Complete TDAC Guide
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card replaced the paper TM.6 arrival card, becoming mandatory on May 1, 2025. Every foreign national entering Thailand must complete it online before arrival. It takes under 5 minutes and must be submitted no more than 72 hours before your flight. Missing it does not prevent entry but causes delays and extra checks at the border.
What Is the TDAC and Who Must Complete It?
What is the TDAC?
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is an online pre-arrival declaration required by the Thai Immigration Bureau. It replaced the paper TM.6 card that passengers used to fill in on the plane. Every foreign national arriving in Thailand by air, land or sea must complete it before arrival. Thai nationals are exempt.
Who must complete it?
All foreign nationals entering Thailand regardless of nationality, visa type or length of stay. This includes tourists, expats returning from a trip abroad, digital nomads on visa runs and long-term residents. There are no exceptions based on visa category.
Key insight
Not the same as a visa
The TDAC is a separate obligation from your visa, your TM30 and your 90-day report. Completing it does not extend your permitted stay or replace any other immigration requirement. Each entry into Thailand requires a new TDAC submission.
How to Complete the TDAC
Visit tdac.immigration.go.th on your phone or computer. Do not use third-party sites that charge a fee. The official TDAC is always free. Beware of paid copycat sites that appear in search results.
You will need your passport details, your flight information (airline, flight number, departure date), your planned address in Thailand for your first night, and your health declaration. For land and sea arrivals, use the same portal with your crossing details.
After submission you receive a QR code by email. Save it to your phone or print it. Some border checkpoints scan it on arrival. Others do not check it at all, but you should have it ready regardless.
Key insight
Submit within 72 hours before departure
The system only accepts submissions up to 72 hours before your scheduled arrival. You cannot submit weeks in advance. Set a reminder for 2 to 3 days before each trip to Thailand or each return from abroad.
Common Problems and How to Avoid Them
Several websites mimic the official TDAC portal and charge €5 to €20 to submit on your behalf. The official portal is always free at tdac.immigration.go.th. If you are being asked to pay, you are on the wrong site.
The system rejects submissions made more than 72 hours before arrival. If you try to submit a week in advance it will not work. Wait until 2 to 3 days before your arrival date.
You must enter where you will actually spend your first night in Thailand. If you are in a hotel, use the hotel address. If you are going directly to your apartment, use that address. This address is also what triggers the TM30 obligation for your host.
Check your email immediately after submission and save the QR code to your phone's photo library as a backup. If you lose it, you can resubmit with the same details to get a new code.
Paid copycat websites
Several websites mimic the official TDAC portal and charge €5 to €20 to submit on your behalf. The official portal is always free at tdac.immigration.go.th. If you are being asked to pay, you are on the wrong site.
Submitting too early
The system rejects submissions made more than 72 hours before arrival. If you try to submit a week in advance it will not work. Wait until 2 to 3 days before your arrival date.
Wrong address for first night
You must enter where you will actually spend your first night in Thailand. If you are in a hotel, use the hotel address. If you are going directly to your apartment, use that address. This address is also what triggers the TM30 obligation for your host.
Losing your QR code
Check your email immediately after submission and save the QR code to your phone's photo library as a backup. If you lose it, you can resubmit with the same details to get a new code.
Never Miss an Arrival Requirement Again
The TDAC is just one of the obligations that come with living in Thailand. The TM30, the 90-day report and visa extensions each have their own rules and deadlines. Our free guides explain each one, step by step.