TDAC: the Thailand Digital Arrival Card

The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is a free online form that every non-Thai traveller must complete before entering Thailand, by air, land or sea. File it only on the official site, tdac.immigration.go.th, within 3 days before you arrive.

It has been required since 1 May 2025 and replaced the old paper form. It takes one sitting if you have your passport and booking details ready.

Who needs it

All non-Thai nationals entering Thailand need one, including visa-exempt travellers, children and infants.

Thai embassies name these exceptions:

• Thai nationals returning home.
• Passengers in transit or transferring who do not pass through passport control.
• Foreigners entering with a Border Pass.

The timing rule

Thai embassies state the window as 3 days before arrival. It is often described as 72 hours, and filing inside 72 hours of your landing time keeps you safely within it.

The card is valid for a single entry. Leave Thailand and come back, and you need a new one. If you are visiting neighbouring countries on the same trip, file again before each return.

What you need

• Your passport or other travel document.
• Full name, date of birth and nationality.
• Your flight details and arrival date.
• Your accommodation in Thailand.
• An email address.

Everything goes in English. A health declaration appears only if your nationality or your travel over the past 14 days triggers it.

Steps

1. Open tdac.immigration.go.th and check that the address ends in .go.th.
2. Enter your passport details. You can upload a photo of the passport or type them in by hand.
3. Enter your itinerary and where you are staying.
4. Complete the health declaration if it is shown.
5. Add anyone travelling with you to the same submission.
6. Review everything, enter your email and accept the terms.
7. Submit and save the confirmation.

A confirmation email arrives with your TDAC as a QR code and PDF. Show it on your phone or as a printout at immigration, along with your passport.

If something goes wrong

The email or QR code never arrives. The Thai embassy guidance is to tell the immigration officer at the checkpoint.

You forgot. You can still submit up until you go through immigration. Some airports offer Wi-Fi for this, and TDAC kiosks stand at Suvarnabhumi (BKK), Don Mueang (DMK), Phuket (HKT), Chiang Mai (CNX) and Hat Yai (HDY). Filing before you board is calmer than doing it in an arrivals hall, especially after a long flight.

Fake sites

This is the part worth reading twice. Copycat sites look official and charge a fee for a form that costs nothing.

In 2026, the Immigration Bureau reported that about 10 percent of foreign travellers had mistakenly registered through fraudulent TDAC sites. The risk goes beyond the fee. These sites collect your passport number, address and travel plans, and that data can be sold or used for identity theft.

How to stay clear of them:

• Type the address yourself rather than clicking a search ad.
• Check that the domain ends in .go.th.
• Close any page that asks for a card number. The real form never does.

If you have already paid a fake site, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports advises keeping the evidence: the web address, screenshots and any messages. You can report it to the Cyber Police hotline (1441), the Online Complaint Center (1212 OCC) or the Anti-Fake News Center Thailand. Then file again on the official site, since a card from a fake site may not exist in the immigration system at all.

What else you need at the border

The TDAC is only one part of entry. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months on arrival, and officers can ask for an onward ticket and proof of funds. Stay limits and the visa options are in the Thailand visa guide. Once you are through, here is how to get from the airport to the city.

Rules can change at short notice. Check with a Thai embassy or consulate before you travel.

Questions people ask

How much does the TDAC cost?

Nothing. Registration is free. Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports calls any site that asks for payment a scam.

When can I fill in the TDAC?

Within 3 days before you arrive. Staying inside 72 hours of your landing time keeps you within that window. You can still do it up to the moment you reach immigration.

Do children need a TDAC?

Yes. Children and infants need one too. A parent or guardian completes it, and you can add them to the same submission.

Is the TDAC a visa?

No. It does not replace a visa. Whether you need one depends on your nationality.

Do I need a new TDAC for every trip?

Yes. Each card covers a single entry, so file a new one every time you enter Thailand.