Thailand Digital Arrival Card: What Foreigners Need to Know Before Entering Thailand
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card, or TDAC, is now an important entry requirement for most foreigners travelling to Thailand. It replaces the old paper arrival card and allows travellers to submit arrival information online before reaching Thai immigration.
Starting from 1 May 2025, non-Thai nationals entering Thailand by air, land, or sea must complete the TDAC online before arrival. The requirement applies to tourists, business travellers, long-stay visa holders, students, retirees, and most other foreign passport holders.
The TDAC is not a visa. It does not replace visa exemption, visa on arrival, tourist visas, business visas, retirement visas, education visas, or long-term residence permission. It is an arrival-information form that supports immigration processing when you enter Thailand.
Important: Immigration, visa, entry, health declaration, and travel requirements can change. Complete the TDAC only through the official Thai Immigration Bureau website and confirm current entry requirements with the relevant Thai embassy, consulate, airline, or immigration authority before travelling.
Quick Answer: What Is the TDAC?
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is an online form submitted before entering Thailand. Travellers enter passport details, travel information, accommodation in Thailand, travel purpose, email address, and health declaration details where required.
- Required for: Most non-Thai nationals entering Thailand
- Applies to: Air, land, and sea arrivals
- Submission window: Within 3 days before arrival, including the arrival date
- Fee: No official fee
- Official website: tdac.immigration.go.th
- Proof: Download the TDAC confirmation or keep the QR code on your phone
Who Needs to Submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card?
All non-Thai nationals entering Thailand are generally required to submit the TDAC before arrival. This includes foreign tourists, business travellers, work permit holders, students, retirees, property owners, family visitors, and long-stay residents entering with a foreign passport.
Children and infants also need a TDAC. Parents or guardians can submit the form on behalf of children, and group submission is available for families or travel groups.
Who Does Not Need TDAC?
The main exemptions are limited. Travellers usually do not need to submit TDAC if they are:
- Thai nationals entering Thailand with a Thai passport
- Transit passengers who do not pass through Thai immigration
- Crew members, according to the Immigration Bureau’s TDAC FAQ
If you leave the airport transit area, pass through immigration, collect baggage, change airports, or enter Thailand for any reason, you should expect to complete the TDAC.
When Should You Submit TDAC?
The Immigration Bureau states that the TDAC should be submitted within 3 days before arrival in Thailand, including the arrival date. For example, if you arrive on 10 July, you can usually submit from 8 July onward.
Do not leave the form until the last minute. Submit it before travelling to the airport when possible, especially if you are travelling with children, arriving late at night, entering by land border, or depending on a tight connection.
What Information Do You Need?
Before starting the form, prepare the following information:
- Passport details
- Full name, nationality, date of birth, and personal details
- Flight number or other travel details
- Arrival date
- Purpose of travel
- Address in Thailand, such as a hotel, condominium, house, or serviced apartment
- Email address to receive confirmation
- Health declaration information, if requested by the system
All details should be entered in English. Check that your name, passport number, nationality, and date of birth match your passport exactly.
How to Submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card
- Go to the official TDAC website.
- Select “Arrival Card”.
- Choose individual submission or group submission.
- Enter your passport and personal information.
- Enter your travel details and accommodation address in Thailand.
- Complete the health declaration section if required.
- Review all information carefully before submitting.
- Enter your email address and submit the form.
- Download the TDAC confirmation and keep the QR code available for arrival.
Can You Submit TDAC for a Family or Group?
Yes. The official TDAC guide allows group submission, and the Immigration Bureau FAQ states that up to 10 travellers can be submitted in one application. This is useful for families travelling together, tour groups, or company travel groups.
Even with group submission, each traveller’s passport and personal details must be accurate. If accommodation and travel details are the same, the system may allow you to reuse information from a previous traveller in the same group submission.
Can You Update TDAC After Submission?
Yes. The TDAC system allows travellers to update submitted information before entry into Thailand. This is useful if your hotel, flight number, arrival date, or other travel details change.
However, some key identity details may not be editable, including full name, passport number, nationality, and date of birth. If these details are wrong, the Immigration Bureau FAQ recommends submitting a new form with the correct information. The system will use the most recent valid submission.
Do You Need to Print the TDAC?
Printing is not normally required. After submission, you can download the confirmation and show the QR code on your phone or another device.
However, printing a copy can still be useful if your phone battery runs out, you lose internet access, or you are entering through a busy land-border checkpoint.
Is TDAC the Same as a Visa?
No. The TDAC is not a visa and does not give you permission to stay in Thailand by itself. You still need the correct entry basis, such as visa exemption, visa on arrival, a tourist visa, a non-immigrant visa, a long-term resident visa, or another valid permission to enter.
If you are unsure whether you need a visa, check the official Thailand e-Visa system, a Thai embassy, a Thai consulate, or the relevant immigration authority before travelling.
Does TDAC Apply to Property Owners and Long-Stay Foreigners?
Yes. Owning a condominium, renting a long-term home, holding a retirement visa, having a work permit, or living in Thailand part-time does not normally exempt a foreign passport holder from TDAC when entering Thailand.
If you are a foreign resident, keep your Thai address ready before travel. This may be your condominium, house, rented apartment, serviced residence, or hotel for your first night in Thailand.
Why TDAC Matters for Foreigners Moving to Thailand
For tourists, TDAC is mostly a pre-arrival travel step. For foreigners relocating to Thailand, it is also part of a wider arrival checklist. Before entering, prepare your passport, visa or entry permission, accommodation address, travel insurance if needed, school or work documents where relevant, and onward-travel details if requested by your airline or immigration officer.
Foreigners moving to Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, or other Thai cities should confirm their first accommodation address before submitting TDAC. If you are still choosing a rental property, use the confirmed hotel or temporary residence where you will stay immediately after arrival.
Hero Realtor can help foreigners compare condominiums in Bangkok and houses for rent or sale based on budget, location, commute, property type, and long-term housing requirements.
Common TDAC Mistakes to Avoid
- Using an unofficial website that charges unnecessary service fees
- Submitting too early, before the 3-day arrival window
- Entering a passport number incorrectly
- Using a nickname instead of the passport name
- Forgetting that children and infants need TDAC
- Assuming TDAC replaces a visa
- Not updating the form after a flight or hotel change
- Arriving without saving the confirmation or QR code
What Happens If You Arrive Without TDAC?
The Immigration Bureau FAQ states that kiosks and internet Wi-Fi are available upon arrival for travellers without smartphone or internet access. However, completing the TDAC only after arrival may delay the immigration process.
To avoid unnecessary stress, complete the TDAC before your trip and keep the confirmation available on your phone. If the official website is unavailable or you experience a technical issue, keep a screenshot of the error message and ask airport or immigration staff for assistance.
Final Checklist Before Entering Thailand
- Check whether you need a visa or can enter under visa exemption
- Submit TDAC within 3 days before arrival
- Use only the official Immigration Bureau website
- Save the TDAC QR code and confirmation email
- Prepare your passport and arrival documents
- Keep your Thailand accommodation address ready
- Update TDAC if your flight or accommodation changes before arrival
Final Thoughts
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is a simple but important requirement for foreign travellers entering Thailand. It is free through the official Immigration Bureau website, applies to most non-Thai nationals, and should be completed within 3 days before arrival.
For a smoother arrival, complete the TDAC before travelling, check your information carefully, and remember that TDAC is separate from your visa or permission to stay. A few minutes of preparation can help make your entry into Thailand faster and easier.
For assistance finding a condominium, house, or long-term rental after arriving in Thailand, please contact Hero Realtor through our contact page.
