An eGATE sign in the arrivals area at Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) lists 33 foreign nationalities eligible to use automated immigration. Travellers must meet all three conditions: they must have submitted the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), visited Thailand before, and hold a passport from one of the listed places. Hong Kong is included; Taiwan, mainland China and the United States are not on the list.
The arrangement changes the airport inspection channel, not visa-free entry. Travellers who meet all three conditions may follow on-site directions to use ABC (eGATE), but visa, permitted-stay and immigration examination rules remain unchanged.
Information current as of 23 September 2026.
Who can use the eGATE?
The Suvarnabhumi Airport sign says travellers must meet all three conditions:
1. They have submitted the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC).
2. They have visited Thailand before.
3. They hold a passport from one of the 33 nationalities or jurisdictions shown on the sign.
The sign directs travellers to ABC (eGATE) only when all three apply. A first-time visitor, a traveller whose passport is not listed, someone without a submitted TDAC, or anyone not accepted by the system should follow airport and immigration instructions to a staffed counter.
The 33 nationalities on the airport sign
The following list reproduces the nationalities or passport jurisdictions displayed on the Suvarnabhumi eGATE sign:
| Region | Nationalities or jurisdictions |
|---|---|
| Asia | Hong Kong, Japanese, Malaysian, Singaporean, South Korean |
| Europe | Austrian, Belgian, British, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Luxembourgish, Maltese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Swiss |
| Oceania | Australian, New Zealander |
| North America | Canadian |
| Middle East | UAE |
Hong Kong appears separately on the sign. Taiwan, mainland China and the United States do not appear. Travellers holding those passports should follow directions to staffed immigration unless the airport later displays an updated arrangement.
Why does the government announcement use a different 33-country count?
On 26 August 2026, Thailand’s Public Relations Department said Immigration had approved Auto Gate support for “33 countries, including Thailand”. Immigration and Airports of Thailand (AOT) were configuring and testing the system, with service expected within one month.
The later passenger-facing sign at Suvarnabhumi lists 33 foreign nationalities and does not include Thailand. The two sources serve different purposes: the August announcement describes approval and implementation, while the airport sign gives operating conditions for foreign travellers. Passengers deciding whether to use eGATE should follow the sign and immigration instructions available when they arrive.
How should the rollout be understood?
The 26 August announcement said Immigration and AOT were still configuring and testing the system, with launch expected within one month ahead of the year-end travel peak. The passenger sign now provides specific operating conditions, indicating that the airport has begun directing eligible travellers to the gates.
A sign does not guarantee that every gate is operating at all times. Equipment status, passport reading and immigration instructions may still determine the inspection route, so travellers should allow for the possibility of using a staffed counter.
TDAC is still mandatory
The Immigration Bureau’s TDAC guide says all non-Thai nationals must submit the form online before entering Thailand and may do so within three days before arrival. The Suvarnabhumi sign also makes a submitted TDAC the first condition for eGATE use.
TDAC is a pre-arrival information filing, while eGATE is an inspection channel at the airport. Even if a passport is on the 33-nationality list and the traveller has visited Thailand before, failure to submit TDAC means the three conditions on the sign are not all satisfied.
Three steps on arrival
First, before departure, check whether the passport is on the 33-nationality list and whether the traveller has previously entered Thailand. Second, complete TDAC within the three days before arrival and keep the submission record. Third, check the eGATE sign at Suvarnabhumi; use the automated gate only if all three conditions apply, otherwise proceed to staffed immigration.
An automated gate is only an inspection method and does not guarantee admission. Travellers must still meet the visa or visa-exemption rules in force and remain subject to Thai immigration examination.
Frequently asked questions
Can Hong Kong passport holders use Suvarnabhumi eGATE?
Hong Kong is included on the airport sign’s 33-nationality list. The traveller must also have submitted TDAC and visited Thailand before. All three conditions must apply, and actual use remains subject to equipment availability and immigration instructions on arrival.
Can travellers with Taiwan, mainland China or US passports use it?
Those three do not appear on the airport sign’s 33-nationality list. Their passport holders should follow directions to staffed immigration rather than assume that the “33 countries” headline establishes eligibility. Any later airport or Immigration Bureau update should take precedence.
Can a first-time visitor to Thailand use the eGATE?
Not under the conditions displayed on the airport sign. One of the three requirements is a previous visit to Thailand. A first-time visitor therefore does not meet all conditions even if their passport is listed and TDAC has been submitted, and should follow directions to a staffed counter.
Is TDAC still required when using eGATE?
Yes. A submitted TDAC is the first condition on the airport sign. The Immigration Bureau guide requires all non-Thai nationals to submit TDAC before entry, within the three days before arrival. eGATE does not replace that filing.
Does using eGATE guarantee admission to Thailand?
No. eGATE is an inspection channel and does not change visa, visa-exemption, permitted-stay or immigration examination rules. A traveller may still be referred to a staffed counter, and the final admission decision remains with Thai immigration authorities.
References
*Thailand Public Relations Department, “Immigration approves Suvarnabhumi Auto Gates for 33 countries” (26 Aug 2026); Thailand Immigration Bureau, “Official TDAC Guide”; Suvarnabhumi Airport eGATE on-site sign (photo supplied by Fiamma; capture date pending).*
