Reporter: RonnyLatYa
It's finally here. The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is online.
This is the link https://tdac.immigration.go.th/arrival-card/#/home
Every foreigner entering Thailand must fill this out. This must be done 3 days before arrival in Thailand. You will then receive your TDAC via the email address you provided, together with a QR code. You must download and print this out because you will have to show/scan it upon entry.
Practice on site will show how things will turn out.
Originally it was always said that this would come into effect on May 1st, but that date is not written anywhere (or I must have missed it). It seems that by posting that link online it is also immediately in effect.
I would recommend that travelers who enter Thailand before May 1st fill this out now. If it only officially goes into effect on May 1st, as was previously planned, then it would not be necessary, but if it does go into effect immediately, then you already have it. But perhaps there will be clarity about the start date later
You can read further details on how to use it by clicking on the User Guide and also watch the instructional videos.
I am already looking forward to the first experiences of readers who have come in with the TDAC and how it went.
Note: “Reactions are very welcome on the subject, but limit yourself here to the subject of this “TB Immigration Infobrief. If you have other questions, if you would like to see a topic covered, or if you have information for the readers, you can always send it to the editors. Only use www.thailandblog.nl/contact/ for this. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation”.
Thanks for the info. I'm coming back to Thailand on April 24th (on a multiple Re-entry Permit) so I'm going to create that TDAC just to be safe and will report back here. Was/will the Arrival Card be needed at all on a re-entry?
Yes, and you then filled in the re-entry number on the card instead of the visa number.
You can still do this at Visa No. I see
Thanks for the information.
What does this mean for people who arrived at a time when the arrival card was not available?
Currently I have no card or number in my passport. Renewing soon, last time I filled in NA.
As a Dutch person I had to google “ Voege” 🙂
Hello Romny,
If you have a visa “Retirement Non Imm” do you also have to fill out this card?
Adriaan
Yes, and that is clearly stated in the instructions
Who submits?
All foreigners entering Thailand are required to submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card before their arrival, except for:
– Foreigners transiting or transferring in Thailand without going through immigration control.
– Foreigners entering Thailand using a Border Pass.
A Border Pass is something that residents of neighboring countries can obtain to stay in Thailand for a short period of time.
I assume that those who are already in do not have to fill this in. On the TM7 (application for extension) you have to fill in when you entered Thailand. They can then see that you were already in Thailand before the TDAC came into effect.
There is also only a 4 day window in which you can enter an Arrival Date.
But it is possible that this will be clarified later for those who are already in Thailand.
There will certainly be some 'teething problems' or issues that may not have been taken into account immediately and which will be adjusted in subsequent versions.
As for “add
That way you can also learn some Flemish on TB 😉
https://taaladvies.net/in-voege-zijn-treden/
In maniere: it will have to do with your former job as a naval official. In NL I only know: 'in dier maniere' in a formal bureaucratic sense. If the NL government wants something from you, this kind of language is quickly used. To camouflage inability.
However, the website Taaladvies also indicates that “in doeltreden” or “inbrenge zijn” does not belong to the Belgian standard language. In itself also a non-in doel-bearing reasoning, because a Belgian standard language does not exist. A Flemish one does.
Is it possible for you to use the Dutch word: not: enter into effect, but enter into force; not be in effect, but: be in force.
'In doele' is clearly derived from the French: en vogue. Entrer en vogue, être en vogue: to come into effect, or to be.
Just like in the Netherlands people say “jus d'orange” (read: suderans) for orange juice.
And in Flanders they sometimes call it orange juice (me too, by the way). 😉
Mistake: should be 'en vigueur'
I understood you... I'm not that strict...
Otherwise you said “in fashion” (en vogue).
By the way, Vogue is a world-famous fashion magazine 😉
The French “en voque” is used to express that something is in vogue, like fashion. There has been a women's magazine called “Vogue” for a long time. 'In effect' is much stronger, and is often used in a legal sense to indicate that something has come “into effect”, has become “effective”. That is why Ronny frequently uses the term 'in effect' to indicate that an issue or regulation has become “valid” in accordance with current legislation, and people are being affected by it by the government.
'There is no such thing as a Belgian standard language. There is a Flemish one.”
There are 3 official languages in Belgium and these are the standard languages.
- Nederlands
- French
– German
Flemish and Walloon are therefore not official or standard national languages. At most, they are intermediate languages.
Walloon is spoken in Wallonia (with variants and dialects). West Flemish, East Flemish, Antwerp, Limburgish, Ghent… are examples of the many Flemish dialects.
Flemish is therefore not an official language, but rather a regional variant.
In addition, language advice says
“it is therefore not clear whether 'in doele zijn' (or 'stappen') can be considered part of the standard language in Belgium.” It is 'not clear' is not the same as 'not' belonging to the Belgian standard language.
But I write for both Dutch and Belgians on TB and then there are some “Flemish words” in between.
I make the effort to look up the articles, check them, write them and answer questions.
If you would just make a little more effort to understand those few “Flemish words” instead of nitpicking, splitting hairs, picking at foibles, or picking at a nail in the coffin, most of which are still completely untrue… then we can figure it out. Can’t we???
If not… As we also say in Flemish, “maybe I should make a drawing for it”….
https://www.vlaamswoordenboek.be/definities/17277
For Country of residence you have to fill in "The Kingdom of Belgium" in the selection window, I first searched like crazy to find Belgium (simple) there
As nationality you can easily find Belgium in the selection window
Simply fill in BEL at Country of residence and you will then be given the choice between
Belize
The Kingdom of Belgium
The Kingdom of Belarus
Then click on “what is needed…
Also stated in the instructions
“For dropdown fields, you can type three characters of the desired information, and the system will automatically display relevant options for selection.
That's what Lukashenka would like: HM King of Belarus.
A typo on my part, of course.
Must be The Republic of Belarus of course
Filling in more than 3 days in advance is not possible (for me). Any other arrival date than April 3, 2025 is considered incorrect.
There is currently a 4 day window I see. April 30,31,1 and 2. Days are in black.
I filled it out as a trial with April 2nd and the date was accepted just fine.
April 3rd is not possible yet
It says in the instructions.
WHEN SUBMIT?
Foreigners should submit their arrival card information 3 days in advance of arriving in Thailand, including the date of arrival.
Since I will be landing in Bangkok tomorrow and have no time to lose due to a connecting train ticket, I quickly filled it out, piece of cake and received the QR code within 2 seconds.
Will let you know later if it was asked for.
Regards,
Ron
Officially May 1st was foreseen but as I said you might as well fill it in already. If it is not necessary so much the better and in the other case you have it anyway.
Maybe a tip for the Dutch and Belgians
For Dutch people
Enter NLD in Nationality and you will get NLD: DUTCH, click on this
Enter NET at Country of Residence and you will receive
– Netherlands Antille
– The Kingdom of Netherland and then click on this
For Belgians it is the same in both cases
In both cases you can enter BEL and then Belgian or The Kingdom of Belgium and click on that
Hi Ronnie,
Try to find The Netherlands or Netherlands or dutch etc. And in country of residence Thailand is missing (for expats anyway)
I explained what you should do as Dutch people in a previous response.
I thought so right away… but I kind of expected it and that's why I gave that tip
For Dutch people
Enter NLD in Nationality and you will get NLD: DUTCH, click on this
Enter NET at Country of Residence and you will receive
– Netherlands Antille
– The Kingdom of Netherland and then click on this
Thailand should indeed assist those who reside in Thailand and have been deregistered from their country.
Actually, the form gives incorrect choices here, since the second option, The Kingdom of the Netherlands, also includes the first option. The Netherlands Antilles are part of that 'kingdom'.
As a Belgian, I don't know the details, but I thought I once read or heard that the islands within the state territory are referred to as the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Perhaps, for whatever reason, they consciously want to make a distinction.
And/or can your embassy provide an explanation for this. They may have been contacted about this
I have not contributed to that website or can make any changes to it.
But as you can read, there is a contact address where you can report this.
CONTACT US : [email protected]
I would say...go ahead
You are right, dear Ronny. The Netherlands Antilles only exist as a geographical entity. No longer as a sovereign territory. It was an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands until October 10, 2010. On that date, the country was dismantled.
Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten: These islands are now autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. They have a similar status to the Netherlands itself.
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba: These islands have the status of special municipalities of the Netherlands and are also called the Caribbean Netherlands.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four countries: the Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten. (PS: Thais also have long toes.)
Are border runs still possible with this new system?
You will be registered as out and then you will probably be able to apply for a new one.
Or will you be able to get that on the same day? That is then the possible end of the border run on one and the same day.
But practice will have to determine what will still be possible.
But I think this is coming anyway when the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) is going to be introduced for Visa Exemption travelers. That has now been postponed to be able to introduce this first.
I wonder what Immigration does with all those newcomers who don't have such good information provision as we do here (thanks Ronny) and are therefore surprised at the Imm. counter. Those three days are long gone by then. Even longer lines?
What I find special about TDAC is that you have to apply for the 3-day advance payment and that the QR code is sent to the specified e-mail address, which then has to be printed. Certainly easier for Immigration given the illegible handwriting on the old TM6 card, but more work for incoming passengers. What to do with last-minute bookings? Think of a death in the family (because you don't plan that) or an urgent business trip? Even standby passengers who only hear at the last minute whether they are coming along then have a problem. Or people who live here and go on holiday abroad and do not have a printer available? Being able to show a QR code on a smartphone should be sufficient, right? Why does the QR code have to be printed again?
They probably mean from 3 days before because if you look at the TDAC site the last 4 days are in black, which means you can indicate that as arrival date. Also for those who decide at the last minute.
And I expect that the QR code on your smartphone will also suffice, but practice will show that.
What about the average tourist who enters Thailand and has already booked?
My daughter is coming to visit me in July, how does she know that she has to fill out this form before leaving?
“My daughter is coming to visit me in July, how does she know that she has to fill out this form before leaving?”
A suggestion that just occurred to me.
What if you told her yourself….
what is annoying is that you cannot fill it in in advance and save it
I also wonder which telephone number to fill in in my and others' case, BEL./NL or Thai number possibly, because I do not expect Thai immigration to call abroad, and I will at least enter my Belgian number once I arrive in Thailand, and open my AIS number (2) on which mobile Thai internet also works.
By the way, thanks again for your dedication to show us the way (or is it Thai Jungle wise, lol)
Yes, and it is also a compulsory subject by the way, so you will have to fill in some of it.
If you enter your country of residence it automatically jumps to +32, but you can also change it to +66.
I think it's more of a number where you can be reached in case of emergency and you can decide that yourself.
By the way, most tourists will not have a Thai number before they arrive in Thailand.
I'll just fill in my Thai number there
I am staying in an airbnb during my 3 week vacation.
Do I fill in this address and say friend's house, or do I make up a hotel reservation?
House friend seems ok to me.
Ultimately, the TM30 will only confirm where you are actually staying if you fill it in correctly
Something I've wondered before with BNB bookings is... Do those owners actually report that a foreigner is staying there?? Officially, I think you are responsible as a traveler to report to the nearest immigration (or local police if immigration is too far away). In general, hotels always comply with this obligation, because the problems can be many times greater than the effort if they don't. But with AirBNB owners, maybe the fact that renting is illegal and/or not declared as income plays a role... By the way, I thought that, although you are responsible for reporting the address of your stay, it is impossible to register at any address without the 'permission' of the homeowner... TiT lol
Has nothing to do with the TDAC per se.
Before you know it, this will only be about renting through AirBnB, but still some comments because you are wrong about a few things.
“I think officially, as a traveler, you are responsible for reporting to the nearest immigration office (or local police if immigration is too far away).'
No, you do not have to report anywhere as a traveller. That is the task of the address manager where you are going to stay if that is longer than 24 hours and that must be done with a TM30 form.
Only if you have a permanent address known to immigration, you must confirm that address with a TM90 every 47 days of continuous stay in Thailand.
As for the “local police”, forget it. That dates back to the time when there were only a few immigration offices for the whole country.
“By the way, I thought that although you are responsible for reporting the address of your residence, it is impossible to register at any address without the 'permission' of the homeowner”
Isn't that the case everywhere in the world... you can never be registered at an address without the permission of the owner or address manager of that address.
“Do those owners actually report that a foreigner is staying there??”
“But for AirBNB owners, the fact that renting is illegal and/or not reported as income may play a role…”
The landlord must ensure that he complies with the law and that he obtains the necessary permits and notifications, otherwise he is acting illegally.
And if the tenant himself also knows that he is renting illegally... well.
Question, at the THAI, after covid, you could only request it with a gmail email address.
I usually use my hotmail address – could I use that now?
That shouldn't be a problem.
It is not stated anywhere that one should use gmail
The paper card was discontinued for a while and that did not cause any problems; not for Extension of Stay renewal nor for 90 Days Reporting.
I know: You will have to comply with Local Law or Re-invented Instructions in a new guise, even though this seems completely pointless to me, just like the 90 days notification. The past cardless period has already proven that.
Oh well, it must have something to do with job creation again...
What a great job an Efficiency Tzar could do here and save money and aggravation.
But… The USA has ETA and the EU uses ESTA; so the Thai bureaucrats want such a toy too: the TDAC.
It's just the way it is and whining about it won't change anything
Before I get the question about that
It says
Please note that you will not be able to update the following information:
1) Full Name (In Passport)
2) Passport No.
3) Nationality / Citizenship
4). Date of Birth
I don't know how this works for those who stay in Thailand for a longer period of time and in the meantime obtain a new passport with a new passport number, because apparently you cannot change that passport number.
Will immigration change that then??? We may find out later.
Before I get the question about that
As for the TDAC
It says
'Download the Thailand Digital Arrival Card. You can also download or print a copy from the email address provided for the duration of your stay in Thailand'
From which I gather that downloading it on your Smartphone will also suffice and you do not need to print it out immediately. As long as the QR code can be scanned of course.
I think there will be traffic jams of many tourists who are not aware of this. In the past it was easy. You took the plane and there you got that paper form. Are you notified by someone?
Informing yourself before you travel to a country is always a good idea. Even up until the last day…
As you are now informing yourself by reading this, among other things.
And I think it will also be distributed through embassies or consulates and travel agencies can also inform their customers.
But that will all be known sooner than you think.
On the official website tdac.immigration.go.th I still read that the procedure will start from May 1, 2025.
Mar 28, 2025 – IMPORTANT: The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system is set to launch on May 1st, 2025.
Although it has always been said that it is May 1st, it will probably be so
But I don't see that text anywhere on the website
Please give me the link where the text is and not the general link
https://tdac.in.th/#:~:text=Mar%2028%2C%202025,or%20official%20confirmations.
As I thought
That is AGENTS CO., LTD
Nothing official as a website although well put together as info
They say it themselves, by the way
“We are not a government website or resource. We strive to provide accurate information and offer assistance to travelers.”
Or do you mean this
Mar 28, 2025 – IMPORTANT: The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system is set to launch on May 1st, 2025
This is stated on the website of https://tdac.in.th/. I don't actually know that website but they write themselves
“For the official TDAC, visit tdac.immigration.go.th. We provide only unofficial Thailand travel info and newsletters.”
indeed.
This was also reported on the Tim Newton Today news channel
That is AGENTS CO., LTD a company unknown to me
This is what they say about it
AGENTS CO., LTD is a company based in Thailand that specializes in creating websites for booking hotel rooms online and providing reservation services It also offers services related to visas and work permit assistance for foreigners. The company was registered on December 12, 2019, with a capital of 10 million Thai Baht1. Its headquarters are located in Bang Phli, Samut Prakan
And what about those who live permanently in Thailand? Thailand is not in the list of “country of residence”
It was already mentioned yesterday that Thailand is not listed under Country of Residence and it actually should be.
Until then I would just fill in the country of origin because otherwise you will not get a TDAC. You are not doing anything wrong with that.
Sometimes you have to think pragmatically and then you can get a long way. 😉
On the FB page of Immigration there is now confirmation that it is mandatory from May 1 (which was also the proposed date). That has also been clarified.
“Compliance will be mandated from May 1st, 2025 onward.”
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068925981064
Works nicely, Ronny.
Had to look in Junkmail to find the document.