Pakistani students do)
• [ ] MDAC confirmation (see below)
• [ ] Offer letter and any university arrival form
• [ ] Original certificates and transcripts, plus photocopies
• [ ] Spare passport photos with a white background
• [ ] Insurance details and your EMGS reference number
• [ ] Health Declaration Form copy and your vaccination record. The EMGS health form asks you to bring your International Certificate of Vaccination, which records vaccines such as BCG, hepatitis B, polio, measles and rubella.
• [ ] Some Malaysian ringgit and a debit card that works abroad

Clothes and everyday items

• [ ] Light, breathable clothes. Malaysia is hot and humid all year, with frequent heavy rain, so pack an umbrella.
• [ ] A light jacket or hoodie for cold, air-conditioned lecture halls and buses
• [ ] Modest outfits. Places of worship and government offices may turn you away unless your shoulders and knees are covered and you wear closed shoes.
• [ ] Bed sheets and a towel. Some residences, such as Taylor's, ask you to bring your own.
• [ ] A plug adapter. Malaysia mainly uses Type G three-pin (UK-style) sockets at 230 V, 50 Hz. Pakistani chargers work on the same voltage, so you only need an adapter, not a converter.
• [ ] Medicines in their original packaging, with a copy of your prescription. If you are unsure whether a medicine is allowed, declare it on arrival.

Customs and cash

• Declare cash in any currency, or traveller's cheques, worth USD 10,000 or more when entering or leaving. Undeclared money can be seized, and the penalties reach RM3 million and up to 5 years in prison.
• Carrying ringgit worth USD 10,000 or more into or out of Malaysia needs prior approval.
• Weapons, replica weapons and ammunition (even souvenirs) are not allowed.
• Malaysia has zero tolerance for drugs. Officers can ask for a urine test on arrival. A positive result can mean detention or deportation, even for something taken legally in another country.

Before you board: the MDAC

Since 1 January 2024, students arriving with a Visa Approval Letter must complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC). You can submit it from 3 days before arrival up to the moment you arrive. Use only the Immigration Department's official site (imigresen-online.imi.gov.my). The form is free, and airlines may ask to see it at check-in. Once your Student Pass is active, you don't need an MDAC when you come back from holidays.

At the airport

• [ ] Know your terminal. Most students land at KLIA (Terminal 1 or 2), where EMGS runs its arrival centre.
• [ ] Visit the EMGS International Student Arrival Centre (ISAC). At Terminal 1 it is in the arrival hall on Level 3, before immigration. At Terminal 2 it is on Level 3A, after the Skybridge. EMGS says it operates 24 hours and offers student priority lanes.
• [ ] Do not use the automatic e-gates. Go to a staffed counter, tell the officer you are entering as a student with an eVAL, and check that you receive the Special Pass stamp.
• [ ] Airport pickup: many universities arrange this if you book ahead. Taylor's, for example, offers free pickup if you request it at least three working days before arrival.

Getting into the city

• KLIA Ekspres: RM55 one way to KL Sentral (around PKR 3,700). The trip takes about 28 minutes from Terminal 1, and trains run every 20 minutes. Until 31 December 2026, a group saver fare of RM40 per person applies to groups of three or more.
• Grab: the app shows the fare before you book. Wait at the marked ride-hailing pickup point.
• Authorised airport taxis are also available. Avoid anyone offering rides in the arrival hall.

Your first seven days

• [ ] Day 1–2: report to your international office. Taylor's asks for the next working day.
• [ ] Medical screening within 7 days at an EMGS panel clinic or your campus clinic. Bring your passport, eVAL and health form. UM says results usually appear in the EMGS system within 3 to 4 working days.
• [ ] Submit your passport to the international office for Student Pass endorsement. Don't plan any travel until it comes back.
• [ ] Orientation: briefings on the pass, insurance and campus life.
• [ ] Accommodation check-in: photograph the room, note any damage on the inventory and keep every receipt.

SIM card

• CelcomDigi sells Tourist Passes at KLIA and KLIA2 to visitors with a valid passport. Options run from around RM25 for 7 days to RM60 for 30 days of unlimited data, and the prices include a RM5 SIM activation fee.
• Once settled, many students switch to a regular monthly prepaid plan. CelcomDigi's start from RM30 a month. Maxis/Hotlink, U Mobile and Unifi Mobile are other options.
• Get a local number early, because banks and student portals send verification codes to it.

Bank account and paying for things

• Most students open an account after the Student Pass is endorsed. At Taylor's, students bring an account-opening letter from the international office, their original passport, an eVAL copy, the EMGS letter confirming student status, and a minimum deposit, which varies by bank. Ask your own university which banks it works with.
• DuitNow QR lets you pay, send or receive money by scanning a QR code from your banking or e-wallet app.
• A Touch 'n Go card pays for public transport, parking and tolls.
• Quick conversion: RM100 is about PKR 6,780, or about USD 24.50.

Culture: small things that matter

• Greet people with a handshake or a slight bow. If someone of the opposite gender does not offer a hand, a smile and a nod are fine.
• Use your right hand to pass, receive and eat.
• Take your shoes off before entering someone's home.
• Don't touch people's heads or point with your index finger.
• Malaysia is home to Malay, Chinese, Indian and Indigenous communities. Expect campus closures and celebrations around Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year and Deepavali, and join in when invited.
• Keep online comments respectful. Under the Sedition Act, content seen as stirring hatred against the Rulers or the government, or ill-will between races, can bring up to 3 years in prison. Social media posts count.
• Carry ID at all times: your passport, and your iKad once you have it.

Emergency numbers

Save your international office's number and your accommodation manager's number before you land.

FAQ

Can I use the e-gates at KLIA to save time? No. Universities such as UM and Taylor's tell new students to skip the auto-gates and go to a staffed counter, so that the correct Special Pass is stamped for your eVAL entry.

What if I miss the 7-day medical deadline? Tell your international office right away. EMGS cannot start your Student Pass endorsement without the screening, and its health form warns that not complying can lead to rejection of the Student Pass application.

Can I open a bank account on day one? Probably not. At universities such as Taylor's, students open accounts only after the Student Pass is endorsed, using a letter from the university. Plan to rely on cash and your home debit card for the first few weeks.

How much cash should I bring? Enough for your first few weeks of food, transport and deposits. Anything worth USD 10,000 or more must be declared at customs.