Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), Samut Prakan Photo above: Ratchawut Cherdchuvanit via Google
Yes, every non-Thai traveler flying into Bangkok must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online before arrival, and it is free on the official Immigration Bureau website, tdac.immigration.go.th. Submit it within the 3 days before you arrive, counting the arrival date. The TDAC is not a visa: as of September 2026, passport holders from 60 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and every European Union member state, can enter visa-free for tourism for up to 30 days, while other nationalities may need a visa.
This guide explains how the TDAC works, what it asks for, who is exempt, how to avoid fee-charging look-alike sites, and how to check whether you need a visa for Bangkok. Rules on this page were checked on official Thai government sources on September 26, 2026.
What is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)?
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is an online form, run by Thailand's Immigration Bureau, that replaces the old paper arrival card (the TM.6) for international travelers entering Thailand. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) says the TDAC system launched on May 1, 2025, and applies whether you arrive by air, land or sea.
After you submit, the system emails you a TDAC document with a QR code. The official FAQ says you do not need to print it: download it and show it on your phone at immigration, though a printed copy is a sensible backup if your phone battery is low.
Who needs to fill in the TDAC?
As of September 2026, the official TDAC FAQ says all non-Thai nationals must submit a TDAC before arriving in Thailand, including infants and children, diplomatic passport holders, visa-exempt travelers and people using a visa on arrival. A new TDAC is needed for every entry, because each card is valid for one arrival only.
The official FAQ lists these exceptions (as of September 2026):
- Transit passengers who stay airside and do not pass through immigration. If you leave the airport, you need a TDAC.
- Airline crew.
- Technical landings and transit flights.
TAT's launch notice also exempted travelers entering with a Border Pass.
When should you submit the TDAC?
The official TDAC FAQ says the card should be submitted within 3 days in advance of arriving in Thailand, including the date of arrival, or up to 72 hours before entry. TAT gives this example: if you arrive on May 5, you can submit from May 2. The system does not send reminders, so set your own.
TAT reported in June 2026 that the Immigration Bureau had opened pilot access to an optional app, Thailand Immigration Management (THIM), which can submit TDAC-linked details; TAT said it does not replace the TDAC. The website remains the standard way to submit.
If your flight or hotel changes after you submit, you can update most details before entry (see below). Leaving it until you land is possible but slower: the official FAQ says kiosks and Wi-Fi are provided on arrival, and lists kiosks at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai airports.
How do you fill in the TDAC, step by step?
The TDAC takes about 3 to 5 minutes per person if your details are ready, according to the official FAQ. You cannot save a half-finished form, so gather everything first and complete it in one go on tdac.immigration.go.th.
- Passport details: name exactly as in your passport (letters A-Z only), passport number, nationality, date of birth. The form can read these from a photo of your passport's data page.
- Personal information: occupation, country and city of residence, email and phone number.
- Trip information: arrival and departure dates, the country where you boarded, purpose of travel, mode of transport, and flight number.
- Accommodation: the type of accommodation and its address in Thailand, with province, district and post code. Have your hotel booking open; our Bangkok hotel guide lists addresses if you are still choosing.
- Health declaration: the countries you stayed in during the two weeks before arrival, any listed symptoms, and, if relevant, a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate.
- Review and submit, then save the emailed QR code.
Families and groups can submit up to 10 travelers in one application, and the official FAQ says a family member, tour leader or authorized travel agent may submit on your behalf.
Is the TDAC free, and how do you avoid fake TDAC websites?
The official TDAC website, tdac.immigration.go.th, describes the Thailand Digital Arrival Card as the "Official Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) – No Fees Required" (checked September 26, 2026). Any site that asks you to pay for the arrival card itself is not the official government form.
- Type the address yourself, tdac.immigration.go.th, rather than clicking an advert or search result.
- Check that the address ends in .go.th, the domain used by Thai government sites.
- Be wary of any page that asks for card details. The official FAQ does note that some travel companies offer submission as a service for their clients, so a fee there is for the agent's service, not the card.
Can you change your TDAC after submitting it?
Yes. The official FAQ says you can use the "Update Arrival Card" function to correct any detail except your full name, passport number, nationality and date of birth. If one of those is wrong, submit a new TDAC; the system treats the most recent submission as the valid one.
Do I need a visa for Bangkok?
It depends on your passport. Bangkok has no separate entry rules: the permission you receive at immigration covers all of Thailand. Since September 15, 2026, Thailand's revised visa exemption scheme applies, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of Consular Affairs and TAT. The 60-day visa exemption that applied before that date has ended, so older articles quoting 60 days are out of date.
| Scheme (from September 15, 2026) | Stay | Who it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Visa exemption for tourism | Up to 30 days | 60 countries and territories, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, every EU member state, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Taiwan, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Israel and South Africa |
| Visa exemption for tourism | Up to 15 days | Seychelles and Mauritius |
| Visa on arrival (fee 2,000 baht) | Set by the Immigration Bureau | Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia |
| Bilateral agreements | 14, 30 or 90 days | 14 days: Cambodia, and Myanmar at international airports only. 30 days: China, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Laos, Macao, Mongolia, Russia, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. 90 days: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and South Korea |
TAT adds that travelers using the 30-day exemption may generally enter through land-border checkpoints no more than twice per calendar year, with exceptions for Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore. If your nationality is not listed, apply for a visa before you travel through Thailand's official e-Visa website, thaievisa.go.th. Because these rules changed this month, confirm your own nationality on the official pages before you book.
For extensions, overstays and how often you can use the exemption, read how long you can stay in Bangkok, and for extensions in person, where the immigration office in Bangkok is.
What happens when you land at a Bangkok airport?
Bangkok has two international airports: Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), east of the city in Samut Prakan province, and Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) in the north of Bangkok. At either one, you show your passport and TDAC QR code at immigration, collect your bags, then pass through customs.
Our guides cover how long immigration and customs take in Bangkok, which Bangkok airport is better and how to get from the airport to the city.
One more rule printed on the TDAC form itself: a foreigner who stays in Thailand longer than 90 days must notify the nearest immigration officer in writing of their place of stay, and repeat the report every 90 days.
Sources: Immigration Bureau, Thailand Digital Arrival Card, Immigration Bureau, TDAC FAQ, Tourism Authority of Thailand, TDAC launch, Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2026 visa exemption summary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, press briefing of May 19, 2026, Tourism Authority of Thailand, new visa exemption rules, Tourism Authority of Thailand, THIM app, Thailand e-Visa. Checked September 26, 2026.
Yes. The official site, tdac.immigration.go.th, states that no fees are required (checked September 26, 2026). A fee charged elsewhere is for a third party's service, not the card.
Within 3 days before arrival, counting the arrival date, per the Immigration Bureau's TDAC FAQ as of September 2026. For a May 5 arrival, you can submit from May 2.
Yes. The official FAQ says all travelers, including infants and children, need a TDAC. A parent can submit for the whole family, up to 10 people per application.
Not if you stay airside and do not pass through immigration. If you leave the airport, you need a TDAC, according to the official FAQ (September 2026).
No. The TDAC confirmation itself states that the Thailand Digital Arrival Card is not a visa. Check separately whether your passport qualifies for visa-free entry.
From September 15, 2026, passport holders from 60 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and EU states, can stay up to 30 days for tourism, per the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and TAT. Seychelles and Mauritius get 15 days; some countries have 14, 30 or 90 days under bilateral agreements.
Use Update Arrival Card to fix most details. Name, passport number, nationality and date of birth cannot be changed, so submit a new TDAC; the latest submission counts.
No. The official FAQ says you can show the QR code on your phone, though it suggests printing a copy if you will not have a device with you.
