Blogs Frequently Asked Questions

The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card is an online immigration form that is submitted by foreign travelers before entering Malaysia to make their immigration process faster and easier.

Permanent residents, travelers transiting from the airport without entering the city, and citizens of the country are generally exempt from the process.

No, you have to submit it at least three days prior to your landing date in Malaysia.

The auto gate system of Malaysia allows travelers who are eligible to clear immigration using automated electronic gates. It lets travelers bypass the long immigration lines, reducing wait times. A Malaysia Digital Arrival Card confirmation is needed before using auto gates.

The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) is free of cost!

Except for Malaysians and permanent residents in the country, every individual, whether an Indian resident or a citizen of a foreign country traveling to Malaysia, needs to first apply for an MDAC arrival card using the official MDAC portal. This includes travelers visiting the country by land, air, or sea.

To fill out the Malaysian digital arrival card, visit the official MDAC portal, fill out the requested information on the form, such as your personal details (your name, passport number, nationality, and contact information), travel details (arrival and departure date, flight details and stay duration in the country) and accommodation details (name and address of your hotel where you are going to stay in Malaysia) and submit the form. Upon submission, you will receive a confirmation email and a unique PIN. Once you register, you can download the MCDA PDF from the portal using your personal details and unique PIN.

To enter Thailand if you are from a visa-free country like India, you are required to have your valid passport and Thailand Digital Arrival Card, and if you are from countries that require a visa to enter Thailand then along with these documents.

Yes, from May 1, 2025, an arrival card has become mandatory for all foreign travelers who are visiting Thailand, regardless of your travel mode (air, land, or sea) and your traveling purpose, whether it is for business, tourism, or long-term stay in the country.

The new entry rule for Thailand is the launch of the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) that replaces the traditional paperwork application. From May 2025 onwards, foreign travelers, whether they are from visa-free countries or another, need to have a TDAC card to enter Thailand no matter for what purpose and from which travel mode they are coming from.

To fill out a Thailand Digital Arrival Card, visit the official site of TDAC, click on new application, provide the requested details such as your name, passport number, accommodation details, traveling purpose, and entry port. After that, upload a clear picture of the bio page of your passport, cross-check all the information, and submit the form.

There is no fee for the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC). You can apply for the card for free using the official immigration website of the country or a mobile app. The online system of the Digital Arrival Card is the same as the entry process for countries like Singapore and Malaysia.

To enter Thailand, foreign travelers need to fill out a Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before their arrival. The card is a replacement for the old TMK paper form. It is mandatory for all non-Thai citizens to have this card before they visit the country.

No, the Social Security Number (SSN) is not the same as an A-number. The SSN is issued by the government to eligible immigrant workers in the US who apply for it. Alternatively, USCIS issues an A-number to immigrants who apply to stay permanently in the US. A lot of immigrant workers have both an A-number and a Social Security Number.

A USCIS number is used to track the applications. It is a 13-character code starting with 3 letters like MSC or EAC.  This number is temporarily assigned to the application and used for only particular cases or individuals.

No, the Alien Registration Number is not the same as Form I-94. The A-number is a unique number issued by the USCIS. You can find your A-number on your green card which is also known as Form I-551. In contrast, Form I-94 is an 11-digit admission record that proves a nonimmigrant’s legal entry into the US.

No, your Alien Registration Number (A-number) will not expire. Once you get an A-number from the USCIS it will be valid for a lifetime. It is like your personal ID in the US immigration system. However, it is important to check the expiry date of other documents like green cards, or visas. These documents may expire and you need to renew them to maintain your legal status in the US.

No, the USCIS Online Account Number is not the same thing as an A-number. The A-number is a nine-digit number used by the USCIS to track all the immigrants who are applying for permanent status in the US. Whereas, the USCIS online account number is only given if you choose to create an account online and acts as an extra way to help USCIS track your application.

You can find the A-number on a green card on both the front and back of the card. It is a 7,8, or 9-digit number that is different from your SSN. On the green card issued after 10th May 2010, the A-number is on the front of the card next to the picture. On older green cards issued between the years 2004 and 2010, the A-number is labeled as “A#”.

Check the last page of your passport. If there is an ECR (Emigration Check Required) stamp, then it is an ECR passport, and if there is no such stamp, then it's an ECNR passport.