Flying to Thailand: the TDAC digital arrival card must be completed within three days before arrival

Every non-Thai national entering Thailand must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, or TDAC, online before arriving. The Royal Thai Embassy in London says the requirement applies to all non-Thai nationals entering by air, land or sea, regardless of visa type, including those entering under the Visa Exemption scheme, and that it has applied since 1 May 2025.

Timing is the detail most likely to catch travellers out. According to the embassy, registration must be done within three days prior to arrival in Thailand, so the card is not something to complete weeks in advance. The form is filled in on the Immigration Bureau's website, tdac.immigration.go.th.

The embassy stresses that the TDAC is not a visa but an immigration requirement, and that existing visa requirements and the Visa Exemption scheme remain unchanged. A government guide published on thailand.go.th says the form asks for the traveller's full name as it appears in the passport, flight number, accommodation in Thailand and purpose of visit, and that the confirmation email should be shown to immigration officers on arrival. Thai citizens and permanent residents are excluded.

Before flying, check the latest instructions from the Thai embassy or consulate covering your country, complete the form on the official Immigration Bureau site within the three-day window and keep the confirmation to hand.