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The Thailand Digital arrival card: A new entry requirement for travelers to Thailand
As of May 2025, foreign nationals must complete an online digital arrival card prior to entry rather than the antiquated paper-based TM6 arrival card it replaces. Regardless of visa status or length of stay, all travelers entering the country by land, air, or sea now have this requirement. Known as the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, officials introduced this electronic system to modernize border operations and strengthen protections. It has become mandatory for anyone wishing to lawfully enter Thailand. This reform aims to improve efficiency by reducing paperwork while allowing immigration officers to closely monitor international arrivals and bar those endangering public welfare or health from admission.
Supplanting the defunct TM6 form which was retired in 2024, the updated process also incorporates a health declaration to curb communicable illness transmission. No longer must travelers fill out forms upon border crossing. Instead, after submitting the form digitally, arrivals will receive an electronic confirmation to present to officers—similar to the old system but fully digital.
This new mandate is anticipated to facilitate additional administrative tasks as well, such as the 90-day reporting obligation for long-term inhabitants.
Table of Contents
Who needs a Thailand digital arrival card before arriving in Thailand?
Each alien visitor, irrespective of their ethnicity or visa type, necessitates obtaining the new Thailand Digital Arrival Card previously crossing into Thailand. This equally applies to abbreviated-term vacationers and prolonged-term occupants similarly, together with those entering under exceptional visa packages such as the lengthy-stay or far off work visas.
Completion of the form is compulsory for each journey to Thailand, whether arriving by air, land, or sea. Significantly, each traveler necessitates submitting their own form individually—even when travelling as a family. Though, the system does allow submissions to be assembled jointly to facilitate the process.
Does this new access form substitute a visa?
It is fundamental to apprehend that the Thailand Digital Arrival Card does not act as a substitute for a visa. While it is an obligatory step to enter the country, it does not grant any consent to stay or travel interior Thailand. Travelers are still necessitated to hold a valid visa or benefit from a formal visa exemption, depending on their ethnicity and the aim of their visit.
Even those who qualify for visa-free access necessitate accomplishing this form previously arrival. Failing to do so may lead to needless delays at the boundary, and in some instances, refusal of entry until the form is submitted.
Procedures and timeline for registering the Thailand digital arrival card prior to entry into Thailand ?
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card form can be completed as soon as three days prior to arrival. For instance, if flying into Thailand on May 1st—when the new policy takes effect—registration is possible starting April 28th. However, it is strongly suggested to submit beforehand to avoid delays.
Submission for the Thailand Digital Arrival Card is completely online, with no paper alternative provided or approved. Significantly, this latest requirement does not involve paying any state charges. Moreover, the instructions are available in five languages including English, Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Japanese to help global travelers.
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A guide to filling out the registration for the Thailand digital arrival card
To register, go to the official immigration website hosting the form. While extra platforms and a mobile app may be developed down the road, currently the safest choice is the Thai government homepage.
Before accessing the registration page, make sure to have ready your passport along with all pertinent travel details. This incorporates flight or vehicle confirmation in addition to the full address where you’ll stay during your visit. Booking receipts or confirmations may also assist with completing the form.
- Step 1: Providing Your Personal Information
To initiate the process, you must access the official immigration website and select the “Arrival Card” option. This will direct you to the initial section of the form requesting personal details. Here you will provide your nationality, passport number, and contact mobile phone number.
Some fields are compulsory, clearly marked with a red asterisk, and must be filled to continue. Once the required info is entered, clicking forward navigates to the following page about travel plans and lodging in Thailand.
- Step 2: Travel Itinerary and Accommodation Plans
The second portion asks for entry method to Thailand—by plane, land, or sea—along with the address where you’ll stay. While departure info isn’t mandatory now, immigration officers may request proof of onward travel depending on your visa type. Prudently having your departure ticket or next destination reservation available upon entry is advised.
- Step 3: Health Declaration Prior to Submission
In closing, a health declaration asks countries visited recently, pertinent for health risk assessment. If locations with Thai health alerts or disease warnings were visited, presenting vaccination certification or undergoing screening upon arrival may be necessary in order to get the Thailand Digital Arrival Card.
- Step 4: Finalizing your application to get your Thailand Digital Arrival Card and saving confirmation details
Before finalizing your application, you have the option to include additional travelers like family or companions if submitting multiple entries together. Otherwise, follow the on-screen instructions to complete just your application for the Thailand Digital Arrival Card. Upon submission, a confirmation email will be sent verifying receipt of your completed form.
It is highly recommended to retain easy access to this confirmation, whether stored on your mobile or securely in cloud storage. Immigration officers may request to see it upon arrival, so convenient access is crucial. Though not mandatory, consider retaining a printed copy as well for added security.
- Step 5: Arrival procedures in Thailand and immigration checkpoint requirements
When reaching the Thai border, show the confirmation receipt received via email to immigration officials. No need to print—having it readily available on your mobile device will suffice.
Be sure not to delete the confirmation email after entry, as it may be requested again upon departure. Keeping a digital copy of your Thailand Digital Arrival Card conveniently accessible for the duration of your stay is strongly advised for a smooth exit process.
Are there exclusions from the Thailand Digital Arrival Card obligation?
While the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is normally expected of most foreign visitors, some categories of individuals are exempted from this process. Foremost, Thai nationals are not expected to complete or present the TDAC. Given the system aims to streamline immigration for non-Thai entrants, particularly with ongoing border modernization efforts, this exemption is appropriately afforded to Thai passport holders.
While most travelers entering Thailand must submit a Thailand Digital Arrival Card, some journeys are exempt from this rule. Foreigners who merely transit through the country without passing immigration, like those who remain in an airport’s designated transfer area, do not need a TDAC. Such individuals are seen as technically not entering Thailand, so the digital entry system does not cover them.
Additional exemptions apply to people crossing land borders with a Border Pass. This special document usually permits citizens of nearby nations like Laos, Cambodia, or Malaysia brief entries into specified provinces. When access is temporary and spatially limited, Thai authorities may waive the TDAC requirement to ease local cross-border movement. But this sole exception applies only under specific circumstances possibly outlined in bilateral pacts or regional policies.
Conclusion
Implementation of the Thailand Digital Arrival Card signifies a major step forward in modernizing border procedures. This digital shift improves security, simplifies red tape, and gives officials better tools to monitor public health and immigration law adherence. For all non-Thais entering by land, air, or sea, filling out the TDAC online ahead of time is now mandatory.
Travelers and their legal advisors would be wise to submit well before arriving to avoid delays or issues at checkpoints during immigration processing. As Thailand continues streamlining its immigration infrastructure, compliance with the Thailand Digital Arrival Card proves integral to this digital transformation.
Our team remains available to help individuals and businesses navigate this new requirement through up-to-date legal guidance or assistance securing immigration compliance.