The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is a mandatory online arrival registration for non-Thai nationals entering Thailand. It replaced the old paper arrival card, and it is separate from your visa or visa-exemption status.
The form itself is simple. Most problems come from using the wrong website, submitting outside the permitted window, typing passport details incorrectly, misunderstanding which country field the form is asking for, or assuming that a TDAC confirmation is the same thing as permission to enter Thailand.
TDAC quick answer
If you are a non-Thai national entering Thailand, this is the basic checklist to know before you travel.
Air, land and sea arrivals are covered, including visa, visa-on-arrival and visa-exempt travelers.
Official guidance says the window includes the date of arrival and describes the maximum as 72 hours.
Use the official Immigration Bureau portal only. Payment is not required for the TDAC itself.
A new TDAC is required each time you enter Thailand.
Official TDAC portal
Submit or update the Thailand Digital Arrival Card directly with the Thailand Immigration Bureau.
Open Official TDAC Website →Official government portal · No TDAC submission fee
If you are planning to stay in Thailand as a remote worker, keep the entry card separate from your immigration planning. Trailandra’s Thailand Digital Nomad Visa Guide covers the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) and longer-stay questions for remote workers.
What is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card?
TDAC is Thailand’s online arrival-registration form for international travelers. Thailand introduced the digital system to replace the traditional paper arrival card for foreign arrivals.
Since May 1, 2025, non-Thai nationals entering Thailand must submit the required travel information online before arrival. The TDAC is used for arrival and health-declaration information, but it does not change the underlying immigration status you need for the trip.
That distinction matters. A traveler may have a Thai visa, visa-exempt entry eligibility, a visa-on-arrival route, or another valid immigration basis for entry. TDAC sits alongside those rules. A completed card does not guarantee admission, extend your stay, or authorize work.
For the difference between entry status and permission to work remotely, see Digital Nomad Visa vs Remote-Work Permission.
Who needs to submit TDAC?
Official Thailand Immigration Bureau guidance says that all non-Thai nationals must submit their travel information before entering the Kingdom of Thailand.
The requirement applies to travelers arriving by air, land or sea, and includes travelers entering with a visa, through visa exemption, or through a visa-on-arrival route.
Infants and children also need TDAC entries. An adult, parent, guardian, agent or tour leader can submit for other travelers when authorized. For family submissions, the official system allows a maximum of 10 travelers per submission.
Who does not need TDAC?
Two important exceptions appear in the official FAQ:
- Crew members do not need to submit TDAC.
- Transit passengers who do not pass through Thai immigration do not need TDAC.
If your transit requires you to leave the airport or otherwise pass through immigration, the exception no longer applies and you need a TDAC for that entry.
When can you submit TDAC? The 3-day rule explained
This is the part of TDAC guidance that causes the most unnecessary confusion.
Thailand Immigration’s current FAQ says the card should be submitted within three days in advance of arrival, including the date of arrival. The same official FAQ also describes the maximum advance period as 72 hours.
The practical rule is simple: use your scheduled arrival date in Thailand, open the official portal when that date is accepted, and submit promptly. There is no advantage to trying to file weeks early through a third-party website.
TDAC does not send reminders. If you are likely to forget, set your own calendar reminder three days before arrival and check the portal then.
What information should you prepare?
The official FAQ says the form takes about three to five minutes per person when the required information is ready. The system does not let you save an incomplete submission and return later, so gather your details first.
- Passport details
- Flight number or vehicle details and arrival date
- Your address in Thailand
- Travel purpose
- Health-declaration information requested by the system
- An email address for receiving TDAC information and the QR code
The portal also supports passport-information retrieval using the machine-readable zone (MRZ). That can reduce typing, but you should still compare every retrieved field with the passport before submitting.
Pay special attention to the country fields
The form can ask for several different country or territory details. Nationality, country of residence, country where you boarded, and recent travel history are separate concepts. Read the label on the live form rather than assuming every country field is asking for your passport nationality.
How to complete the TDAC form
- Open the official portal. Go directly to tdac.immigration.go.th.
- Start a new Arrival Card. Use the submission option for your upcoming entry.
- Enter passport and personal information. If you use passport retrieval, compare the results with the passport itself.
- Add arrival details. Enter the travel information requested for the journey into Thailand.
- Enter your Thailand accommodation. Use the address information that reflects your actual plan at the time of entry.
- Complete any health declaration shown. The fields presented can depend on the information relevant to your itinerary.
- Review every field before submission. Give extra attention to name, passport number, nationality, date of birth, arrival date and accommodation.
- Submit and save the confirmation. Download the TDAC document and QR code and keep a copy you can access while traveling.
You do not have to print the TDAC if you can show the downloaded document or QR code on a device. A paper copy is still a reasonable backup if you expect battery or connectivity problems.
Common TDAC errors and how to avoid them
1. Paying an unofficial TDAC website
The official TDAC submission is free. Thai government sources specifically warn travelers to use the Immigration Bureau portal and avoid payment requests from lookalike or fraudulent websites.
2. Treating TDAC as a visa
TDAC is an arrival registration, not immigration permission. It does not replace a visa, create visa-exempt eligibility, extend your stay or grant work rights.
3. Trying to submit too early
Use the official three-day window. If the portal does not yet allow your arrival date, wait until it becomes available rather than paying another website to file early.
4. Typing core passport details incorrectly
Compare full name, passport number, nationality and date of birth directly against the passport. These core identity fields are specifically restricted in the normal “Update Arrival Card” process.
5. Assuming every country field means nationality
Residence, nationality, boarding country and recent travel history are separate concepts. Read the exact label before choosing a country from the dropdown.
6. Forgetting children
Infants and children also require TDAC entries. Family members can be included in a group submission, subject to the system’s maximum of 10 travelers per submission.
7. Leaving old flight or hotel details after plans change
Information should be accurate before entry. If an editable travel or accommodation detail changes, use the update function or submit a new record when necessary.
8. Depending only on the email
Download the TDAC document and QR code after submission. The official FAQ says travelers who do not receive the QR code by email should contact an immigration officer at the entry checkpoint.
How to correct a TDAC after submission
The portal provides an Update Arrival Card function. Current official guidance says you can update incorrect information except for four core identity fields:
- full name;
- passport number;
- nationality; and
- date of birth.
If the information you need to correct cannot be changed through the update function, the Immigration Bureau recommends submitting a new TDAC with the correct information. When multiple submissions exist for one traveler, the system uses the most recent valid submission.
Flight or hotel changes should also be corrected before entry. Depending on the field and situation, you can update the existing arrival card or submit a new one.
What if the website fails?
Thailand Immigration publishes troubleshooting advice for two specific errors:
| Error | Official first step |
|---|---|
| 429 OK | Refresh the page and try again. |
| 0 Unknown Error | Check that your device is connected to the internet. |
If the website remains unavailable, keep a screenshot of the error and seek help from airport or immigration staff.
The official FAQ currently lists TDAC kiosks at five airports: Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai. Airport kiosks and Wi-Fi are useful fallbacks, but completing the form before departure is still the lower-friction option.
TDAC checklist before you travel
- Use only tdac.immigration.go.th.
- Remember that the official TDAC itself is free.
- Submit within the official three-day window before arrival.
- Complete an entry for every non-Thai traveler, including children.
- Check passport details against the physical passport.
- Read residence, nationality and boarding-country labels carefully.
- Keep your Thailand accommodation information ready.
- Download the completed TDAC document and QR code.
- Update changed travel details before entry.
- Submit a new record if a restricted identity field is wrong.
- Complete a new TDAC for every new entry to Thailand.
- Keep visa or visa-exemption requirements separate from the TDAC.
TDAC should be the easy part of entering Thailand.
Use the official site, wait for the correct submission window, copy your passport details carefully and save the final QR code before you travel.
Staying longer than a short trip? Continue with the Thailand Digital Nomad Visa Guide, then compare potential bases in Trailandra’s Digital Nomad Destinations Research Hub.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card free?
Yes. Thai government sources state that TDAC registration is free. Use the official Thailand Immigration Bureau portal and do not assume a paid third-party service is required.
How early can I submit TDAC?
Current official guidance says to submit within three days before arrival, including the arrival date, and also describes the maximum advance period as 72 hours. Use the official portal’s accepted arrival-date window.
Do children need TDAC?
Yes. Infants and children are included in the requirement. An authorized adult can submit on their behalf.
Do I need TDAC for a Thailand transit?
Not if you remain in transit without passing through Thai immigration. If you leave the airport or otherwise pass immigration, you need TDAC for that entry.
Can I update TDAC if my flight or hotel changes?
Yes. The official system allows updates to eligible fields before entry. For information that cannot be edited, submit a new TDAC with the correct details.
What if my passport number or name is wrong?
Current official guidance lists full name, passport number, nationality and date of birth as fields that cannot be changed through the normal update function. Submit a new TDAC with the correct information; the most recent valid submission is used.
Do I need to print the QR code?
No. The official FAQ says a printout is not required if you can show the downloaded document or QR code on a device. A paper copy can still be useful as a backup.
Does TDAC replace a Thailand visa?
No. TDAC is an arrival registration only. Visa, visa-exemption and other immigration requirements continue to apply separately.
Official sources checked
- Thailand Immigration Bureau — Official Thailand Digital Arrival Card portal
- Thailand Immigration Bureau — TDAC FAQ and current system guidance
- Royal Thai Embassy, Seoul — Thailand Digital Arrival Card entry notice
- Royal Thai Embassy, Abuja — TDAC official-site, visa and free-registration guidance
