Thailand's 2025 travel requirement: what went live and what you must do in 2026
In 2024 and early 2025, Thailand announced digital reforms to replace paper arrival cards and streamline visitor data. Headlines often bundled TDAC, ETA, and tourism fees into one story. The requirement that actually launched, and still applies in June 2026, is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), mandatory from 1 May 2025 for all foreign nationals at air, land, and sea checkpoints.
At Thai Visa Centre in Bangkok we review entry stacks before every client flies. This guide explains what was promised, what is live today, how TDAC differs from the discussed ETA, and the step-by-step compliance path that keeps you out of boarding and immigration delays. If you only remember one rule: TDAC is mandatory now, free on the official site, and separate from your visa stamp.
Mandatory since 1 May 2025 for every foreign entry by air, land, and sea.
Before arrival, Thailand time. Do not wait until boarding without a backup plan.
Only at tdac.immigration.go.th. Paid copycat sites are a known scam vector.
Separate future pre-screen for some visa-exempt passports. It does not replace TDAC.
What went live: TDAC (May 2025)
TDAC is Thailand's mandatory online arrival and departure registration. It replaced the paper TM6 form for most entries and applies whether you enter on visa exemption, tourist visa, VOA, DTV, retirement extension, or Privilege membership. Every foreign passport holder completes it within 72 hours of arrival on tdac.immigration.go.th.
Immigration cross-checks TDAC data against airline manifests and passport stamps. Incomplete submissions, wrong passport numbers, or missing confirmations are a common cause of boarding questions and arrival delays, especially during peak season at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. TDAC does not grant or extend stay permission; it registers your trip details for the counter.
TVC tip: Submit TDAC after your flight is firm but within the 72-hour window. If you change flights, update or resubmit so arrival date and flight number match your boarding pass. Keep confirmation offline in hand luggage.
TDAC rules at a glance
These six rules cover the questions we hear most often in live chat. They apply regardless of nationality or visa category. Use the table as a quick reference, then read the TDAC vs ETA section below if you are unsure which digital system is live today.
| Detail | Rule |
|---|---|
| Who must submit | Every non-Thai national: visa holders, visa-exempt tourists, VOA, and long-stay permission holders on every entry. |
| When to submit | Within 72 hours before arrival (Thailand time). Resubmit if flight or arrival date changes materially. |
| Entry modes | International airports, land borders, and seaports. No exemption for cruise or overland travellers. |
| Replaces | Paper TM6 arrival/departure card for most travellers. Some diplomatic categories may differ. |
| Does not grant | Visa or visa exemption. Immigration still checks passport category and permitted stay at the counter. |
| Failure risk | Delays, extra questioning, or denial of entry. Airlines may ask for confirmation before boarding. |
Deep dive: TDAC explained | Full checklist: entry requirements guide
TDAC vs Thailand ETA: do not confuse them
Government briefings in 2024 and 2025 described two different digital layers. TDAC registers every arrival and departure. ETA, when live, would pre-screen some visa-exempt travellers before they board, similar to ESTA in the United States or ETIAS in the European Union. Only TDAC is operational in June 2026. The cards below explain each system in plain language.
TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card)
TDAC is the requirement that actually launched in May 2025 and still applies to every foreign national on every entry in June 2026. It is free on tdac.immigration.go.th and replaces the paper TM6 arrival card function. You submit passport data, flight details, and accommodation within 72 hours of landing. TDAC does not decide whether you may enter Thailand; it registers your arrival for immigration. Missing or incorrect TDAC is one of the most common avoidable causes of boarding questions and counter delays at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang.
Thailand ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation)
ETA is a separate future project discussed in 2024 and 2025 briefings for visa-exempt visitors, conceptually similar to ESTA in the United States or ETIAS in the European Union. Early drafts mentioned processing through the Thailand e-Visa portal with roughly one-hour turnaround and no fee in some briefings. As of June 2026, ETA is not live and does not replace TDAC. When it launches, eligible visa-free nationalities would likely need both ETA approval before boarding and TDAC registration before arrival. Nationalities that already need embassy tourist visas would still apply for visas separately.
Use this side-by-side table when you need a quick comparison for travel planning or client briefings. Status fields reflect June 2026 practice, not pilot announcements alone.
| System | Status | Who | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| TDAC | Mandatory, live now | All foreign nationals every entry | Immigration arrival/departure registration replacing TM6 |
| Thailand ETA | Under development | Likely visa-exempt nationalities when launched | Pre-travel authorisation before boarding, similar concept to ESTA/ETIAS |
You need TDAC now regardless of ETA status. Do not pay third-party sites selling ETA or TDAC premium access unless you understand exactly what they provide. Official TDAC is free at tdac.immigration.go.th. Copycat domains are a known scam vector in 2025 and 2026.
Who was expected to use ETA when launched
Pilot announcements are not final law. Country lists and enrollment methods can change before Royal Gazette publication or a live ETA portal. Treat the bullets below as briefing notes from 2024 and 2025, then verify your passport category on official MFA and e-Visa sites before every trip.
- Visa-exempt regions discussed in briefings include parts of Africa, the Americas, Middle East, and Oceania
- Examples cited in early drafts include USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and UAE. Always verify live lists on official sites before travel
- Argentina and Chile were flagged for possible airport-only enrollment pilots. That was not confirmed as final policy
- Diplomatic, official, UN laissez-passer, and certain border-pass categories may follow different rules. Confirm with immigration
- ETA would not replace tourist visas for nationalities that already need embassy approval before flying
If ETA launches for your nationality, expect announcements on thaievisa.go.th and MFA channels first. Until then, your compliance stack is visa or exemption plus TDAC on every entry.
Documents TDAC and future ETA both expect
Whether you submit TDAC today or ETA when it goes live, immigration expects consistent passport and trip data. Mismatches between your form, boarding pass, and visa stamp are a frequent cause of extra questions at the counter. Gather these items before you start either digital form.
- Valid passport biographic page data matching TDAC submission exactly, including spelling and expiry date
- Flight number, arrival date and time, and departure date and time aligned with your ticket
- Accommodation address in Thailand: hotel name, street, province, and postcode where possible
- Contact phone and email reachable during travel for immigration or airline follow-up
- Separate visa approval or exemption eligibility. TDAC is registration, not a visa
- Printed or digital e-Visa approval for nationalities requiring pre-approved tourist visas before flying
For 60-day visa exemption travellers, eligibility is checked at immigration, not granted by TDAC alone. Browse all visa types if you need longer or repeated stays.
Timeline: 2025 announcements vs June 2026 reality
Policy headlines moved quickly between late 2024 and mid 2025. This timeline separates what was announced from what travellers actually faced at immigration in June 2026. Use it when older articles still mention ETA as if it replaced TDAC.
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| Late 2024 | MFA and immigration announce a digital replacement for the paper TM6 arrival card. Media coverage also mentions a future ETA for visa-exempt visitors, which creates early confusion about which system would go live first. |
| Early 2025 | ETA pilot discussions continue alongside TDAC rollout planning. Tourism fee debate and crackdown planning on fake government form sites run in parallel. Airlines begin asking passengers for TDAC confirmation on some routes. |
| 1 May 2025 | TDAC becomes mandatory nationwide for foreign nationals at air, land, and sea checkpoints. Paper TM6 cards are phased out for most routine tourist and long-stay entries. |
| Mid 2025 | Enforcement increases at major airports. Immigration and tourism authorities publicise warnings about fake TDAC websites charging for the free official form. |
| 2025 to 2026 | 60-day visa exemption standardises for eligible passports. Border-run scrutiny rises for travellers with repeated exemption entries and weak tourism narratives. |
| June 2026 | Normal entry stack for most visitors: correct visa or exemption, completed TDAC, and supporting documents at officer discretion. ETA remains under development and is not a substitute for TDAC. |
Tourism entry fee: separate from TDAC and ETA
Thailand has publicised a 300 THB tourism fee for air arrivals through electronic collection, with a lower rate discussed for land and sea entry. Implementation schedules shifted across 2024 and 2025 and it was not universally collected as of June 2026. The fee is a separate tourism levy debate, not TDAC registration and not your visa stamp.
Budget for the proposed fee if Royal Gazette rules publish before your trip, but TDAC and visa compliance come first. See our Thai tourist tax guide for June 2026 status and scam warnings on unofficial payment sites.
Step-by-step: avoid border problems in 2026
Work through these six steps in order before every trip to Thailand. They apply to first-time tourists, returning long-stay holders, and families travelling together. Skipping visa checks or family TDAC submissions are the mistakes we correct most often in Bangkok consultations.
Confirm visa or exemption first
TDAC does not decide whether you may enter Thailand. Before you book non-refundable flights, check whether your passport qualifies for visa exemption on thaievisa.go.th, needs Visa on Arrival at your checkpoint, or requires a pre-approved tourist e-Visa from an embassy. Long-stay categories such as DTV, retirement, and marriage visas must be held before you fly unless narrow in-country conversion rules apply to your case. Arriving without the correct immigration permission creates problems that a completed TDAC cannot fix.
Submit TDAC on the official site
Use tdac.immigration.go.th only. Enter passport data exactly as printed, including middle names and hyphenation. Add flight number, arrival date and time, departure date and time, and accommodation address in Thailand. One submission per passport holder: parents cannot file once for the whole family. Submit after your flight is firm but within the 72-hour window. If you change flights, update or resubmit so arrival details match your boarding pass.
Save confirmation offline
Keep your TDAC confirmation email and screenshots accessible in hand luggage, not only in checked bags or cloud-only storage. Airport Wi-Fi and mobile data can fail at immigration queues. Airlines on some routes ask for TDAC proof at check-in or boarding. A printed copy or offline PDF on your phone saves time when officers or gate agents request verification.
Carry supporting documents
TDAC completion does not remove immigration discretion on funds, onward travel, or accommodation. Carry return or onward tickets within your permitted stay, hotel bookings or host details matching TDAC, proof of funds where your route requires it, and printed or digital e-Visa approval if you entered on a pre-approved tourist visa. Long-stay holders should carry visa stamp pages and re-entry permit evidence when applicable.
Ignore Thailand Pass checklists
Thailand Pass ended in 2022 and is not coming back. Old blog posts, YouTube videos, and forum threads still circulate COVID-era checklists that mention Thailand Pass, quarantine hotels, and vaccination uploads. Those steps are obsolete for 2026 travel. Your live requirements are visa or exemption, TDAC, and any documents immigration may ask for at discretion.
Plan long stays on proper visas
Repeated 60-day exemption entries without genuine tourism patterns draw enforcement attention in 2026. Remote work, school enrolment, and family relocation need categories that match your activity: DTV, retirement, marriage, Elite, LTR, or employment with work permit. Our Bangkok team reviews passport history and long-stay plans before clients commit to leases or school fees on the wrong stamp.
Common mistakes we see at TVC
Most entry problems we handle are avoidable. They usually come from outdated forum advice, paid copycat TDAC sites, or confusing ETA headlines with the live TDAC rule. Review this list before you fly and share it with family members submitting their own forms.
- Assuming the 2025 requirement was ETA. TDAC is what went live and affects everyone today
- Paying third-party websites for TDAC when the official form is free at tdac.immigration.go.th
- One parent submitting TDAC for the entire family. Each passport holder needs their own submission
- Completing TDAC weeks early outside the 72-hour window and not resubmitting when plans change
- Entering on visa exemption while planning months of remote work without DTV or other permission
- Relying on airport last-minute TDAC kiosks that may not exist at your checkpoint
Frequently asked questions
These questions come up weekly in our Bangkok office and live chat. Answers reflect June 2026 immigration practice, including mandatory TDAC and ETA still under development.
Q:Was the 2025 requirement ETA or TDAC?
A:TDAC is the requirement in force since May 2025. Every foreign national must complete it within 72 hours of arrival on the official immigration site. ETA is a separate future layer discussed for some visa-free passports and is not a substitute for TDAC today. When ETA launches, you will likely need both systems for eligible passports, not one instead of the other.
Q:Do I still need TDAC if I have a retirement visa?
A:Yes. Every entry as a foreign national requires TDAC, including long-stay visa holders, Privilege members, and LTR holders returning from trips abroad. TDAC is per arrival, not a one-time registration for the life of your visa. Keep confirmation accessible each time you re-enter after holiday travel.
Q:Can I submit TDAC at the airport instead of online?
A:Policy expects online pre-submission within 72 hours of arrival. Last-minute airport completion is not guaranteed and may cause boarding or entry delays, especially on peak-season flights. Some checkpoints may offer assistance, but you should not depend on it. Submit before you fly and carry offline proof.
Q:Did COVID-era Thailand Pass return?
A:No. Thailand Pass is retired and was a health and quarantine authorisation system, not an arrival card. TDAC replaced the paper TM6 arrival card function for immigration registration. You do not need vaccination uploads or hotel quarantine bookings for normal 2026 entry.
Q:Does TDAC grant 60-day visa exemption?
A:No. Exemption eligibility is determined by nationality and immigration law at the counter. TDAC is registration only and does not extend or grant stay permission. If your passport is not on the exemption list, you still need a visa regardless of TDAC status.
Q:Is the 300-baht tourism fee the same as TDAC?
A:No. The proposed tourism entry fee is separate and was not fully implemented as of June 2026. TDAC is mandatory today and free on the official site. Budget for a future tourist levy if Royal Gazette rules publish, but complete TDAC and visa compliance first.
Q:What if my flight is delayed after I submitted TDAC?
A:If your arrival date changes materially, submit a corrected TDAC within the allowed window before you land. Keep confirmation matching your actual arrival flight where possible. Minor delays within the same calendar day are usually manageable, but a date shift to the next day should trigger an update.
Official references
Verify forms, exemption lists, and announcements on official government sites before you travel. Copycat domains exist for TDAC and e-Visa services. Bookmark these links rather than clicking ads or social media shortcuts.