Thailand has updated its entry rules for travellers – here's what to know

Planning a vacation to Thailand? There will now be one small but important addition to your holiday checklist.

From 1 May, travellers will be required to obtain a Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before entering the land of smiles. The TDAC will replace all paper arrival cards, a necessary streamlining of the arrivals process as tourism to Thailand only continues to boom (see: The White Lotus effect). Pre-pandemic, Thailand received nearly 40 million international visitors and has been making a steady return to those levels since 2022. The TDAC follows other countries moving to digitised forms of arrival cards, such as the ETA for the UK which came into effect for Australians in early 2025. Here, we break down what you need to know about Thailand’s updated arrivals system.

What is it?

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is one of the busiest in the world. (Image: Unsplash/Rach Teo)

The TDAC is a digitised version of the arrival card that’s already in place (the TM6). The key difference is that the TDAC must be submitted prior to boarding and presented to immigration upon arrival.

The TDAC requires visitors to submit their name and passport data, address of stay in Thailand, flight and accommodation information and a declaration of health.

Who requires a TDAC?

All foreign travellers, regardless of if they’re arriving by land, air or sea.

How to apply for a TDAC?

Thailand’s cultural richness draws visitors from around the globe to visit the ‘Land of Smiles’. (Image: Unsplash/Miltiadis Fragkidis)

Travellers must complete their TDAC within 72 hours (or three days) before arrival. You can fill out the form for the TDAC on the Thailand government’s immigration portal, following the steps to fill in your information. Once submitted, you will receive an acknowledgement email and TDAC summary, which you must bring with you to the immigration counter when you arrive.