Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC): The Mandatory Form Every Traveller Needs

No — they are two separate things. The eVisa is your authorisation to enter Thailand, needed only by certain nationalities or for long/non-tourist stays. The TDAC is the arrival declaration that every foreign traveller must file, including visa-exempt visitors. Having a visa does not exempt you from the TDAC, and the TDAC does not grant you entry on its own.

Yes. Visa exemption removes the need for a visa for stays up to 30 days (since 15 September 2026) — it does NOT remove the need for the TDAC. Every foreign traveller passing through Thai immigration must complete the TDAC, whether or not they need a visa.

Within the 72 hours (3 days) before your arrival date, including the arrival day. The system won't accept earlier submissions. File it as soon as the window opens — many airlines now check the TDAC at check-in, so don't wait until you land.

Filing it yourself on the official government site, tdac.immigration.go.th, is free. Evisa Rocket also offers an optional assisted-filing service at $20 per traveller — we check your entries against your passport, complete it for your whole group, and track the 72-hour deadline so you don't miss it. Either route works; just avoid scam look-alike sites that overcharge or deliver a fake card.

The only official site is tdac.immigration.go.th, run by the Thai Immigration Bureau. There's an official multilingual manual at tdac.immigration.go.th/manual/en/. Any site with a different domain that asks for a fee is unofficial.

Yes. Every traveller needs their own TDAC, regardless of age — including newborns and infants. A family of four must submit four separate cards.

Yes. The TDAC replaced the paper TM6 arrival/departure card on 1 May 2025. You no longer fill out a paper card on the plane — you complete the TDAC online before you travel.

Your passport details (number, issuing country, expiry — passport valid 6+ months), travel details (arrival date, mode of travel, flight number or border-crossing reference, country you boarded from), your accommodation in Thailand (hotel/address, province), an email address for the QR-code confirmation, and a short health declaration. Everything must be entered in English.

Only if they pass through immigration. If you stay in the international transit area and never officially enter Thailand, you don't need a TDAC. If you leave the airport — even for a short layover stay — you do.

You may be refused boarding by your airline at departure, or sent to complete the TDAC at an airport kiosk on arrival — which can mean long queues at peak times. To avoid stress, file it in the 72 hours before you fly and keep the QR code on your phone.

Yes. The eVisa and the TDAC are separate requirements. The eVisa is checked as your entry authorisation; the TDAC is your arrival declaration. Complete both: apply for the eVisa before travel, then file the TDAC within 72 hours of arrival.

The QR code on your phone is generally accepted, but a printed copy is a smart backup in case your battery dies or there's no signal at the counter. Save the email, screenshot the QR code, and print one copy if you can.