Thailand TDAC: Best 72-hour submission, required fields, QR-code

Research checked before publication.

Thailand’s Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is an online arrival-information form that most non-Thai nationals must complete before entering the country. It replaced the paper TM.6 arrival card on May 1, 2025, and remains part of the arrival process in 2026. For Thailand TDAC, compare the practical trade-offs in this section before choosing.

The important distinction is simple: TDAC is not a visa. It does not replace visa requirements, visa-exemption rules, or the immigration officer’s decision on admission. Whether you are visiting briefly, arriving on a visa, or planning a longer stay, TDAC is a separate pre-arrival task. Travelers considering a longer remote-work stay should also review Thailand’s separate digital nomad visa guide for remote workers.

This guide explains who needs TDAC, when the submission window opens, the information to have ready, and what to do if the QR code or website causes trouble. When evaluating Thailand TDAC, use the details below to narrow the option that fits your priorities.

Table of Contents

Who needs a Thailand TDAC in 2026?

International traveler arriving at a Thai airport immigration area with luggage

Thailand’s Immigration Bureau states that non-Thai nationals entering Thailand must submit TDAC before entry. The requirement applies to arrivals by air, land, and sea. That includes travelers using visa exemption, visa on arrival, and other visa types, as well as tourists, business travelers, and long-term residents. Thailand TDAC is easier to assess when you compare the relevant costs, timing, convenience, and constraints together.

There are stated exceptions. You generally do not need TDAC if you are:

Transiting or transferring airside without passing through Thai immigration control;
Entering with a Border Pass; or
A crew member, as listed in the TDAC FAQ.

These exceptions are narrow. In particular, a land arrival does not by itself create an exemption: the Border Pass exception relates to that specific travel document. If you leave an airport transit area and clear immigration into Thailand, TDAC is required. Use this section to make a more practical Thailand TDAC decision based on your own circumstances.

Every traveler who is required to submit TDAC needs their own record, including infants and children. A family member, tour leader, or authorized agent may complete a group submission for up to 10 travelers, but this does not mean one card covers the whole group. For Thailand TDAC, the useful question is which option best matches the priorities described below.

The TDAC 72-hour rule: when to submit

Traveler setting a reminder on a smartphone before an international journey

Submit TDAC once the official filing window opens: up to 72 hours before entering Thailand. Official guidance also describes this as filing within the three days before arrival, including the day of arrival. For example, an arrival on May 5 can begin the process on May 2. A good Thailand TDAC choice comes from comparing the factors in this section rather than relying on one headline detail.

This is a maximum submission window, not an instruction to file at exactly 72 hours before arrival. If you try to submit too early, the portal may not accept your intended arrival date. Keep the wider Thailand TDAC decision in mind as you compare the points below.

A practical approach is to set a calendar reminder for the opening of the window, then submit before leaving for the airport, port, or border. TDAC does not send pre-flight reminders. Filing early within the permitted window leaves time to correct a mistake or deal with a technical issue without trying to do it in a boarding queue. This part of the guide helps refine your Thailand TDAC choice using the practical criteria that matter here.

TDAC is single-use for the stated arrival date. Submit a new card for each separate entry into Thailand. If eligible trip details change before arrival, update the record or submit a replacement as appropriate; the system uses the most recent valid submission. For a clearer Thailand TDAC comparison, weigh the points in this section together.

TDAC required fields: what to prepare before starting

Traveler checking passport and accommodation details before completing an online arrival form

The official TDAC manual organizes the form around five broad areas: passport information, personal information, travel information, accommodation information in Thailand, and health-declaration information. The precise screen layout can change, so prepare the core information rather than relying on a fixed list of individual field labels. The best Thailand TDAC option depends on how the considerations below apply to your situation.

Your pre-submission information checklist

Your passport: Enter details exactly as shown in the document. The portal can use a machine-readable-zone (MRZ) scan or upload to retrieve some data, but you should still check every result carefully.
Arrival details: Have your planned arrival date and transport details ready, such as a flight number or vehicle number. The system’s “Flight No./Vehicle No.” wording reflects its use for air, land, and sea arrivals.
Your first Thailand accommodation: Keep the address and accommodation details available to complete the form.
Travel purpose: You will be asked for your purpose of travel.
Health and recent-travel details: Additional health information may be requested depending on factors such as countries visited in the previous two weeks, boarding country, nationality, or flight.
A working email address: This is used to receive the TDAC document and QR-code result.

All information must be entered in English. The FAQ also says the form cannot be saved and finished later, so gather these details before opening the portal. Treat Thailand TDAC as a practical comparison, then use this section to rule options in or out.

Departure information is optional. However, do not assume every submitted detail can be amended later. The current guidance says that full passport name, nationality or citizenship, date of birth, and passport number cannot be changed through the update function. If you make a material passport-identity error, submit a fresh TDAC rather than assuming an edit will work. For Thailand TDAC, compare the section details with the priorities you set for the rest of your plan.

How to submit TDAC safely

Use only the official Thailand Immigration Bureau TDAC portal. TDAC is free. You should not need to pay a third-party website merely to submit the arrival card. Be particularly cautious with sites that present themselves as official while asking for payment for a routine form submission. For Thailand TDAC, compare the practical trade-offs in this section before choosing.

Once you have checked the information and submitted the form, download or otherwise retain the confirmation and QR code. Printing is not mandatory, but the official guidance recommends a printout if you will not have a device available. In practice, saving the confirmation where it can be retrieved without mobile data, plus carrying a paper backup if convenient, reduces the risk of an avoidable problem at the border. When evaluating Thailand TDAC, use the details below to narrow the option that fits your priorities.

TDAC sits alongside, rather than replaces, the entry rules that apply to your nationality and travel purpose. For example, travelers using visa exemption should check the current rules separately; Trailandra’s update on the Thailand visa-exemption changes in 2026 covers that distinct issue.

QR-code fixes in 2026: what actually changed

It is easy to overstate Thailand’s July 2026 TDAC update. The official release note says the authorities fixed a non-scannable QR-code image in the user-guide video. It does not say that there was a general fault with QR codes issued to travelers after real TDAC submissions. Thailand TDAC is easier to assess when you compare the relevant costs, timing, convenience, and constraints together.

A later August 2026 release reported general application performance and stability improvements. That is useful context, but it is not a guarantee that every individual device, email provider, or internet connection will work perfectly. Keep your issued confirmation accessible and allow enough time before travel to resolve any problem. Use this section to make a more practical Thailand TDAC decision based on your own circumstances.

What to do if your QR code is missing or unusable

No QR email: Check spam or junk mail and verify that you entered the email address correctly. If the confirmation still does not arrive, the official advice is to speak to an immigration officer at the entry checkpoint. Keep any proof of submission available.
QR code from a kiosk: The system sends the details by email, and travelers may photograph the QR code displayed on the kiosk screen. Make sure the image is clear.
“429 OK” error: Refresh the page and try again, as the official FAQ advises.
“0 Unknown Error”: Check your internet connection. If possible, switch to another connection and keep a screenshot of the error.
Site unavailable: Screenshot the problem and approach airport or immigration staff with your passport, arrival details, and accommodation address ready.

If you arrive without a phone or internet access, TDAC guidance says Wi-Fi and kiosks are available on arrival. However, kiosks should be a fallback rather than the plan. The FAQ specifically lists kiosks at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Hat Yai airports; do not assume they are available at every airport or land border. A properly configured phone before departure can also prevent a data scramble on landing; see this guide to activating a travel eSIM before a flight.

Thailand TDAC arrival checklist

Before departure

Confirm that TDAC applies to you and that you are not using one of the stated exceptions.
Check that you are within the submission window: up to 72 hours before entry, also described as the three days including arrival day.
Use the official Immigration Bureau portal and do not pay simply to file TDAC.
Have your passport, arrival transport details, first Thailand address, travel purpose, health information if prompted, and email address ready.
Enter all details in English and compare passport data against the physical passport.
Download the resulting confirmation and QR code. A paper copy is optional but can be a useful backup.

If your plans change

Update fields that the system permits you to change, or submit a new TDAC when a non-editable identity detail is wrong.
Do not reuse a prior TDAC for a new entry into Thailand.
Remember that the latest valid submission is the one recognized by the system.

At immigration

Keep your passport and TDAC QR code or confirmation easy to reach.
If there was a technical failure, show any saved confirmation or error screenshot and ask immigration staff for assistance.
Keep any visa, visa-exemption, or supporting entry documents separately available where relevant.

TDAC is one part of the journey, not entry permission

TDAC is a straightforward task when handled in the correct window with accurate details. Its role is to replace the former paper arrival card, not to grant immigration status. A QR code does not guarantee admission, change visa eligibility, or override an immigration officer’s authority at the border. For Thailand TDAC, the useful question is which option best matches the priorities described below.

For broader planning beyond this arrival form, explore Trailandra’s digital nomad destinations guides. Requirements and portal workflows can change, so verify the latest TDAC, visa, and entry instructions directly with the relevant Thai official authority before travel.

Informational disclaimer: This article is general travel information, not immigration or legal advice. Entry decisions and document requirements are determined by Thai authorities and may vary by nationality, travel document, route, and individual circumstances.

Sources & Official Resources

Requirements and prices can change. Verify important details directly with the relevant authority or provider.