Apply for Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) for Travelers from Costa Rica
Flying from San Jose or Liberia? Good news: Costa Rican passports get 90 days visa-free in Malaysia. But you still need the MDAC before you board. Apply online with guided support and catch mistakes before they slow you down.
Costa Rica to Malaysia MDAC quick facts
- Costa Rican passport holders get 90 days visa-free in Malaysia
- MDAC is mandatory for all travelers entering Malaysia, submit within 72 hours of arrival
- No direct flights from Costa Rica, route via Panama City, Paris, Istanbul or Madrid
Malaysia Digital Arrival Card for Travelers from Costa Rica
Good news for Costa Rican travelers: your passport is visa-free for Malaysia for up to 90 days. You do not need a visa for tourism, business meetings, or short family visits. But the MDAC is a separate requirement that everyone must complete before arrival. Think of it this way: visa-free means no visa application, but the MDAC is still your digital arrival card for immigration.
Flying from San Jose Juan Santamaria International (SJO) or Daniel Oduber Quiros International (LIR) in Liberia? No direct flights to Kuala Lumpur. The most popular route is Copa Airlines via Panama City Tocumen (PTY), connecting to KL via codeshare partners. Other options include Air France via Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Turkish Airlines via Istanbul (IST), or Iberia via Madrid (MAD). Total travel time ranges from 20 to 28 hours depending on your connection.
When do Costa Rican travelers visit Malaysia? The dry season from December to April is popular, especially during the Semana Santa (Easter week) school holidays. July school vacations (vacaciones de medio ano) bring another wave of travelers. Many Costa Ricans combine Malaysia with a broader Southeast Asia trip, visiting Thailand or Vietnam on the same journey. The year-end holiday period around Christmas and New Year is also busy. Submit your MDAC within 72 hours before departure.
Where do Costa Rican travelers go in Malaysia? Kuala Lumpur tops the list with the Petronas Towers, Batu Caves, and the Central Market for souvenirs. Penang is a favorite for street food lovers who appreciate the hawker culture, similar to Costa Rican sodas. Langkawi attracts beach goers with its duty-free shopping and island resorts. Many also visit the Cameron Highlands for the cool climate and tea plantations, a welcome break from tropical heat. Malacca offers colonial history and riverside cafes.
Malaysia MDAC requirements for travelers from Costa Rica
Who needs MDAC
All travelers from Costa Rica entering Malaysia need to submit MDAC before arrival. This applies no matter your visa-free status. No exceptions for tourists, business visitors, or short stays.
When to apply from Costa Rica
You can submit MDAC within 3 days (72 hours) before your arrival date in Malaysia. Not before, not after. Set a reminder for 48 hours before your flight so you have a full day buffer for Costa Rican travelers.
What you need
Your valid Costa Rican passport, your flight details from Costa Rica, and your accommodation address in Malaysia. Have your booking confirmation handy for the flight number and hotel address.
Visa-free for Costa Ricans
Costa Rican passports are visa-free for Malaysia for up to 90 days. You do not need a visa. The MDAC is your only entry requirement besides your passport. Submit it within 72 hours and you are all set.
What travelers from Costa Rica should prepare before MDAC submission
Get these ready and the form takes about 3 minutes.
Valid Costa Rican passport
Use the exact name, number, and expiry as on your passport. Costa Rican passports use the Spanish naming system with two surnames. The MDAC form asks for Given Name and Family Name. Your primer apellido (first surname) goes in Family Name. Do not include your segundo apellido unless it is legally part of your single surname.
Flight details from Costa Rica
Have your airline, connections, and Malaysia arrival time. Most connect through Panama City, Paris, Istanbul, or Madrid. On the form, put the flight number of the plane that lands you in Malaysia.
Stay in Malaysia
Your first hotel or guesthouse address in Malaysia. Do not enter your address in San Jose or Liberia. Write your address in Malaysian format: street name, city, postcode, and state.
No visa needed
Costa Rican passport holders are visa-free for 90 days. You do not need a visa application. Just submit the MDAC within 72 hours before arrival and you are ready to travel.
Common MDAC mistakes travelers from Costa Rica should avoid
Catching these early saves you time at immigration.
- Confusing your two surnames on the MDAC. Costa Rican passports list both apellidos, but the MDAC only has one Family Name field. If your passport shows both surnames as your legal last name, enter both. If your segundo apellido is separate, leave it out. Check your passport format before you start.
- Assuming visa-free means no MDAC needed. It does not. Costa Rican passports are visa-free for 90 days, but the MDAC is mandatory for everyone entering Malaysia. Do not skip it thinking visa-free covers everything.
- Entering a Costa Rican home address instead of Malaysian accommodation. The MDAC form asks for where you stay in Malaysia, not your address in San Jose, Alajuela, or Heredia. Provide your hotel, guesthouse, or business address in Malaysia.
- Submitting MDAC too early. You cannot submit more than 72 hours before your arrival in Malaysia. If you submit too early, the system rejects it or immigration sees an expired submission. Time it right: 2 to 3 days before you land.
Why apply with TopTravelVisa
We make MDAC submission easier for travelers from Costa Rica with clear steps and support.
Costa Rica guided flow
Costa Rica-specific prompts help you complete each section accurately with Spanish naming support.
Costa Rica turnaround
Most Costa Rica applications move quickly once your passport and flight data are ready.
Secure Costa Rica handling
Costa Rican traveler details are handled securely during MDAC processing.
What travelers from Costa Rica say
Thousands of travelers have used TopTravelVisa for their Malaysia MDAC submission. Here is what recent applicants share.
Flew from San Jose via Panama City to KL for a diving trip to Sipadan. The guide reminded me that Costa Rican passports are visa-free so I only needed the MDAC. Filled it out two days before. Confirmation came in a few hours.
Andres M.
Traveled from San Jose, March 2026
Was worried about the surname field because Costa Rican passports have two apellidos. The instructions said to check my passport format first. Mine listed both surnames together, so I entered both in Family Name. No issues at immigration in KL.
Carla G.
Traveled from Liberia, January 2026
Almost forgot to do the MDAC because I was so focused on being visa-free. A friend told me the system checks it at the gate. Did it on my phone at San Jose airport. Simple form, done before boarding.
Felipe V.
Traveled from San Jose, December 2025
Related Malaysia travel resources
Explore other useful pages before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Key MDAC answers for travelers from Costa Rica. For legal and policy updates, always follow official Malaysian government guidance for Costa Rican travelers.
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You can return to this Costa Rica page when your passport and flights are ready.