Data updated: June 2026 | Source: Immigration Bureau of Thailand, TDAC official system. This article is a compilation of information and does not constitute legal advice. If entry requirements change, refer to the Immigration Bureau’s latest announcements.
Official free application portal: tdac.immigration.go.th
Since May 1, 2025, Thailand has fully retired the paper TM6 arrival card and replaced it with the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC). Whether you are traveling short-term or returning on a long-term visa, every non-Thai national must complete the online declaration within 72 hours before arrival and obtain a QR code, or your clearance process may be affected.
The following 25 frequently asked questions — covering the original 20 plus 2 new for 2026 — will help you fully understand who TDAC applies to, how to file it, how to make corrections, ABC clearance, and the latest app developments.
Basic Eligibility and Who It Applies To
1. Do short-term visa-exempt travelers also need to file TDAC?
Yes. As long as you enter Thailand on a foreign passport — whether visa-exempt, visa on arrival, e-visa, or a traditional visa — you must submit TDAC through the official system before arrival and clear immigration with the QR code.
2. Do long-term or retirement visa holders also need to file?
Yes. Except for “pure transit” travelers (who stay entirely within the international transit zone without passing immigration control) and travelers using a “border pass,” all non-Thai passport holders need to file TDAC — including holders of the LTR Long-Term Resident Visa, DTV Destination Thailand Visa, Non-OA retirement visa, Non-B work visa, and Thailand Privilege (Elite) visa.
3. Do permanent residents (PR) also need to file TDAC?
Yes. The determining factor is the document used to enter: as long as you enter on a foreign passport, you are classified as a “non-Thai” traveler and need to file TDAC; entering on a Thai national ID document is exempt.
4. Does a dual national entering on a Thai passport still need to file TDAC?
No. Thai citizens — including dual nationals entering on a Thai passport — are exempt from TDAC; if they instead enter on a foreign passport, they must file.
5. Do pure transit passengers who don’t pass immigration control need TDAC?
Exempt. As long as you remain entirely within the international transit zone and do not pass through immigration control, you are exempt. Once you pass immigration control — even if your final destination is another country — TDAC is required.
Filing Timing and Validity
6. How many days in advance can you submit it at the earliest?
The system only opens for filing within 72 hours (three days) before arrival; it does not accept earlier submissions. It’s advisable to complete it one to two days before departure, leaving yourself time to fix any filing errors.
7. Do you need to refile if you re-enter Thailand a few days later?
Yes. TDAC applies to a single entry only; you need to refile and obtain a new QR code before every entry. Returning to Thailand on the day of a visa run also requires a new TDAC, even if you were only outside the country for a few hours.
8. Do you need to refile TDAC for a domestic connecting flight within Thailand?
If your connection stays entirely within Thailand and you do not pass through immigration control again, you do not need to refile. If you leave Thailand and then re-enter, you need to submit a new TDAC.
Filing the Form and Common Technical Issues
9. What basic information is needed to file?
- Passport information: name (must exactly match the passport MRZ, including middle name), passport number, nationality, date of birth, passport expiry date
- Itinerary information: flight number (air) / license plate (land) / vessel name (sea), port of entry, date of entry
- Address in Thailand: hotel name or private residential address (long-term residents can simply enter their own residential address)
- Health declaration: as required by the system
All fields must be completed in **English**.
10. If you notice an error after submitting, can you fix it?
It depends on the type of error:
- Personal identity information (name, passport number, date of birth): cannot be changed after submission. If there is an error, you can only submit a completely new application.
- Travel information (flight number, accommodation address): can be updated after submission by logging into the official system and using the “Update Arrival Card” function.
So please carefully check every field on your passport before submitting, especially the middle name and passport number.
11. What if the official website is down or inaccessible?
If the system is unavailable, the approach in 2026 is to complete filing on-site at a border kiosk (self-service machine); paper TM6 forms are no longer available, but filing on-site will noticeably lengthen your clearance time, especially during peak season. It’s advisable to complete your online declaration at least a day in advance and keep a screenshot or downloaded copy of the QR code as an offline backup.
12. What if you can’t select the correct arrival date?
Suggestions:
1. Clear your browser cache
2. Switch to Chrome or Edge
3. Switch to manual date entry format (DD/MM/YYYY)
4. Try a different device or network environment
13. What if you can’t find the option you need in a dropdown menu?
- Country of Residence: if you can’t find “Thailand,” select “Other / Specify” and manually enter *Thailand*
- Some dropdown menus support typing the first 3 letters to quickly filter options
14. Returning to Thailand on a Non-Immigrant B work visa, which purpose of visit should you select?
Select “Business / Work” under “Purpose of Visit.” TDAC does not require the purpose to exactly match your visa category, but it should truthfully reflect the nature of this particular trip.
15. If you’re staying at a friend’s or partner’s home, how do you fill in the address?
You can enter a private residential address, including street name, district/province, and postal code. Foreigners living in Thailand long-term can simply enter their own residential address — no need to enter a hotel.
Filing for Family and Groups Traveling Together
16. Can family members traveling together file jointly?
Yes. The official system supports Group Submission, letting you submit for up to 10 travelers (including children and infants) in one filing, sharing flight and accommodation information; each traveler receives their own separate QR code after submission.
17. If an older traveler isn’t comfortable online, can a travel agency file on their behalf?
Technically, someone else can operate the filing, but the applicant is responsible for the accuracy of the information submitted. Note: for travelers holding a Thailand Privilege (Elite) visa, their Elite Personal Liaison (EPL) may only provide filing guidance — TDAC submission must be carried out by the applicant personally and cannot be delegated to someone else to submit.
18. Do children and infants also need to be declared?
Yes. Every traveler, including infants, needs their own individual TDAC declaration, though they can be added within the same application, each entering their own passport information while sharing itinerary and accommodation information.
Special Entry Situations
19. Do you need to file TDAC for a land border run?
Yes. TDAC is mandatory across all three types of ports — air, land, and sea. When doing a border run, you need a separate TDAC for both the exit and the return entry. Some smaller land crossings had transitional arrangements when this was first rolled out in early 2025, but as of 2026 it is fully and formally enforced everywhere.
20. What if you don’t have a phone, or your phone battery dies?
TDAC itself does not require network access on-site — what matters is completing the declaration and obtaining the QR code in advance. Recommendations:
- Take a screenshot of the QR code saved in your phone’s photo album
- Save it as a PDF on a tablet or laptop
- Print a paper copy as backup
Immigration officers can scan a printed QR code with the same effect as a digital one. Ports no longer issue paper TM6 forms.
Using the QR Code and ABC Clearance
21. How do you use the QR code at clearance?
When you reach immigration control, show your passport along with your TDAC QR code for the officer to scan. Since 2026, major airports including Suvarnabhumi (BKK), Don Mueang (DMK), Chiang Mai (CNX), Phuket (HKT), and Hat Yai (HDY) have introduced ABC Automated Border Control e-Gates:
1. Scan your passport
2. Undergo facial recognition
3. Scan your TDAC QR code when prompted by the system
4. Pass through the gate to complete entry
e-Gates apply to most travelers with chip passports. If an e-Gate rejects you due to a data mismatch, you will be directed to a manned counter for processing — this is not a penalty, just a manual check.
22. Does TDAC cost money? Are the paid websites online legitimate?
Official filing is completely free. Any paid website is an unauthorized third-party commercial service; travelers may choose whether to use one, but filing at the official portal tdac.immigration.go.th itself costs nothing. Please be sure to avoid imitation paid websites.
Latest Progress on the Mobile App
23. Has an official mobile app been released?
There has been progress. The Immigration Bureau of Thailand has released an official mobile app called THIM (Thailand Immigration Management), currently in a testing/trial phase, available for download on iOS and Android, supporting English, Russian, Japanese, and Chinese. Features include scanning your passport MRZ to auto-fill information, submitting TDAC, and multi-person filing, with the process completable within three minutes.
Current status (June 2026): THIM is still in testing and has not yet replaced the web-based system. Full official launch is expected in August 2026. For now, you still need to use the official website tdac.immigration.go.th to file.
There are several third-party apps named “TDAC” on the App Store — please do not download them. The current official app is **THIM**, not an app named “TDAC.”
Background Information
24. What is the latest status of the 60-day visa exemption policy?
Thailand’s 60-day visa exemption, introduced in July 2024, has been formally cancelled. The change was published in the Royal Gazette on August 31, 2026, and took effect on September 15, 2026.
Under the new rules, 60 countries and territories (including Taiwan) now receive a 30-day visa exemption, Mauritius and Seychelles receive a 15-day visa exemption, and Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia remain on visa on arrival. Travelers who entered under the old 60-day exemption before September 15, 2026 may stay until their originally granted period expires. This change affects visa-exemption and visa-on-arrival arrangements only — it does not change the stay rules for DTV, LTR, Thailand Privilege, retirement, work, student or dependent visas.
This policy change has no direct relationship to TDAC itself — regardless of the number of visa-exempt days, the TDAC filing requirement does not change. If you are planning your entry timing, it’s advisable to keep monitoring official announcements.
25. Is TDAC a visa? Does it affect my eligibility to enter?
TDAC is not a visa and does not grant any right of entry. Your eligibility to enter and length of stay still depend entirely on your nationality and the type of visa you hold. TDAC is purely the Immigration Bureau’s system for recording travelers’ itinerary and accommodation information.
**Data updated: June 2026.** If Thailand’s entry requirements are updated, refer to the Immigration Bureau’s latest announcements. This article is a compilation of information and does not constitute legal advice.
For how to fill in the arrival card, see:
Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) | 2026 Updated Entry Rules Overview: Who Needs to File, When, and How
Have a question about this guide? Leave a comment below, or ask Zagdim directly.
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