An overview of the Thailand Digital Arrival Card

What is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)?

The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is a new digital system introduced by Thailand’s Immigration Bureau. This system replaces the paper TM6 forms used at immigration checkpoints, which are often described as outdated.

The TDAC was introduced with one goal in mind: to modernise Thailand’s entry procedures. This effort, however, also ensures faster and more secure immigration processes.

Unlike a visa, the TDAC is simply a digital record of your arrival. It’s mandatory for all non-Thai nationals entering Thailand, regardless of the mode of transport, air, sea, or land.

Police Major General Choengron Rimpadee, Chief of Immigration Division 2 at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, explained that the TDAC system is much more convenient, as travellers can complete the registration at any time before their flight.

Key takeaways:

• Who: All non-Thai nationals.
• When: Must be completed within three days before arrival.
• Where: Applies to all modes of transportation to Thailand.

Since 2024, Thailand has phased out the paper TM6 forms in preparation for the digital transition. The TDAC system becomes mandatory on May 1, 2025, with the system already open for registration on April 28. Travellers arriving on or after this date must complete their TDAC registration three days in advance.

How to complete the TDAC registration?

Completing the TDAC registration is a straightforward process. Just follow these steps and you’ll be ready for your trip in no time.

Step 1: Access the registration platform

Visit the official TDAC website at tdac.immigration.go.th. The website supports five languages: English, Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Japanese.

Step 2: Provide your passport and personal information

Upload a clear image of your passport or manually input your personal details in English. This ensures your identity is verified for entry.

Step 3: Enter travel itinerary details

Provide your flight details, arrival date, and accommodation information in Thailand. This helps immigration authorities track your travel movements and verify your stay in the country.

Step 4: Health declarations (if applicable)

Depending on your recent travel history or nationality, you may be prompted to fill in additional health information, especially if you’ve visited areas flagged for disease outbreaks within the last 14 days.

Step 5: Add companions’ information (if applicable)

If you’re travelling with others, you can add their details by clicking the ‘add’ button. Each companion will need to complete the same steps for their registration.

Step 6: Review and submit

Before submitting your registration, double-check that all the information is accurate. Once you’ve double-checked the information, submit the form and expect a confirmation email. This confirmation will be required when you pass through immigration in Thailand.

A quick recap

As a quick recap, please ensure you have the following information ready before starting your TDAC registration:

• Passport details: Passport number, expiration date, and nationality.
• Personal information: Date of birth, occupation, country of residence.
• Travel itinerary: Flight details, accommodation addresses, and arrival dates.
• Health information: If requested by the system.
• Companion details: If you’re travelling with others.

The TDAC advantage

One of the main goals behind the introduction of the TDAC is to speed up immigration processing. By eliminating paper forms, the system facilitates quicker entry, ultimately cutting down waiting times and streamlining the arrival procedure altogether.

As the TDAC system is integrated with Thailand’s biometric databases, it also acts as a digital archive for authorities to maintain border safety by quickly and efficiently screening travellers for potential safety risks. This is especially useful as Thailand is ramping up its efforts to prevent criminal groups from using Thailand as a base of operations

Overall, the TDAC is part of an integrated approach to border management as a whole. This approach is said to reduce redundancies, while creating a more efficient process for both parties, traveller and authorities.

The system is connected with:

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ E-Visa platform.
• The Department of Disease Control’s health monitoring system.
• The Ministry of Tourism and Sports’ tourist fee collection system.

Just to reiterate, from May 1, 2025, all non-Thai nationals will be required to complete their registration online before arriving in Thailand.

While the TDAC may require some planning in advance, it goes without saying that this new process, replacing the outdated TM6 form (much to the relief of every traveller to Thailand), will result in faster processing times, enhanced security measures, and better tracking of visitors.

For far too long, Thailand’s entry and visa system has been considered confusing and outdated. And now with the introduction of the TDAC, although off to a rocky start, it does have mutual benefits for all parties. For you specifically, it means not starting your visit to the Land of the Smiles by spending hours in a long queue at the airport.

For the latest updates and detailed instructions, feel free to visit the official TDAC guide before your visit.