In this paper, an analytical solution for an unsteady (independent of time), MHD mixed convection, two-dimensional (x and y), laminar, viscous flow of an incompressible fluid through a vertical permeable plate in a porous medium was developed with these assumptions:(i) the suction velocity (which is normal to the plate)and the free stream velocity both fluctuate with respect to time with a fixed mean; (ii) the wall temperature is constant;(iii) difference between the temperature of the plate and the free stream is moderately large due to the free convection currents. Based on the physical configuration of the model, the governing equations are derived and are non-dimensionalize using dimensionless parameters. The resultant nonlinear partial differential equations are solved using double regular perturbation technique analytically. The results are computed numerically to understand the behaviour of the fluid (i.e., effects of MHD, viscosity, body force etc.) for various non-dimensional parameters involving like Grashof number Gr, Prandtl number Pr, Hartmann number M, Eckert number E, the Viscous ratio λ and so on for velocity and temperature. These results are found to be in good agreement with known results available in the literature in the absence of few physical parameters. The numerical values of the above said flow is discussed through graphs on velocity and temperature. © 2017 Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.