- Quick Overview: Thailand Digital Arrival Card
- What is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card?
- Is TDAC Thailand Similar to Thai Visa?
- Who Must Complete the Registration for the TDAC Process?
- How does the Thailand Digital Arrival Card Work?
- How to Complete TDAC Registration Online?
- Thailand Digital Arrival Card Benefits
- Conclusion
Thailand is modernizing its immigration process with the introduction of the Thailand Digital Arrival Card. It is a mandatory requirement to enter the country. This card replaces the old Form TM6, effective from May 1, 2025. It is designed to enhance border security and simplify the immigration process. TDAC ensures smooth arrivals and supports requirements like visa extensions.
The TDAC provides convenience for all foreigners entering Thailand by air, land, or sea. Thai authorities use the TDAC to access traveller and health declaration information before arrival, helping streamline the immigration process.
In this guide, we have explained what TDAC is, how it works, and the reasons why travellers should prepare in advance for a stress-free journey to Thailand.
Quick Link: Thailand Digital Arrival Card
Quick Overview: Thailand Digital Arrival Card
- TDAC replaces the current TM6 arrival form for all international travellers entering Thailand.
- All foreign travellers must complete the TDAC form, regardless of their visa type.
- Applications must be submitted via the official Immigration website or the official TDAC app at least 3 days before arriving in Thailand.
- The TDAC form is free of charge and requires information about the traveller, including their travel itinerary, accommodations, and health status.
- By using TDAC, travellers can complete the immigration process more quickly than if they had used a paper TM6, while providing additional support to Thai authorities in conducting public health screening.
What is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card?
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC Thailand) is the new digital version of the TM6 arrival card. This card is designed to help Thai Immigration track foreign arrivals and curb illegal activity by screening for criminals. This Thailand Digital Arrival Card is also known as the Thailand White Card.
All foreign citizens who are travelling to Thailand are required to complete the TDAC registration before they enter the country legally, regardless of their visa status. TDAC is also required for some other immigration procedures, such as the compulsory Thai 90-day report to Thai Immigration. Hence, all foreign travellers should know about the TDAC and its requirements, whether they are just visiting Thailand as tourists or living there as expats.
Is TDAC Thailand Similar to Thai Visa?
No, TDAC is not a Thailand visa, and it is not any type of travel document. It is an entry requirement that must be fulfilled in addition to the appropriate Thai Visa.
Those individuals who are a part of Thailand's visa exemption program are eligible to enter the country without applying for a visa, but they still have to complete the Thailand digital arrival card before entering. If you don't complete this, it may cause delays at the border. Your entry will be denied until the TDAC is completed.
Who Must Complete the Registration for the TDAC Process?
All non-Thai citizens need to complete the TDAC before each entry into the country. The foreigners with a long-term, multiple-entry visa need to complete the registration every time they leave Thailand and return.
This includes:
- Tourists
- Business travelers
- Work visa holders
- Students
- Visa-on-Arrival travelers
- Visa-exempt passengers
Note: Transit passengers who do not pass immigration are exempt from TDAC.
How does the Thailand Digital Arrival Card Work?
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card can be completed using the Thailand Immigration website. For the smart devices, an app is planned, and there is also an integration of the TDAC into the other government online platforms. The most reliable way to complete the TDAC registration through the official TDAC website.
Here are some of the key points that travellers to Thailand need to keep in mind about TDAC:
- Visitors can register for the Thailand Arrival Card up to 3 days before they arrive in Thailand.
- All the visitors can complete the TDAC Thailand on the day of their arrival.
- The TDAC does not include any type of fee or payment of any type.
- Travel groups and Families can complete the TDAC jointly to save time and hassle.
- For now, TDAC registration process instructions are available in five languages: English, Korean, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese.
After TDAC registration is completed, you will receive an electronic confirmation by email, and it acts similar as the old TM6 form. You need to show this confirmation to border officers upon entry and may be at the time of exit from Thailand. It will also be required for visa extensions, 90-day reports, and other official procedures.
How to Complete TDAC Registration Online?
The first thing you need to do is to visit the official website of TDAC on the Thai Immigration website. The remaining steps are given below:
Step 1
Select “Arrival Card” and enter your personal details, such as nationality, phone number, and passport/travel document number. Complete all required fields marked with a red asterisk and proceed.
Step 2
Enter your travel and accommodation details, including flight number and stay information. Select the province first, and the district options will appear automatically. Complete all mandatory fields and continue.
Step 3
Fill out the health declaration section by mentioning your recent travel history. Depending on the countries visited, you may need to provide vaccination or health documents.
Step 4
If travelling with others, select “Add Other Travellers” to complete a joint TDAC registration. Submit the application and save the approval confirmation received by email.
Step 5
At the immigration checkpoint in Thailand, show the TDAC confirmation on your mobile device. A printed copy is usually not required.
The electronic confirmation of the TDAC should be kept with you until the registrant leaves Thailand because it may also be required at Thai Immigration upon departure. If you fail to do so, it may result in delays or a fine.
Thailand Digital Arrival Card Benefits
While TDAC's advantages over the TM6 paper form include the following:
- Speedy Immigration Clearance
- Decreased Paperwork
- Better Data Accuracy and Security
- The Capability to Update Some Information Before Arrival
- An Environmentally Friendly Paper-Free System
- Enhanced Public Health Screening Capability
- More Efficient Immigration Management
Conclusion
TDAC is a part of digitalizing the Thailand Immigration process. It is a digital arrival card that travellers need to fill out to enter this country. It is a mandatory requirement, and you should keep in mind that it is not a travel document; you will have to apply for a visa separately. Although the TDAC process is quite straightforward, there are some details and requirements that travellers must complete correctly for a smooth, free entry into Thailand.
You may also seek help from the experts on the Visament platform. They have a team of experts with many years of experience in this field. They can guide you through the process of the Thailand Digital Arrival Card.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Yes, it is necessary to have a TDAC registration to take entry in Thailand, no matter what type of visa or travel document you hold.
This has started on May 1st, 2025. All travellers must complete the TDAC registration before taking the entry to Thailand.
No, the TM6 card has been discontinued now, and it has been replaced with the TDAC.
The TDAC is only available online. Although there are several platforms planned, the official Thailand Immigration TDAC page is the only available method at the time of launch.
You can complete the TDAC registration for up to 3 days before reaching Thailand. As such, there is no deadline for TDAC, but you have to provide a confirmation before you can enter, and also keep in mind that approval may take time. So, if you wait until you arrive in Thailand, you may have to face delays because TDAC is pending.
For the visitors who are not aware of the TDAC, the Thailand Immigration authorities will give them paper arrival cards at the border. Although this paper form option is not intended to be permanent, it will eventually be discontinued.
It depends on the situation. If you are entering Thailand visa-free or under a tourist visa, then you need to prove that you have plans to leave the country. You need to upload the information of your onward ticket in your TDAC registration. If you have a long-term Thai visa, then you may not have to show this.
The TM30 form usually reports your location of residence or accommodation in Thailand. But generally, it is the responsibility of the owner or landlord of your accommodations.
- Quick Overview: Thailand Digital Arrival Card
- What is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card?
- Is TDAC Thailand Similar to Thai Visa?
- Who Must Complete the Registration for the TDAC Process?
- How does the Thailand Digital Arrival Card Work?
- How to Complete TDAC Registration Online?
- Thailand Digital Arrival Card Benefits
- Conclusion
Talk to our documentation experts for free guidance on your application.