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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.
The updated process replaces the defunct TM6 form, which authorities retired in 2024, and also incorporates a health declaration to curb the transmission of communicable illnesses.
Travelers no longer need to complete forms at the border. Instead, they submit the form digitally and receive an electronic confirmation, which they present to immigration officers upon arrival—functionally similar to the old system, but now fully digital.
This new mandate is expected to facilitate additional administrative tasks, including the 90-day reporting obligation for long-term residents.
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Table of Contents
Who needs a Thailand digital arrival card before arriving in Thailand?
Every foreign visitor, regardless of nationality or visa category, must obtain the Thailand Digital Arrival Card before entering Thailand. This requirement applies equally to short-term tourists and long-term residents, including individuals entering under special visa schemes such as long-stay or remote-work visas.
Travelers must complete the form for each entry into Thailand, whether they arrive by air, land, or sea. Each traveler must submit an individual form, even when traveling as part of a family or group. However, the system allows travelers to group submissions together to streamline the process.
Does this new access form substitute a visa?
It is essential to understand that the Thailand Digital Arrival Card does not replace a visa. Although travelers must complete it before entering the country, it does not grant permission to stay in or travel within Thailand. Travelers must hold a valid visa or qualify for a formal visa exemption, depending on their nationality and the purpose of their visit.
Even travelers who qualify for visa-free entry must complete this form before arrival. Failure to submit it in advance may cause unnecessary delays at the border and, in some cases, may result in refusal of entry until the traveler completes the form.
Procedures and timeline for registering the Thailand digital arrival card prior to entry into Thailand ?
Travelers may complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card form as early as three days prior to arrival. For example, if flying into Thailand on May 1st—when the new policy takes effect—travelers may register starting April 28th. However, authorities strongly recommend submitting the form in advance to avoid delays.
Submission for the Thailand Digital Arrival Card is completely online, and the authorities do not provide or approve any paper alternative. Significantly, this latest requirement does not involve paying any state charges. Moreover, the system makes the instructions available in five languages, including English, Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Japanese, to assist 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 and display a red asterisk, and applicants must complete them to continue. Once the required information 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 the method of entry into Thailand—by plane, land, or sea—along with the address where you’ll stay. Immigration authorities do not require departure information at this stage, but officers may request proof of onward travel depending on the visa type. Travelers should prudently have their departure ticket or next destination reservation available upon entry.
Step 3: Health Declaration Prior to Submission
In closing, a health declaration asks countries visited recently, pertinent for health risk assessment. If travelers visited locations subject to Thai health alerts or disease warnings. The authorities may require them to present vaccination certification or undergo health screening upon arrival in order to obtain 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. The system sends a confirmation email verifying receipt of your completed form.
Authorities strongly recommend retaining 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 that you received by 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 immigration officers may request it again upon departure. Authorities strongly advise keeping a digital copy of your Thailand Digital Arrival Card conveniently accessible for the duration of your stay to ensure 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, Thai immigration rules exempt some categories of individuals from this process. Foremost, Thai nationals do not need to complete or present the TDAC. Given the system aims to streamline immigration for non-Thai entrants, particularly with ongoing border modernization efforts. Thai authorities appropriately grant this exemption to Thai passport holders.
While most travelers entering Thailand must submit a Thailand Digital Arrival Card, Thai immigration rules exempt some journeys from this requirement. 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. Thai authorities treat such individuals 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
If you need further information, you may schedule an appointment with one of our lawyers.
FAQ
Yes. The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is mandatory for all foreign travelers, regardless of nationality, visa type, or length of stay. This includes tourists, business travelers, long-stay visa holders, and remote workers.
No. The Thailand Digital Arrival Card does not replace a visa. It is an entry declaration only. Travelers must still hold a valid visa or qualify for a visa exemption under Thai immigration rules.
Travelers may submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card up to three days before arrival in Thailand. Authorities strongly recommend completing it in advance to avoid delays at immigration checkpoints.
No. Submission of the Thailand Digital Arrival Card is completely free of charge. There are no government fees associated with this requirement.
Applicants must provide passport details, travel information, accommodation address in Thailand, and complete a health declaration. Accurate information is essential, as inconsistencies may cause delays or additional screening.